Resolution to delay Oakland schools consolidation rejected by board

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Unified School District's emergency board meeting held a vote on Friday that rejected a proposed amendment to delay the consolidation plan that closes some of the district's schools. 

Despite earlier optimism that could have meant the end of an 18-day hunger strike for two educators protesting for the children; the vote now confirms the consolidation plan will go through in June. 

The meeting could have delayed the school closure plan adopted less than two weeks ago. 

Two board members voted ‘yes’ to delay the consolidation plan, three voted ‘no,' and one director abstained. 

The emergency meeting was called in the wake of widespread backlash over the board's plan to close or consolidate more than a dozen of the schools over the next two years. Part of that backlash includes a hunger strike by a teacher and a school administrator. 

Even though their schools were spared in the consolidation plan, Maurice Andre San-Chez, a choir teacher, and Moses Omolade, a program manager at the school, haven't eaten anyway, citing a solidarity with the other school communities facing closure.

Their cause has been quite visible at Westlake Middle School. On Friday, the educators thought it would be their last day of going hungry for their cause. They thought the board would delay the closures. 

"It does feel like a victory," San-Chez said. 

The board called the emergency meeting to amend the recently-passed resolution and to delay the consolidation plan until after the 2022-2023 school year. 

"We are ending our hunger strike tonight at the end of that meeting?" Omolade said as he turned to San-Chez. "I don't want to say yes, but yes," San-Chez replied with a grin on his face. The two erupted with joyful laughter.

Whether the original two hunger strikers will continue their protest remains to be seen. But during public comment at the emergency meeting, new pledges of solidarity were heard as other teachers, parents, and even some students said they would begin their own hunger strike, starting Saturday and will continue until the board changes their mind. 

School board member Mike Hutchinson is one of only two board members to have previously voted against any closures. 

"It shows how haphazardly these decisions were made and when we're talking about closing our schools and traumatizing the community, it's unacceptable that the school board has put the community through this," Hutchinson said. 

"The hunger strike had a very big role. It had everything to do with why they're meeting tonight. Also, the mobilization that we've seen throughout the community. If you mess with the kids, you mess with us," San-Chez said before the vote took place.

SEE ALSO: Oakland educator released from hospital after hunger strike

The district maintains the closures are necessary for the declining enrollment and budget shortfalls. They issued a statement that read: "Many in the community have asked the board to consider moving the school consolidations scheduled for the end of this year to the end of next year.  The president wants to give the board the opportunity to consider this option." 

"The families have had no chance to even evaluate or visit schools. The timeline was so crazy that we have to move this back," said Hutchinson. 

Many in this school community had expected the board to approve the delay. 

"I'm really excited to get back to the process of eating good food, of laughing belly laughs, of like, running and chasing kids. It's been a beautiful journey. Very beautiful journey," said Omolade. 

Those who oppose the school closures said they felt they would have had more than a year to mobilize and that they will organize to keep all schools open even after next year. But in the end, the amendment was rejected. They'll now have to scramble to plan for their students' education plans.  

KTVU's Elissa Harrington contributed to this story.