Statement in support of Mike Hutchinson for Oakland Board of Education

I am encouraging EBDSA members to endorse Mike Hutchinson for the school board seat in district 5. Mike has been at and spoken in every school board meeting since I have started attending the meetings. He is known by everyone and received an unanimous endorsement by OEA. But more importantly than that, he is aware that to change the district’s policies will require community support from parents, students, teachers, union members and engaged residents in a multi-year effort at the local, state, and federal level. 

In my many conversations with Mike, he has stated that we must build power outside of the NGO structure. A structure that often uses a public-private model that hides the causes of systemic inequality and provides cover for administrators and politicians that push a corporate line. The same politicians and administrators who are focused on tinkering at the local level but refuse to apply pressure upwards towards the state and federal level because they are inter-locked in a patronage network, not wanting to upset the establishment.

Mike will be a great candidate to work with in expanding the movement to change education and roll back the pro-charter tide. While oftentimes candidates will talk about voter education or coming up with the best technical solution as a fix, Mike knows that these tactics are not enough and are only supplemental to building a movement and a base of active organizing residents in Oakland.

Lew L & Katie F

Members of Classroom Justice Campaign