War teach-ins set for Oakland schools

Oakland Tribune ^ | Article Last Updated: Monday, January 13, 2003 - 3:47:12 AM MST | By Alex Katz, STAFF WRITER

[vannrox]

PASSED UNANIMOUS!

War teach-ins set for Oakland schools

By Alex Katz, STAFF WRITER
• Article Last Updated: Monday, January 13, 2003 - 3:47:12 AM MST

The Oakland School Board Unanimously (with one abstention) passed a resolution to plan teach-ins throughout the School District on the war on Iraq Here is the FRONT PAGE! Oakland Tribune article and below is the School Board Resolution, cosponsored by Board Member Dan Siegel and Oakland Education Association president Sheila Quintana.

War teach-ins set for Oakland schools

Officials want both sides presented but still need hawkish speakers

By Alex Katz, STAFF WRITER

OAKLAND -- City schools will hold 1960s-style "teach-ins" on President Bush's proposed war on Iraq Tuesday, following a resolution from a vocally anti-war school board.

The presentations by about 60 guest speakers at all the high schools -- many alternative schools and a few middle and elementary schools -- are supposed to be "educational and not rhetorical," said school board member Dan Siegel, who proposed the idea.

Guest speakers scheduled in classrooms, however, are mostly anti-war advocates, leading some district officials to wonder if the events will actually be non-biased and present both sides of the issue as intended.

The problem, Siegel and other said, was finding anyone who represents the "pro-war" side. Invitations to speak were sent to the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein's office, but were declined, Siegel said.

The list of groups that signed up to speak in classrooms includes Veterans for Peace, the Black Panthers, the East Bay Coalition to Stop the Sanctions on Iraq and the Western States Legal Foundation. Artists, veterans of the first Persian Gulf War and others are scheduled to participate, organizers said.

"It seems like one of those situations where only Bush and (Vice President Dick) Cheney and (Defense Secretary Donald) Rumsfeld and people in the ad-ministration are for the war," he said.

Bush has claimed attacking Iraq may be necessary to rid the country of "weapons of mass destruction."

Teachers will lead their own discussions of the issue in some classes Tuesday.

When the school board passed the "teach-in" resolution in November, a few board members objected, saying the district should instead hold a teach-in on the violence in Oakland, or that elementary school students were too young to learn about war.

Board President Greg Hodge, then vice president, pointed out that any attack on Iraq would kill Iraqi elementary school children, so children of the same age in Oakland should at least know about it.

"It's important for teachers to educate about current events, and this is a major current event right now," said Far West High School junior Darla Walters-Gary. "I personally find it hard to believe that anybody who is fully informed can be pro-war, but that's my personal opinion."

Anti-war school board plans teach-ins

By Alex Katz, STAFF WRITER


OAKLAND -- Students in kindergarten through 12th grade will learn about the proposed war in Iraq at 1960s-style "teach-ins," a vocally anti-war school board decided Wednesday.


School board member Dan Siegel proposed the resolution encouraging schools to set aside time to teach about the planned conflict to rid Iraq of what President Bush calls "weapons of mass destruction."


"I think the pending war with Iraq is a matter that has the most serious consequences for people in this country," Siegel said, citing the inevitable deaths of Iraqi civilians and U.S. military personnel, as well as the allocation of resources away from schools and toward war.


The teach-ins will be voluntary and open to parents. Each school site will determine when, or if, the events will happen.

Despite vocal opposition to an Iraq war expressed at school board meetings by board members, schools Superintendent Dennis Chaconas, teachers and students, Siegel said information will be presented in an impartial manner by teachers of all political stripes. "We ask teachers to do that all the time," said Siegel, who led anti-Vietnam War protests as student body president at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1969. "We have enough integrity and respect for the students to provide them the information and let them make up their own minds."


Fifth-graders from Sequoia Elementary School spoke in favor of the teach-in at Wednesday's board meeting and read letters they had written to Bush opposing an Iraq war.


"When you go to war, you are setting a bad example for all the kids in the U.S.A.," one letter stated. "Wars and fights are not right, and bombing beautiful things is not right either."


Teacher Betty Olson-Jones said the students came up with the idea on their own.


The students invited Bush to come to a weekly class at Sequoia that teaches youngsters how to resolve problems without fighting.


"It's not fair for other people (if) they get killed, because they haven't done anything to George Bush," said student Jennifer, whose parents did not want her last name published.


Bush "is only mad at one person (Iraqi President Saddam Hussein)," Jennifer said. "We think (Bush) should come to our class on Wednesday to learn some (conflict resolution) skills."


The fifth-graders showed they understood that the United States once supported Iraq militarily.


"We think it's strange to go to war with a country you taught war to," student Emma Styles-Swaim said. "We think it's strange because, well, it's weird." A White House spokesperson was not available to comment Thursday. One official said the students could probably expect some kind of response from the White House. School board member Bruce Kariya voiced concern about exposing children below fourth grade to "the ravages of war."


Other board members disagreed. As school board member Greg Hodge put it, Iraqi children below the fourth grade will lose their lives in any U.S. attack, so why shouldn't children here at least know about it? "At the end of the day, it's not going to be Bush and it's not going to be (Vice President Dick) Cheney going off to war," board member Jason Hodge said. "They make the decision and then send our young people to war."

RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A DAY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ON WAR AGAINST IRAQ

Cosponsored by Dan Siegel, Boar Member and Sheila Quintana, President of the Oakland Education Association


WHEREAS, the United States government states that it is preparing to initiate a war against the nation of Iraq; and


WHEREAS, an attack on Iraq by the United States would have enormous human, financial and political consequences in the United States and the world community; and


WHEREAS, it is essential that the people of the United States be well-informed on the causes and consequences of military action by their government,


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Oakland Unified School District decrees that there shall be citywide public education at the school level concerning the background of the current crisis concerning Iraq, the options available to the United States government for attempting to resolve that crisis, and the likely consequences of a United States military attack on Iraq;


FURTHER, that the District's Division of Student Achievement shall work with the Oakland Education Association to develop a list of available resources and lessons that are appropriate for the classroom;


FURTHER, that schools may invite parents and other members of the public to participate in the educational programs; and


FURTHER, that no student or teacher who objects to participation in such educational programs shall be required to do so.

---

Anti-war school board plans teach-ins

By Alex Katz, STAFF WRITER


OAKLAND -- Students in kindergarten through 12th grade will learn about the proposed war in Iraq at 1960s-style "teach-ins," a vocally anti-war school board decided Wednesday.


School board member Dan Siegel proposed the resolution encouraging schools to set aside time to teach about the planned conflict to rid Iraq of what President Bush calls "weapons of mass destruction."


"I think the pending war with Iraq is a matter that has the most serious consequences for people in this country," Siegel said, citing the inevitable deaths of Iraqi civilians and U.S. military personnel, as well as the allocation of resources away from schools and toward war.


The teach-ins will be voluntary and open to parents. Each school site will determine when, or if, the events will happen.


Despite vocal opposition to an Iraq war expressed at school board meetings by board members, schools Superintendent Dennis Chaconas, teachers and students, Siegel said information will be presented in an impartial manner by teachers of all political stripes. "We ask teachers to do that all the time," said Siegel, who led anti-Vietnam War protests as student body president at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1969. "We have enough integrity and respect for the students to provide them the information and let them make up their own minds."


Fifth-graders from Sequoia Elementary School spoke in favor of the teach-in at Wednesday's board meeting and read letters they had written to Bush opposing an Iraq war.


"When you go to war, you are setting a bad example for all the kids in the U.S.A.," one letter stated. "Wars and fights are not right, and bombing beautiful things is not right either."


Teacher Betty Olson-Jones said the students came up with the idea on their own.


The students invited Bush to come to a weekly class at Sequoia that teaches youngsters how to resolve problems without fighting.


"It's not fair for other people (if) they get killed, because they haven't done anything to George Bush," said student Jennifer, whose parents did not want her last name published.


Bush "is only mad at one person (Iraqi President Saddam Hussein)," Jennifer said. "We think (Bush) should come to our class on Wednesday to learn some (conflict resolution) skills."


The fifth-graders showed they understood that the United States once supported Iraq militarily.


"We think it's strange to go to war with a country you taught war to," student Emma Styles-Swaim said. "We think it's strange because, well, it's weird." A White House spokesperson was not available to comment Thursday. One official said the students could probably expect some kind of response from the White House. School board member Bruce Kariya voiced concern about exposing children below fourth grade to "the ravages of war."


Other board members disagreed. As school board member Greg Hodge put it, Iraqi children below the fourth grade will lose their lives in any U.S. attack, so why shouldn't children here at least know about it? "At the end of the day, it's not going to be Bush and it's not going to be (Vice President Dick) Cheney going off to war," board member Jason Hodge said. "They make the decision and then send our young people to war."

[vannrox]

This is old news. But not printed elsewhere. The event occurred last week. No pro-War opinions were presented. The School board claimed that George Bush was invited to speak but that he didn't respond.

FOX news reported on this over the weekend.

The school board plans more of these "teaching events" so that they will occur at least once a month, but they hope to have them once a week. They claim tremendous success with the program and universal agreement with their program.

The FOX interview questioned the bias of the teching method, and the school board responded that it was intentionally biased. They explained that if the President had real proof of his War initative then he had the opportunity to present it. Since he did not present it, then it was obvious that no War justification was available.

They will continue with these edicuational sessions...PAID FOR BY YOUR TAX DOLLARS...indefinately. The following programs are slated to be introduced...

Diversity - the Need for it.
The reason to ban Firearms.
The importance of Racial Quotias.
The need for Universal health Care.
The importance of Centralized Government.
The great things that can be accomplished with full Taxiation.
The Separation of Church and State.

Much more information can be found at the FOX website.


The organization efforts were championed by a number of anti-war; anti-constitution; pro-communist organizations. Go HERE to see a sample site.

Or HERE.

OR HERE.

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[yonif]

I heard this on the Oreilly Radio Factor today. Very disturbing, but not suprising for that part of the country. They did none of this when Clinton went to War in Kosovo. Those hypocrites. They say social programs are being harmed by this war. They are so stupid. You think about your social programs, think about them after Saddam drops a nuke on them.

[Iconoclast2]

If I were a California lawyer, and we could scare up an Oakland Freeper/taxpayer as plaintiff, I'd try and sue to stop this evil indoctrination.

[Positive]

Hey - your Headline is misleading.

The California Board of Education and the Oakland Board of Education are two different things.

If the former created such a policy that could be very important. The latter on the other hand is the same Board that gave us Ebonics. Remember how big an impact that had on California and the U. S.? NONE.

BTW - a MAJORITY of the Oakland USD high school "graduates" can't read or do simple math. They will have the same impact on society as do most garbage collectors, janitors or the homeless; that is unless they join their predecessors in prison for violent crimes.

The California situation is bad enough without anyone having to make it look worse than it is.

[DLfromthedesert]

Do parents have the choice to "opt out" their children from these Socialist camps?

Are they going to allow the other side to be taught about the other issues; ie freedom vs a central government that "takes care of us" from cradle to grave?

Do they teach about the Founders of this country and their vision?

If this is what libs want more money for when they they say education is underfunded, I would tell them, show us the education and THEN you get the bucks.

[Big Mack]

And we wonder why Timmy abd Tammy can't read and write. I'm sure these lectures will come from English and Math classes, not reproductive rights classes.

[TxBec]

ping.

[DLfromthedesert]

I hate to be picky but the word "mandatory comes from "mandate". Note the spelling.

[ladylib]

It's important for teachers to educate about current events, and this is a major current event right now," said Far West High School junior Darla Walters-Gary. "I personally find it hard to believe that anybody who is fully informed can be pro-war, but that's my personal opinion."

Jeez, even high-school girls have hyphenated names now.

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

"I personally find it hard to believe that anybody who is fully informed can be pro-war, but that's my personal opinion."

Perhaps Darla should be asking that question of an Iraqi prisoner who’s rotting in a cell, whilst next door Saddams’ professional despoiler of women goes to work on his wife and kids.

[CdMGuy]

This is a school district that essentially is bankrupt financially, and morally as well. The majority of students graduating from the Oakland schools are sentenced to a life of poverty since they were robbed of an education. The pukes on the B of E are a bunch of left wing fanatics who will never recognize their failure to perform their duty, i.e., the education of Oakland's children.

[ladylib]

Like the little twit is fully informed or will be after she takes this indoctrination class.

[The Wizard]

you couldn't pay me to live in hollywierd

[socal_parrot]

You should note when you change a article title. While I disagree with the action of the Oakland School Board, we don't need weasels like you painting the rest of the state with the same broad brush.

[PokeyJoe]

Someone needs to inform this teeny bopper that nobody is "prowar" - but that sometimes war is the justified. Ask the Jews.

[vannrox]

.


FYI. The initial article didn't have a title. So I came up with the one presented. When posted initally it was rejected because of the source, so I had to rewrite and resubmit the post. SO I did a Google search and located a different site but with the same info. I changed the content, but forgot the title. OPPS.

But, your comments aside, it appears that you did welcome the article. Afterall, you read and commented on it.

You don't have to sit by passivly and snipe at postings. You can, afterall, post your own articles. You should try it. For instance, you could of posted this article under it's proper title yourself. The time to do it would of been small, and you would be providing a service to others whom might find the article of interest.

As a human, I am bound by my frailities. But at least I take the initative and expose my rump to the howling critics. Many don't. Many sit on the sidelines of life just compaining and picking away at those of us whom try to make a difference in the world. Even if it is a small one.


.

[Argus]

Can we get the IDF to close Oakland schools, too?

[VMI70]

Teacher Betty Olson-Jones said the students came up with the idea on their own.

Right! Just like Betty Olson-Jones came up with the idea of hyphenating he last name on her own.