Demos, Billionaires & War On Teachers & Public Education From SFUSD To OUSD

Teachers in the San Francisco Unified School who are members of the United Educators of San Francisco and Oakland Unified School District whose members are with the Oakland Education Association face a frontal attack. Using the threat of a take-over, the state is demanding that school districts layoff hundreds
of teachers and staff at the districts or face a trusteeship by State Superintendent of Instruction Tony Thurmond.
Despite a budget surplus of over $31 billion in California, the State legislature which is controlled by the Democrats with a super majority has failed to fully fund education in California and the state is still behind many others in funding. California is still 30th in funding for public education.
Jack Gerson who was formerly on the Executive Board of OEA and and on the bargaining committee and a representative to the State CTA when he was teaching discussed the history of the CTA in allowing charters and privatization. Both organizations supported Proposition 39 which allowed for co-locations
and deregulation of charter schools.
He also talks about the history of present SFUSD superintendent Vincent Matthews who is demanding the cuts. He also discusses the role of Eli Broad, Reed Hastings and other billionaires in pushing privatization in California including testing and charters. He looks at the history of Vincent Matthews from being principal
of the for profit Edison school in San Francisco to his role appointed by state privatizers in attacking teachers
in Oakland and other districts.
Part of this according to Gerson was how state trusteeships of school districts was use to bring in charters and sell off school property to developers and speculators.
He also discusses the key role of the Democratic Party which the CTA and CFT have supported with hundreds of millions of dollars. These same politicians according to Gerson such as California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond were critical in helping to put charter advocates in key posts to allow further privatization.
This interview was done on 12/13/21.
Additional media:
Do not divest from direct student services to balance S.F. school budget
‘A cruel austerity agenda is the antithesis of what our students and schools need’
https://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/do-not-divest-from-direct-student-services-to-balance-s-f-school-budget/

Teachers’ Union President Opposes County/FCMAT Takeover of Oakland Schools
https://www.postnewsgroup.com/teachers-union-president-opposes-county-fcmat-takeover-of-oakland-schools/

The AFT, NEA And The Privatization Drive Against Public Education By Jack Gerson
https://youtu.be/-18RVbBsnas

The AFT/NEA Leadership Collusion With Privatizers & The Attack On Public Ed "Naked Class War”
https://youtu.be/l8FTOf4Z6mA

http://www.aft.org/issues/schoolreform/csi/funding.cfm
http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2011/03/green-dotuft-80-solution-to-destruction.html

The War Against The OEA & Oakland Public Education: Report By Retired OEA Unionist Gerson
https://youtu.be/pqFDNQrgMXU

WorkWeek
https://soundcloud.com/workweek-radio
Labor Video Project
http://www.labormedia.net