After a weekend with a federal mediator, the Oakland Unified School District and the teachers' union have hammered out an agreement for all students to return to class for the next school year, which will start on August 9.
While the agreement still needs to be ratified by the teacher’s union and approved by the school board, it is a big step towards getting the district’s 36,000 students back in the classroom.
Oakland is further expanding in-person learning this week, but with only six weeks left in the school year the clock was ticking to work out an agreement for 2021-2022.
Teachers were able to negotiate flexible scheduling for those who need childcare or are caregivers, but union president Keith Brown says the plan is for all teachers to come back in August.
"No one thought that distance learning was the greatest solution," said Brown. "Under the circumstances, during the beginning of the pandemic, it was necessary for the safety of our students and the community."
"The school year’s been really hard for everyone but I think anything would really be better than Zoom school at this point, and so I do want to go back," said Grace Gulli, a junior at Oakland Tech.
She said she's hopeful to be able to enjoy the senior year the way she always envisioned; with pep rallies, sports games and more.
"But also just being in class, even if it’s your most boring class - just being there and getting to talk to your friends is something that I won’t take for granted again," she said.
"I really would like a senior year if possible. The class ahead of me, they’ve probably not had a great time this year and I just think it’s really unfortunate, and I don’t want to go through that as well."
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