As Oakland Unified School District officials plan to shutter more than a dozen schools in the district, teachers are striking back.
A day after the Oakland Unified School Board presented a proposal to close eight schools and merge five others at the end of next year, some Oakland teachers have started a hunger strike in protest.
One of the striking teachers, Maurice Andre San-Chez, announced the strike at the meeting Monday night, asserting that the decision to go without food "will not end until the board decides to find another way and stop closing and merging our schools," said the Westlake Middle School Choir Director.
San-Chez reportedly also said, "If I die, I want the board to know that my death was at your hands."
"I want you to know that I love each and every one of you and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it," said San-Chez to students during the meeting. "Always fight for truth and what is right."
District officials have said the closures are necessary to avoid a multi-million dollar budget deficit due to declining enrollment, which only grew worse due to the pandemic.
A final vote will take place on Feb. 8. Many parents hope that the school board members will change their minds before then.
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