OAKLAND COMMUNITY SCHOOL BEGINS FIFTH YEAR
This article was published in 1975, and says it is Oakland Community School’s fifth year. This title indicates a lack of perception of change between the Intercommunal Youth Institute and the Oakland Community School.
The beginning of the article discusses the violent protests to school integration in some states and teacher strikes in Berkeley that disrupted students’ education. The article contrasts this widespread dysfunction with the Oakland Community School, “which peacefully began its fifth year of innovative education for Black and poor youths.”
Most students, according to the article, had prior experiences in the “racist public school system which has failed to provide Black and minority youth a meaningful education.”
The Oakland Community School provided a very different educational experience. Students are divided into levels depending on ability, not age. The Youth Committee has direct input on making decisions around academics and activities. The curriculum consists of Language Arts, Spanish, Mathematics, Speech, Science, Social Science, Environmental Studies, Physical Education, Art, Music Appreciation, Voice. While the Language Arts, Mathematics, and Spanish classes seem quite standard, some elements of other classes stand out.
In Social Science class, students draw their own conclusions based on analysis of the facts. “American history, for example, when the facts are examined, is quite different from the public school interpretation that is usually presented.” Black studies was also a part of the Social Science class. In art class, students examine the relationship of people’s lives to art, how politics has shaped art, and how art has shaped thinking. The sports program was made up of standard sports found in many schools, but also included martial arts, yoga, and isometrics.
The article highlighted OCS’s motto that “The World is a Child’s Classroom.” According to this philosophy, in order to transform a situation, you need to have contact with it. To this end, the curriculum emphasized real life experiences and field trips.
OCS supported the health needs of students by providing eye, hearing and speech screening, and taking care of first aid and emergency needs. In addition, the article states that breakfast, lunch and dinner are served every day. The school is sustained through hard work of staff, parents, and community volunteers. Parents are asked to pay $25/month if they can.
The article ends with a quote from Huey Newton on the purpose of OCS, and the power of education, saying that “our aim is to provide the young of [marginalized communities] with as much knowledge as possible and to provide them with the ability to interpret that knowledge with understanding. For we believe without knowledge there can be no real understanding and that understanding is the key to liberation of all.”