Recall Randy (Randolph Ward)

Ever since Randolph Ward took over the Oakland schools confusion and crisis have reined. Parents dedicated to the schools and the political process have given up. One mother told me, “he’s so well connected politically, and he can do whatever he wants.” Some people feel he serves Don Perata, others think Ignacio De La Fuente, or State School Superintendent Jack O’Connell and still others say he only serves himself and the almighty dollar. I have not heard a single person say that Randolph Ward serves the families and children of Oakland. So far Randolph Ward’s solutions have far more devastating than the problems he says he will fix.

How to Hire a Mayor

While a swimsuit competition would provide a little levity, and perhaps some attention to the race, it would not forward the voter's responsibility. It is time that voters really started doing their job and that is to approach each candidate as a potential employee. Maybe it is a foreign concept to many, especially if one has never had to hire anyone before, but what if each voter really tried it? Employers know that it takes more than a resume to make a decision about an employee. Folks who get hired for just their looks or how smooth they talk are not very valuable employees unless they are being hired to do commercials or talk radio.

We voters need to hire someone who will manage this city with integrity and honesty. We need an employee who we do not think will ignore city ordinances and policies for his/her pals. We need an employee who can intelligently analyze the issues and concerns and actually solicit the employers' (ie voters') viewpoints. We need an employee who is well versed in the ins and outs of this big conglomeration that is Oakland. Oakland does not have one face or one race or one income level or even one political stance.

In my opinion as an employer and voter, Nancy Nadel makes the best employee/mayor. Her ability to stand for the residents of West Oakland during these many years of change in that district while considering the needs of the rest of Oakland is commendable. She actually reads and evaluates proposals brought before Council. She is not beholding to any political group or monetary source. This allows her the flexibility one would want in an employee/mayor. She has good work experience in the field that is Oakland. She is willing to work the hours that it will take to do the mayor's job. I also think Oakland needs to consider the perspective that a woman can bring to this job. But we don't need a swimsuit contest to prove it.

M. Dorsey

Businesses Support Oakland Teachers

Hundreds maybe thousands of Oakland businesses have signs like this one posted. Not the one that says " Plant Sale" the one that says, "Another Parent Supporting Oakland Teachers." Apparently Oakland's Mayor and City Council don't have the good sense that God gave McDonalds.

See a strike on April 20th will make things harder and ugly, you don't want to demoralize teachers and families we're tired enough. Teaching begins and ends in the classroom, your schools are only as good as your teachers and Randolf Ward has attacked them.

Oh, poor poor Oakland so many politcians and so little leadership.

Hot Oakland Nights-Mayoral Swim Suit Competition

Forget the candidate’s night; let’s put the party back in the Democratic Party. I want a swim suit competition. Let’s see what they’re really made of. Let’s have a little skin and a little honesty. Stop the infomercial and get real here. Voters can’t take anymore pointless PR dribble, look what passes for insight from the Oakland Chamber of Commerce.

“The unanimous vote by OakPAC tonight shows that the business community has great confidence that Ignacio De La Fuente is the only person who can continue leading the Oakland renaissance of safer streets, better schools and greater economic vitality,” stated OakPAC Chair Woman Anna Chretian.

I don’t know what the Chamber of Commerce is smoking maybe they hooked up with the Cannabis Clubs, but this kind of alternate reality stuff sounds more like crack to me. Renaissance! If this is the Renaissance I do not want to see the dark ages. Safer streets, 36 murders this year and we have a white senior citizen ex-prison guard in charge of the police. I got nothing against white since I am, but this dude doesn’t do digital, that’s right no email and crime stats is on maternity leave so they’re drafting their reports and plans in the dirt with sticks.

Better schools, we have the most underpaid overworked physically at risk teachers on the planet and now we propose to cut their healthcare. This will make it impossible to recruit any new teachers and seal our place at the bottom of California schools. We have high school kids standing in the hall trying to hear the lectures in overcrowded classes and seven year olds walking to school on MacArthur Blvd get asked to get into the car by old men. While candidates discuss “development” we head toward a morale crisis for educators and a strike, which will disrupt the already unstable, lives of overworked parents and underserved youth. Forget the disaster preparedness you bozos – the disaster has arrived! This is not a test!

We know that crime, not kids is your top priority, but do you think there might be a teeny weenie connection between the absence of education and the prevalence of crime? Building a school doesn’t help if you can’t get teachers to instruct the children. So stop the babble, it’s show time you wannabes put on those slimming black Speedos and show us what you got.

Parent Power

Oakland needs better schools and schools are only as good as the teachers who work in them. Mr. Ward Oakland's Education Czar wants to cut teacher's health benefits to offset the cost of what is a very small raise. This is neither a morally or a fiscally responsible position. We need to give the teacher's a contract that will attract talent, not frighten off anyone even considering working in Oakland schools. I support the Oakland teachers in their fight for a fair contract, you should to.

Please put a sign in your car and sign the petition to support Oakland teachers. It's free and easy, click here:

http://www.petitiononline.com/Educate/petition.html

Self-Portrait

I was much thinner when Garth Hagerman and I did this portrait.