“I think Oakland suffers from a chronic inferiority complex,” said school board member Jody London, who sends her two children to Chabot Elementary and Claremont Middle. “I am disappointed more people don’t choose to stay in the system, because I think our schools have a lot to offer.”
—San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 12, 2010
“Right now in Oakland we have 101 schools for 38,000 students,” says London. That number doesn’t include charters. “Most districts our size have between 50 and 60 schools. So the board voted in October to consolidate seven schools and close five… As a result of that and some other financial management tools, we think we will have resolved the structural deficit, which is huge.”
—“The Price of Autonomy for Oakland Unified School District,” KALW Public Radio, June 13, 2012
Watch Director London discussing school closures on CBS Channel 5:
Listen to Director London discussing school closures on KQED Radio’s Forum program:
Director London shares one of her favorite recipes:
“Ginger cookies by Jody London,” OaklandNorth, Oct. 23, 2009
