Election season is in full swing in Oakland. Three seats are up on the Oakland Unified School District board, all of them contested — and voters have multiple opportunities to hear from the candidates.
In District 2, which covers Chinatown and east of Lake Merritt to about 23rd Avenue, the candidates are incumbent Jennifer Brouhard and Arielle Fleisher. In District 4, the region north of Interstate 580 and east and north of Piedmont, Mike Hutchinson is running for re-election against challengers Kathryn Camp and Sylvia Pfeiffer Williams. In District 6, the East Oakland hills and flatlands, incumbent Valarie Bachelor faces LeAna Powell and Alexandra Williams.
You can look up your district online. Ballots go out on Oct. 5 and Election Day is Nov. 3. Youth 16 and older are also eligible to vote in school board races this year if they live in districts 2, 4, or 6. And stay tuned for Oaklandside profiles of each of the races, coming soon.
Forums covering all three school board races
The Oaklandside
The Oaklandside is hosting a candidate forum on Sept. 29 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Oakland High School, 1023 MacArthur Blvd. At this forum, attendees will get the opportunity to ask questions of the candidates during district-specific conversations. It’s free, but RSVPs are requested.
Parent teacher groups and community organizations are also hosting forums throughout September and October:
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters of Oakland will hold in-person candidate forums for all of Oakland’s races over two Saturdays, Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, at Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza. OUSD District 2 candidates will speak on Sept. 26 at 11:45 a.m.. On Oct. 3, the District 6 candidates will be interviewed at 11 a.m. and candidates for District 4 will be up at 2:15 p.m.
Education and civil rights groups
On Oct. 1., Families in Action for Quality Education, Families in Action for Justice, Empower Oakland, Black Action Alliance and the NAACP’s Oakland Branch have invited all of the candidates for a forum from 6 to 8 p.m. at Aspire Golden State College Preparatory Academy, 1009 66th Ave. You can RSVP online.
OUSD’s Community Advisory Committee for Special Education will hold a candidates forum on Oct. 5 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Zoom. The link will be available online at ousd.org/calendar.
Single-district school board forums
District 6
On Tuesday, Sept. 22, the Skyline High School PTSA is holding a forum for the District 6 candidates from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Farnsworth Theater on campus, 12250 Skyline Blvd.
District 4
The parent-teacher organizations of Sequoia Elementary School and Montera Middle School have joined forces to host an “ask the candidates” event for District 4 candidates on Oct. 7 from 6 to 7 p.m. at Montera Middle School, 5555 Ascot Drive.
If we missed a forum, email ashley@oaklandside.org with the details and we’ll add it to this list.
“*” indicates required fields