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300 Oakland Children March against Crime
More than 300 students from KIPP Bridge middle school marched on City Hall this past Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2006 chanting "Safety now!" They are angry about the attack two days earlier on teacher Erika Strand when she walked from the school to the parking lot next to Lowell Park around 7:30 p.m. A thug attacked her, stealing her purse, laptop computer and car.
Parents and teachers joined the student-initiated protest. In response, Oakland Unified School District officials promised surveillance cameras, a new alarm system, an increased presence of the school police force, and better lighting in the parking lot.
News of the march, ignored by the daily press (except KCBS), was made available in a report by graduate students of journalism at UC Berkeley.
The children targeted City Hall, since the City has the responsibility for operating the general police department and maintaining public safety in Oakland. However, no councilmember has taken any initiative on a solid commitment and plan to get Oakland at least 1,100 police officers. Oakland has half a police department, around 700 officers, and has failed to get to the authorized 803 police despite collecting Measure Y money for that purpose since January 2005.
The school is in the district of councilmember Nancy Nadel. She addressed the rally, saying she asked the recreation department to fix the poor lighting in Lowell Park. Nadel is known for her open opposition to hiring more police and her support of out-of-control "violence prevention" programs funded by regressive taxes in Measures R and Y.
– Sept. 30, 2006
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