Oakland Stands Up for Equal Opportunity

On August 30, 2013, Oakland joined other cities, state attorneys general and the University of California in opposing a Michigan law that prohibits consideration of race and gender in public education, public employment and government contracting.

Michigan's affirmative action ban is now before the U.S. Supreme Court, and the outcome of this case is important for Oakland, for our state and for the entire nation. (Schuette, Attorney Gen. Of Michigan v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action)

Michigan's ban, Proposition 2, mirrors California's own affirmative action ban - Proposition 209. Along with other jurisdictions, we are asking the Supreme Court to uphold an appellate court decision that Michigan's law violates the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. Ideally, the justices will strike down Michigan's law with a ruling that will lay the groundwork to invalidate similar laws in California, Arizona, Washington and other states.

This case is particularly important as it follows on the heels of this year's Supreme Court ruling on the University of Texas' affirmative action policy, which made it next to impossible to consider race as one of many plus factors in college admissions.

The outcome of this case also is critical for Oakland and other cities with large populations of young people who do not have meaningful or equal educational opportunities at the primary, middle or high school levels, not to mention equal opportunity to attend college.

For example, it continues to be extremely difficult for an African American student in Oakland to graduate from high school with the course credits required to even enroll in Cal State or University of California schools.

The graduation rate in Oakland public high schools is improving, but it is still appallingly low - this year, the graduation rate for African American students was about 53%, according to OUSD.

But of the African American students who earned a diploma this year, only about 29% graduated with the course credits they need just to enroll in our own state's university system; these are public universities funded with our tax dollars. In contrast, the percentage of students who graduate from Piedmont High with those requirements is close to 100%.

Prohibiting consideration of race and gender in university admissions only perpetuates the unconscionable opportunity gap that we see in our public schools - a gap that so often breaks down along racial lines. Clearly, we have a long way to go before we have a level playing field.

As the University of California president wrote in a brief in this case: "More than 15 years after Proposition 209 barred consideration of race in admissions decisions ... the University of California still struggles to enroll a student body that encompasses the broad racial diversity of the state."

For more information, see the amicus (friend of the court) brief Oakland and other jurisdictions filed in the Supreme Court.    

Events & Developments
City Attorney's Office in the Community

1. New Bay Bridge Bike Path

Wonderful news for Oakland: the long-awaited Bay Bridge bike path has opened. For the first time, we can bike, walk or run on the eastern span of the Bay Bridge. Once the path is finished it will run from Oakland to Treasure Island.  

I was elated to participate in the inaugural ride on the path, which is named after Alex Zuckerman, the founder of the East Bay Bicycle Coalition. (See photo with Public Works Director Brooke Levin and Police Chief Sean Whent assembling at City Hall).

The view from the path is stunning. It is a fabulous addition to Oakland's biking and walking opportunities and it connects to the SF Bay Trail, a planned recreational corridor which upon completion will encircle the Bay with a 500-mile network of bike and hiking trails and connect shorelines of all nine Bay Area counties. Kudos to the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, which was instrumental in lobbying for the bike path to be included in the bridge design and linked to the Bay Trail.

  

3. Helping Oaklanders Secure Jobs through St. Vincent de Paul's Job Training Programs  

  

This month, I and other volunteers from the City Attorney's Office worked with the job training program at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County (located on San Pablo Avenue in Oakland). Five of our attorneys conducted mock interviews to help prepare graduates of the St. Vincent de Paul job training programs for job interviews. This is the third time we've volunteered for this great program, which helps Oaklanders, including some who are coming back to the work force after being incarcerated, to secure gainful employment.

  

For more information about volunteering for this great organization, go to: http://www.svdp-alameda.org/