Today, SEIU 1021 President Joseph Bryant spoke out against the shocking use of physical force against community members who are standing up to save Parker Elementary in Oakland. You can read his full statement below.

“Thursday evening, a private security firm hired by the Oakland Unified School District physically and forcefully confronted and removed community members engaged in nonviolent protest to save Parker Elementary. We are shocked to see these extreme tactics deployed against members of our community.

SEIU 1021 stands in solidarity with the parents, students, educators, support staff, and community members who have been bravely fighting to save Oakland schools from closure. Access to quality public education is a matter of social, economic, and racial justice. Closing schools also closes the door to future opportunities for students, which we cannot allow, and puts students at risk who no longer have a school in their neighborhood nearby that they can safely walk or bus to.

Our union represents hundreds of school support staff across the District who are dedicated to ensuring Oakland students receive the top-notch education they deserve. This includes the people working as Culture and Climate Ambassadors, whose job is to ensure safe campuses and learning environments for students. None of the private security personnel who forcefully removed community members from Parker Elementary are members of SEIU 1021, and our union does not and would not consent to having our members deployed against our community in such a shameful fashion.”