ATTENTION OAKS CHRISTIAN ALUMNI AGAINST RACISM:

As we all know, the recent murder of the unarmed black man George Floyd, has highlighted a generational issue of systematic racism and police brutality in America. During this period of deep reflection, we as black Oaks alumni, are being confronted with the painful memories of racial trauma that we experienced on the campus of Oaks Christian.

Several of us have spoken out on social media, and are finally telling our painful stories. Stories that need to be heard and addressed by Oaks Christian School. I am writing a letter to Oaks administrators and the Board of Trustees on behalf of the black Oaks alumni, and our allies, demanding that the school make a formal stance against systematic racism (the passive/politically correct social media posts were not enough). It is the the school's duty to acknowledge the ways in which our black voices have been silenced. 

The letter will insist that they: 1)  hire black faculty; 2) implement diversity training and a standard of cultural competence for all faculty; 3) finally enforce and implement a no tolerance policy for racial discrimination of any kind; 4) include black authors and black history into the curriculum (and not just in February); 5) diversify the board of directors to be representative of the oaks community and implement term limits for board members;  6) comply with the Crown Act of California making discrimination against black hair illegal and a violation of human rights (meaning it is illegal to have to "tame" afros because they are "distracting" for other students and making it illegal to ask young men to take out/cut their braids or dreads); and lastly, 7) ensure that black students have equal opportunity to be in positions of leadership, and hold student council titles.

I am calling for ALL alumni who stand in alliance with former and current black Oaks Christian students to sign this petition with their name and graduation year BY 9AM TOMORROW JUNE 5TH 2020. This will supplement the letter I will send on our behalf further expressing the necessary changes mentioned above.

We are holding Oaks Christian accountable and are expecting full support from our alma mater. We want to feel seen, heard, and most importantly, reassured that our black lives matter.

"He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it." "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." - Dr. Martin Luther King