Wandra Boyd seeks Oakland Board Of Education seat

From the Globe Political Desk

Wandra Boyd has announced her candidacy for the Board of Education District 6 seat in East Oakland, where many parents have complained about high drop-out rates and low student test scores.
   “The Oakland public schools are currently undergoing a transformation and redesign that will profoundly affect the operation and appearance of our schools. I am running for the Oakland School Board because I want to help shape the direction of the change that is underway. I am running to ensure that the changes that are being planned and implemented will maintain as their primary focus the provision of a quality education to our children. Our community must be full partners in the rebirth of our schools,” said Boyd.
    Boyd has a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Michigan. Her first teaching assignment was with at-risk teenagers, and she has volunteered in Oakland schools for over 16 years.
    Boyd says she hopes to act as an advocate and representative of her community, “so that all voices are heard and brought to the table.
   “If we are truly committed to the belief that all children can learn and excel, then we must all come together and work tirelessly towards that common goal. There must be cooperation between all members of our community. We must put our differences aside in order to improve our schools so that every child is given a fair chance at a quality education,” she said.
   “My opponent in this race is a school teacher. I am the parent of three boys who graduated from Oakland public schools. My daughter is still attending Oakland public schools. I have prepared for service as a school board member for most of my life,” said Boyd.
   “My only allegiance is to the students, parents and all in the community who want our children to receive an education that will prepare them for an increasingly complex world.
   “As your school board member, I will work hard to ensure that the curriculum that our children receive at every school site is aligned with the standards- based core curriculum required by the state of California. I will work hard to decrease the dropout rate of our high school students that currently stands at 52 percent.
   “I will work to improve the number of our students who are prepared for college. Currently, just 28 percent of African American students and 34 percent of Latino students graduate with the UC/CSU requirements. These abysmal numbers require early intervention at the elementary and middle school levels. “I will work to decrease the alarming truancy rate. Did you know that on any given school day, an average of 3,200 students are truant? This problem must be addressed with the aid of the social services, city government and the schools,” she said.
   “I believe this election is more critical than any that have recently occurred,” Boyd told The Globe. “We now have the rare opportunity to help guide the reform and redesign of our schools from the beginning of the process. As your representative, I will work with Dr. Randolph Ward to make sure that your concerns and input are heard.