Our group selected Skyline High School ("SHS") because of its interesting juxtaposition as an Oakland public school in the hills with a reputation of serving students who do not primarily live nearby. What, we wondered, was the perception of the school by those who live nearby? How do students in the Oakland Unified school district perceive Skyline? What about members of the larger community - do they consider SHS a valuable asset in the city's school district? Our research and community interviews spanned many parts of the city that the school DOES serve, and we realized that opinions and perceptions about Skyline cover the spectrum.
We find Skyline's location in the Oakland hills one of the most intriguing aspects of the high school, and possibly one of the reasons that people within the community calling it a "bougie" school. SHS draws from all over Oakland, so we visited several different areas, including MacArthur Blvd. west by the BART station east toward Fruitvale, Grand Lake area, Fruitvale near the Village, and International Blvd. We visited a church, a small farmer's market, we walked High Street in Fruitvale, and we visited to the Allendale neighborhood; stopping and talking to community members as we went and observed the diverse areas.
We found that SHS is truly a microcosm of Oakland in its student body diversity, its image, and in its many great attributes as well as challenges. SHS is located in the Oakland hills in a very beautiful park like setting. Today its student body of about 1800 consists of youth from all over Oakland and from many cultures and ethnicities. 87% of the students are either African Amercian (35%), Hispanic (32%), or Asian (20%) with about 8% Caucasian. 61% of students qualify for the Free Lunch Program. Yet, the geographical area surrounding SHS is 36% white, with about 27% African American, 22% Asian, and 16% Hispanic, with a median income of $61,000 and average home price of $500,000. 41% of the surrounding community have bachelors degrees and 18% have graduate degrees as well.
When SHS first opened in 1961, it was predominately populated by Caucasian students who lived in the surrounding area. A yearbook picture from 1973 reveals the same demographic. Yet we see that today, like Oakland, it is much more diverse. In fact, students come from all over Oakland via the AC transit 600s bus lines that run specifically to and from public schools in Oakland. Unfortunately, these buses only run to and from SHS in the morning for the start of school and at the end of the school day. They do not run after hours, meaning students that want to participate in after school activities such as sports or the arts programs need their own means of transportation, which can be very challenging for many students.
We also found that, similar to perceptions about the city of Oakland, there is a schism in how SHS is perceived within the city of Oakland. For example, the school has very well regarded performing arts programs. So too is the city of Oakland known for its role as an artistic city. But as we see, there are no buses or student transportation services contracted with AC transit for these great after school programs. Also, some viewed SHS as the "bougie" or more "high class" school while others noted it was a "stoner school" or simply a school they assumed was underperforming. Also like Oakland, there seems to be no "normal" way of getting things done or finding resources or assistance. Rather, folks must know or learn how to work the system in their favor to get things done. We were told that it seems that just when SHS might get on the "right track" something will happen and/or the track will be missed such that the goal(s) are not brought to fruition. We might see this in the great diversity of the school and yet this past year the Student African American Association filed a civil rights violation complaint against the school/OUSD.
A teacher at Skyline noted that he believes the school is on the brink of greatness, but that for various reasons, that greatness is never fully realized. While many ingredients for success are present, there are still problems. Our group feels similarly about the city of Oakland. The city is well loved by many who live here, and there is a strong sense of pride and place. Residents want to make Oakland safe and great, but there are structural problems that remain regardless of what indicators of success converge, and often times the perceptions of those on the outside overshadow the work of those living in Oakland or attending Skyline.
As we reflect on our time in the community and our interviews throughout the day, we all experienced a sense of being an outsider trying to look in. Although all of us are familiar with Oakland and two of us live in the city, it was hard not to get a sense that we were regarded frequently with caution and skepticism. We searched for an analogy to reach the green grass of clarity. We looked for a perfect sentence to help paint what it all means- what this blog means, what our work means and how it comes together in the large scheme of 'things'.
Instead, we will simply describe the woman we interviewed, selling beautifully made dolls in the honor of abused children. The man and his son outside Everett and Jones patiently waiting for it to open, seeming so threatened by our presence. And we can’t forget the old man who bemused us with his anti-solicitation lingo. We soon realized: we were visitors without a pass, and we didn't belong.
Suddenly we began to question the reality of it all. Is defining the foundation of a teacher as easy as books and theory, ideals and optimism? Had we been so far out of our element that our abilities to connect withered like flowers without water?
We soon began to grasp, through all the melodramatic prose, the purpose of this blog: to navigate thoughts in a world we do not yet belong. A world we can only see through a lens. Through the lens of the media, through the lens of stereotypes and misconceptions. We are all outsiders in one way or another. But we hope one day to be a part of this world, not as a visitor with a pass, but as a member.
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