| | | |

“Progress” Pride Flags above PUSD schools

The progress pride flags that hang above all the Piedmont schools referencing gender-fluidity should immediately be removed. Legislatures in 20 states this year proposed banning physicians and other health care professionals from providing puberty blockers, hormones and “gender affirming” surgery to children. Puberty blockers have been banned in the UK following the Cass report. It…

Piedmont’s Dog Park Debacle: Hypocrisy, Secrecy, and the Betrayal of Community Trust

A decision to abruptly close a beloved dog park—used heavily by Oakland residents- has laid bare a culture of hypocrisy and backroom governance. The move, shrouded in secrecy and pushed through with contempt for public input, epitomizes the widening chasm between Piedmont’s self-congratulatory progressive image and its reality of elitism and exclusion. The park, a…

| | | |

Association of Piedmont Teachers show fearmongering at its best

When the rally call came from Dr. Elise Marks (President of the Association of Piedmont Teachers) to join a “Walk In” on April 4, 2025 to bring attention to the dismantling of the US Department of Education, I was quite disturbed by this action brought upon by the Trump Administration. I consider myself a staunch…

| | | |

A curious case for the dismantling of the Association of Piedmont Teachers (APT)

With over 42,000 students, Clovis Unified School District stands as the largest public school district in California operating without a teachers union since its inception in 1959. Remarkably, it continues this tradition today without a formal union structure. Consider this — “Can Piedmont Unified School District, with 2,500 students, deliver a quality education while exclusively…

|

Piedmont’s Pool—A Splash of Incompetence, Courtesy of Your City Council

Ah, Piedmont’s community pool project—a masterpiece of mismanagement and a shining example of how not to run a public works project. Thanks to our beloved City Council, what was supposed to be a refreshing oasis has turned into a money pit with a side of delays. Who knew building a pool could be so hard?…

|

Time for Change: Piedmont Deserves Leadership, Not Confrontation

The situation in Piedmont is becoming untenable, with the city administrator engaging in constant confrontation rather than fostering dialogue with residents. This approach is compounded by a City Council that seems to either enable or encourage such behavior. As property values decline, crime rises, and school enrollment and ratings fall, residents deserve leadership that prioritizes…

|

Thoughts About Sidney and Irene Dearing

I would like to make a clear statement: “Sidney and Irene Dearing knowingly violated the law.” As a person of color residing in Piedmont, who face instances of racism today, I cannot support a commemorative statue for the Dearing family, who, it is important to reiterate, BROKE THE LAW that was in effect in Piedmont…

| | | |

Laughable LCAP Goal #1 for Piedmont Unified School District?

Look at any Piedmont real estate selling point and you see the phrases: “top rated schools”; “exceptional schools”; or “highly coveted K-12” – –  BUT are Piedmont students truly receiving an extraordinary education? Since graduating from Piedmont High School in the 1990s, the educational standards and expectations of PUSD students have significantly declined. As a…

|

Pickleball Politics: Is Piedmont’s City Council Putting Special Interests Over Residents?

The recent lawsuit against the City of Piedmont over the Linda Beach pickleball courts underscores a troubling pattern of municipal negligence and disregard for residents’ well-being. By approving the conversion of tennis courts into permanent pickleball courts without conducting a proper California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, the City Council has not only flouted legal…