About 50 people gathered in South Berkeley to talk about racial discrimination in housing, jobs, schools, and the community.
Berkeley NAACP
Posted inSchools
Berkeley Unified unfairly disciplined teacher for her email use, judge says
The Public Employment Relations Board ruled in partial favor of a retired teacher who said she was penalized for emailing a letter that was critical of the district to other staff.
Posted inSchools
Berkeley School Board rejects school officer grant
The Berkeley School Board said a resounding “no” to a proposal to add a second police officer to its campus roster during a discussion earlier this month about ways to address safety and racial tension on campus. The proposal, from Superintendent Donald Evans, was among a group of ideas collected from the community in December following […]
Posted inCrime & Safety
Berkeley coalition says police stops show racial bias
Berkeley police officers disproportionately stop and search people of color during traffic stops, according to a coalition of groups that presented data and demanded changes from the department Tuesday. Representatives from the Berkeley NAACP, Berkeley Copwatch and UC Berkeley’s Black Student Union presented the data at City Hall, and said the department must address the disparities. […]
Posted inArts, Community, Events
The It List: Five things to do in Berkeley this weekend
BIG HERO 6 The last of this summer’s free movies in the park will be on Friday, Aug. 28 at Live Oak Park, starting at 8 p.m. The free movies are shown by Berkeley’s Parks Recreation & Waterfront Department on an inflatable, 20′ x 12′ screen. Moviegoers are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes before […]
Posted inSchools
BUSD poised to adopt tougher school enrollment policy
Berkeley school board officials are considering tougher enrollment requirements to curb illegal enrollment in the district, following the initial success of new registration requirements this year. Stricter enforcement in recent months led the Berkeley Unified School District admissions office to reject 11% of applicants from private middle schools to Berkeley High School for 2015-16 after it was determined […]
Posted inCommunity
Date set for public forum with W. Kamau Bell and Elmwood Café in wake of racism accusation
A date has been set for a public conversation between comedian W. Kamau Bell and the owner of a Berkeley café where Bell says he was the victim of racial abuse. The forum will be held on Friday, March 13 at 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Willard Middle School at 2425 Stuart St. after Berkeley Unified offered to provide a venue. The […]
Posted inCity
Berkeley council refers community policing package to city manager
The Berkeley City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to ask the city manager to assess a long list of issues related to community-police relations and bring back a report on potential associated costs and related efforts that are already underway. The broad package includes everything from changes in the way police handle the handcuffing and […]
Posted inCity
Berkeley town hall examines race, police relations
More than five weeks after Berkeley police used tear gas, smoke bombs, and over the shoulder baton strikes to control a crowd protesting the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, the City Council held a meeting Saturday to examine community relations with police. More than 200 people gathered in the atrium of the Ed […]
Posted inCity, Crime & Safety, Schools
‘Double header’ council meetings set for Tuesday, protests also planned
After canceling its regular session last week, the Berkeley City Council is set to hold two back-to-back meetings Tuesday night at Longfellow Middle School. During those events, two separate groups have announced plans to protest in Berkeley. Separately, the Berkeley Unified School District has announced a panel discussion this week, for BUSD families only, regarding police-related […]
Posted inCity, Crime & Safety
Berkeley adopts anti-bias policing policy, commits to collecting data on race
The Berkeley City Council on Tuesday adopted an anti-bias policing policy with a view to eradicating, or at least reducing, alleged cases of racial profiling by the city’s police. The policy will see the city begin to collect data on police stops to analyze whether incidents of profiling are happening. Currently, Berkeley Police record data about vehicle stops, but data […]
Posted inCity
Report suggests new Berkeley anti-discrimination policies
Berkeley city staff are reviewing a report by Oakland-based firm Mason Tillman Associates that recommends changes in city policies in response to allegations of racism in employment practices. The report, which was sent to Berkeley City Council members by the city manager in May, was commissioned by the city in September 2013 after an August 2013 report by the Berkeley NAACP. Read […]