In 2010, three decades after the Black Panthers鈥� experiment wound down, the Oakland Unified School District revived the idea of community schools for all K-12 grades.
“The Black Panthers opened their ‘community school’ in East Oakland in 1973鈥攖he first known school of its kind in the country鈥攁nd it became known for . For eight years until its 1981 closure, it was centered on caring for the 鈥渨hole child,鈥� providing three meals a day聽. The likes of Maya Angelou, James Baldwin and Rosa Parks visited its students.
Community schools differ from regular schools in key ways. First, they embed local organizations on campus to provide mental health support, food, academic help and after-school programs, among other resources. Second, the choice of which services to partner with is made locally鈥攂y students, parents and staff at each campus.”
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