After almost two weeks, Oakland’s striking educators and the Oakland Unified School District have reached a preliminary agreement on some “common good” terms on Saturday.

The Oakland Education Association (OEA) union — representing about 3,000 public school educators, including teachers, counselors, nurses, psychologists, librarians, and more in the state’s 11th largest district — said that, “We are still on strike, but momentum is on our side.”

"OEA's bargaining team continues to bargain to reach a full Tentative Agreement,” it added.

The “common good” provisions encompass several key demands, including reparations for Black students, resources for unhoused students, school closures, and the implementation of “shared governance.”

However, the union said that the school district hasn’t made progress on their demands like higher salaries, according to ABC7.

Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell reportedly told frustrated parents last week that the district is offering raises of as much as 22% for some teachers.

The timing of this announcement is significant, as the end of the school year looms. KTVU reported that some parents have started to become disappointed with the length of the strike and crossed picket lines, sending their children back to school.

The situation is still unfolding as negotiations continue, and the timeline for the strike is still unclear.

Image via Google Maps.

Special education teacher Jerry Johnson, 56, of Vallejo was pinched by the police for allegedly raped an 18-year-old female assistant on campus during school hours. The "heinous" act reportedly took place at Loma Vista Elementary School. The victim, who helps Johnson out with the kids, has the mental capacity of a seven-year-old, notes KTVU, who go on to say that Johnson "didn’t seem too surprised by the arrest."

Johnson was arrested "on suspicion of rape of a person who is incapable of consenting due to their mental and developmental disabilities." Any other possible victims are urged to call police detective. John Garcia at 707-648-4517.

[BCN/KTVU]

Edward Riley Slate III, 41, was arrested on Monday, accused of having intimate relations with a 17-year-old student. Slate, a math and special education teacher at Wilcox High School, is alleged to have had an improper affair of the heart between January and June of this year with the underage student. "This is the second teacher-student investigation that we have been involved with in the past six months," Police Capt. Doug Moretto said. "This situation is more common than any of us would like to see." Slate has since been booked at the Santa Clara County Main Jail, slammed with "multiple charges of having sexual relations with a minor." If any other tykes out there might have had relations with Slate, they are urged to call Detective Kirk Kim at 408-730-7120.

Marina Middle School coach Stephen Pedersen, 45, turned himself into authorities yesterday after a warrant was out for his arrested regarding molestation charges of a 13-year-old student. Pedersen has been hit with with "three counts of lewd or lascivious acts and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child."

And the best part? SF Weekly's Lauren Smiley uncovered the following eyeopening bit on him.

Incidentally, Pedersen garnered 3.9 stars out of a possible 5 on the Web site Rate My Teachers (there were 20 reviews). In light of Pedersen's arrest, however, this October 2007 review raised eyebrows: "eww pedersen??! ask some girls and they'll tell you wat (sic) they REALLY think of him....shudders."

Further proof that teenage girls know everything, period.

If you think you may have been touched anywhere in your bathing suit area by Mr. Pedersen, please contact Inspector Liane Corrales of the Juvenile Division at 415-558-5529.

Mills High School English teacher David Lista, 35, of Belmont has admitted to filming underage girls using the bathroom at the high school where he taught. it seems he was arrested yesterday afternoon after a Mills technology coordinator came across Lista's cinematic restroom work while checking the school computer server. Police then searched Lista's home, which turned up a "small amount" of methamphetamine as well. Ouch. But this wasn't the first time Lista's alleged actions have stirred controversy at the high school. According to the San Jose Mercury News:

Several students also said Lista was caught up in an episode last year involving links on his YouTube video-sharing account.

"I saw it myself," said Alfred Tam, a senior who was in Lista's leadership class. "He had links to his favorites' that were all these videos of underage girls dancing in bikinis." ... Mills principal Paul Belzer declined to address either the petition or the YouTube allegation Tuesday, saying both were personnel matters

Lista posted $100,000 bail this morning and has since been put ion administrative leave. His exact charges have yet to be announced while the police investigation is still underway.