For our final discussion of our 101 series, we discussed the role of the School Board – who is the School Board? What is the School Board responsible for? How can we make our voices heard to impact the changes we’ like to see in our school district?
Please welcome our very special guest, Kampala Taiz-Rancifer, President of the the Oakland Education Association!
Kampala Taiz-Rancifer is an elementary school educator and a passionate advocate for educational equity. A proud parent of two children who have attended or graduated from Oakland Public Schools, Kampala currently serves as the President of the Oakland Education Association (OEA).
As a steadfast champion for racial and social justice, Kampala is a founding member of the Black Women’s Caucus. Her commitment to improving educational outcomes for all students, especially Black and Brown students, drives her work in both the classroom and the broader educational landscape. She is dedicated to enhancing working conditions for educators, ensuring that they have the support and resources they need to succeed.
Kampala played a pivotal role in the passage of Reparations for Black Students—a set of transformative policies aimed at investing in Black students within the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). In a groundbreaking effort, Kampala also fought for the addition of staffing for the program as part of the union’s collective bargaining agreement.
Before becoming an educator, Kampala worked as a union organizer with SEIU United Healthcare Workers West. While she found fulfillment in that role, her passion for closing the opportunity gap led her to teaching, where she believes education is one of the most critical civil rights issues of our time.
In her leadership roles within the OEA, Kampala has used her skills as a union organizer to help lead the union through three strikes in the past five years. She chaired the Member Engagement Committee and co-chaired the Organizing Team before becoming an Executive Board member and later an officer of the union. Kampala remains unwavering in her dedication to justice, equity, and the empowerment of students and educators alike.