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• 1 2023-11-13T17:31:18-08:00 The Structure of Liberation Schools 6 image_header 2023-11-13T17:58:32-08:00

  In 1974, the Intercommunal Youth Institute was renamed the Oakland Community School and moved to a larger location capable of serving more children. The school structure consists of a five day schedule set up as the first three days were focused on traditional academic study, Thursdays were film days, and Fridays were reserved for field trips throughout the community. The school served students ranging in age from two to twelve, and there were no traditional grade levels, only group levels based on academic performance. The class sizes were small as the ratio of teacher to students was 1:10; which was intentionally to provide each child with individualized attention. According  to the article named Vanguards in the Classroom: History and Lessons from the Black Panther Party’s Oakland Community School, by the author states, “Without assistance from the government or charging tuition fees, the school provided students three full meals a day, preventive health care, and transportation to and from school. Running the school was expensive: it costs approximately $720 annually to provide services to students, and the operating costs of the school were $6000 per year. Moreover, the Community Learning Center required an annual amount of $100,000. Even when the educational institute resorted to charging a monthly $25 for tuition, the fee could be waived based on hardship(Vanguards in the Classroom,Akin, Abioye, 2021).” The school provided many services to not only students like free meals a day, free medical care, and clothing, but also the entire family which included counseling, health care screening, and tutoring. Students and families  had access to the following free services; George Jackson People’s Free Medical Clinic, Children’s Healthcare Program, the Seniors Against A Fearful Environment (S.A.F.E.), the Legal Aid and Educational Program, the Adult Education Program, and the Free Employment Program. There were a large number of liberation schools within the United States of America, however the first and longest lasting was the Oakland Community School and officially closed in 1982.