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To the Editor:
Dog owners, this is for you. Dog pee kills plants. Dog pee has wiped out the entire hedge row in front of my house. Except our dogs didn’t do that.
When walking dogs, there should be a Three-P rule: Plugs, Poles, and Posts. Fireplugs, power poles, and lampposts. The urine can’t kill those articles, and homeowners would be grateful if you would direct the liquid involved to those targets.
There was once a 6-foot leash limitation for dogs in Alameda until someone invented those retractable leashes that can go out 20 feet. Then that someone got hold of someone else in City Hall and the regulation is now “appropriate length.” How is that appropriate when it allows a dog to run right up under someone’s living room window and blast their begonias with their offering?
So, plain and simple: Be respectful of others’ property and be responsible for your animal’s behavior because, simply put, that behavior can be destructive. And you’re in charge. Aren’t you?
In hope for unstained shrubbery, I remain,
Sincerely,
Arthur Lenhardt
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To the Editor:
In 2018, a play, Words That Made the Difference: Brown v Board of Education, was created. Its purpose was to highlight, during a challenging time, the courage that many took to stand up for justice and fairness in education. This play, also during a challenging time, began a journey—livestreamed across eight countries and performed in six cities.
Again, during a challenging time, Words has been invited to be performed in the city of Selma during the week anniversary of the Selma Jubilee crossing—the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge by MLK Jr. and John Lewis for voting rights. This event is held during the first week of March. Unfortunately, the Selma Jubilee has lost some of its funding, as has the historical museum in Selma.
Our actors, many of them Alamedans, are committed to travel to Selma to perform Words That Made the Difference. We are seeking financial donations and donations of flyer miles to get our actors to Selma. We have very little time, and seek your support to bring Words to Selma at such a needed time as this, when courage to stand up is critical.
Please visit our website to contribute, or email Cindy Acker at cacker56@yahoo.com to donate flyer miles.
Sincerely,
Cindy Acker
SESTERCENTENNIAL
I remember when I came here, ‘cause I wanted to be free,
My wife and children hungry, and they came along with me.
We dreamed of peace and freedom and the brotherhood of man,
We knew that what we found here we would never find again.
Our people came from everywhere, we are a melting pot,
Our origins and heritage should never be forgot.
Sometimes this helped, sometimes this stopped, the progress that we made,
But, in the end, “America” was all that need be said.
We grew and, in our power, we felt wisdom in our youth,
And somehow we felt all we said was everybody’s truth.
We saved the world for sanity, then we all went insane,
Ignored the cries of those who felt entitled to the same.
Now stick around and watch us go, for we’re in our decline.
The dream that wrapped us up in love has started to unwind.
The hope that built our faith into great courage failed the test,
But it’s nice to know that, when you go, you’re going with the best!
Two Hundred Fifty years, for history not long,
The dream that was America is gone.
Arthur W. Lenhardt
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Let me be clear from the outset: this Board profoundly values our teachers. We respect their expertise, their dedication, and the central role they play in shaping the lives of Alameda’s children. The success of Alameda Unified rests on their daily commitment to our students, and this Board has consistently demonstrated that we take that responsibility seriously.
Our record speaks to that commitment. Over the past decade, the Board has increased teacher salaries by nearly 40 percent — reflecting both appreciation for educators and recognition of rising living costs in the Bay Area. In the most recent bargaining cycle, we approved a 7 percent salary increase and made a historic decision to cover 100 percent of healthcare costs for individual employees. Alameda became only the second district in Alameda County to make that commitment.
At the same time, we have experienced firsthand how volatile healthcare costs can be. In that same year, Kaiser raised its premiums beyond what the district had authorized, meaning even our bold investment was not enough to keep pace with rising costs.
This brings us to the heart of today’s mediation.
The discussions center on AEA’s proposal for a 9 percent salary increase this year, largely funded through one-time dollars from a reserve account that was already designated for ongoing costs — including approximately $6 million annually in healthcare expenses that were negotiated in our last round of contract negotiations
This Board does not believe it is fiscally responsible to use one-time funds to cover permanent salary obligations. This is not a position taken lightly, nor is it meant to diminish the needs of our educators. Rather, it reflects our duty to ensure that today’s decisions do not create tomorrow’s layoffs.
The truth is that most school district budgets are shaped far more by state decisions than local decisions. Each year, California provides districts with a cost-of-living adjustment, known as COLA. This year’s COLA is 2.3 percent — far below the 9 percent increase being requested (last year’s COLA was under 1 percent and next year’s is expected to be 2.5 percent). While state revenues grow slowly and unpredictably, salary commitments are permanent. That mismatch creates real financial risk.
At the same time, federal support for Special Education has steadily declined, forcing local districts like Alameda to redirect millions of dollars from general education to cover mandated services. These are not optional expenses — they are legal obligations — yet they place increasing strain on our budget.
Fortunately, Alameda is uniquely blessed with a community that deeply values public education. Our local parcel taxes and bond measures have allowed us to supplement state funding in ways many districts cannot. For that, this Board is profoundly grateful.
Measure A, passed in 2020, specifically provided a 8 percent salary increase for teachers — and that promise has already been fulfilled. Those dollars were intentionally structured for that purpose and cannot be stretched indefinitely to fund additional raises. And I must state with great importance — every dollar of our parcel taxes go to salaries — not buildings, not infrastructure, not AUSD’s reserves.
On one critical point, the Board, AEA, and the California Teachers Association are in complete alignment: California must do more to fund public education and support teacher compensation.
Some may ask: why is the Board so focused on fiscal caution? The answer is simple: because we have seen what happens when districts overpromise without sustainable funding.
Nearby districts have faced painful financial crises that will lead to layoffs, potential school closures, program cuts, and deep community mistrust. Those outcomes did not come from a lack of care for teachers — they came from structural budget decisions that proved unsustainable.
Alameda Unified is a vibrant and high-performing district because of the incredible work of our teachers, administrators, staff, families, and community. I want our educators and community to know this clearly: the Board has authorized a salary offer that is higher than what has been publicly reported. We are working hard to balance fair compensation with fiscal responsibility — not because we want to limit teachers, but because we want to protect them from future instability.
Ryan LaLonde
President, Alameda Unified School District Board of Education
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Teachers are not merely employees of a school district; they are the foundation upon which the future of our community rests. Teachers are responsible for instilling in students the character, confidence, knowledge, and potential that will allow these students to become the leaders of Alameda as adults. In essence, the quality of our schools reflects how important we believe education is to us, and how much importance we put on those individuals who provide that education for our children daily.
Alamedans are known to be caring, committed, and considerate. We attend parades, hold fundraisers, honor veterans, care for our elderly, and help our neighbors when they need assistance. As such, we take great pride in knowing that there is a sense of “we” when it comes to helping one another. As such, it also is our responsibility to ensure that our teachers know that they too are supported by the very community they serve.
If we pay our teachers less than anyone else in the county, and if those same educators face healthcare costs that increase faster than their salary, then this is no longer just a contract discussion; this is a priority/valuation issue. Will we invest in the individuals who invest in our children?
The letter I submitted to the Board is straightforward and honest concerning this issue. I hope that this introduction will inspire residents to read it with an open mind and even more so, to add their voices to support fair compensation for the teachers of Alameda.
Our children deserve to have teachers that do not have to worry about making ends meet. Our teachers deserve to have a community that stands behind them.
Support our teachers!
〰️
Dear Members of the Alameda Unified School District Board,
As a long-time Alameda resident, parent, and community member I feel compelled to express my deep concern and commitment to the future of our children and the quality of education in our city.
The trend clearly indicates that Alameda teachers are some of the lowest-paid in Alameda County, when compared to other Bay Area school district neighbors. The differential in pay is not only a labor issue—it is also a student issue, a family issue, and a community issue.
How can we expect to hire and maintain top-quality teachers if they can’t afford to live in the area without having to make daily decisions regarding housing, basic living needs and healthcare? Furthermore, the District’s past practice to contribute to employee healthcare benefits has historically provided a fixed contribution, while employee premium payments continually increase, resulting in an increased cost burden on the teacher, who already receives inadequate pay.
In addition to the above, I have heard that the District has at times asked teachers, “If you want a raise, then tell us what you would like to cut?” This is not the responsibility of educators. Educators’ primary responsibility is to educate the children of Alameda—not to help the District balance the budget. Asking teachers to assist in solving the budgetary issues of the District will create another source of distraction for the educators who rely upon them to perform their duties each day.
I also reviewed the current compensation package of the Superintendent. In 2019, the District agreed to a 3% compensation increase; however, the District changed the compensation package to include a $10,000 increase in the first year, and an additional $10,000 in the second year, and an additional $25,000 in the third year, resulting in a total compensation of approximately $275,000, versus the original compensation calculation based on the 3% increase, which totaled approximately $251,327 for that same period. Additionally, the Superintendent received fully paid health insurance benefits and generous vacation allowance during this time, which were further enhanced in the 2025 collective bargaining agreement.
While I did not intend to criticize the District for the compensation of the Superintendent, I wanted to illustrate that the District has demonstrated the ability to develop and provide a meaningful compensation package to a key staff member when it deems it necessary to do so.
As a community, we often discuss and advocate for equity, living wage and access to affordable healthcare. These values must start at home. They must start with how we treat those individuals responsible for developing the minds and future of Alameda’s children.
Are the children of Alameda not worthy of teachers who can focus on their teaching without the distraction of financial concerns?
I respectfully request that the Board prioritize developing teacher compensation (including health care) to comparable levels of surrounding Bay Area districts, in order to ensure that Alameda remains a place where excellent educators can both choose to work and build their careers.
Investing in our teachers is investing in the future of our community.
Thank you for your time and for serving the students of Alameda.
Sincerely,
Joe LoParo
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AUSD teachers earn less than those working in other cities’ schools, but AUSD is also funded at a lower level compared to neighboring districts. If I told you it all goes back to Proposition 13 passed in 1978, you’d think I was nuts.
Every few years the cycle repeats—teachers negotiate for raises and health benefits they absolutely deserve and the schools’ leaders push back saying they cannot meet those demands without risking financial insolvency. During one of those cycles we teachers asked for a 4% raise, the district offered 0%, and after months of labor actions we settled at…wait for it…a 2% raise.
What’s also disappointing is the rhetoric used, frankly, by both sides of the debate. Of course the superintendent is paid more than the top teacher, so using that fact to demonstrate inequity is unnecessarily inflammatory. He’s a good guy doing a hard job during difficult times. The legitimate argument that AUSD has been underfunded for special education is known to all. Hey superintendent, how about mounting an effort to go get the money?
I honestly have never understood the adversarial nature of the relationship between the school board, district leaders, classroom teachers and classified staff. There are no demons here. I know that because I’ve known and still know the folks who wear suits to work, those who wear jeans, those who lecture, and those who work a broom.
I also know this: As this process creeps toward whatever the outcome will be—a last-minute settlement, most likely—it’s hurting parents and kids. It was not long ago that schools opened back up, welcoming children who had been traumatized by the COVID-19 quarantine. Tremendous adjustments had to be made to accommodate the new, additional needs of the young learners. Teachers, equally harmed by trying to deal with their personal lives having been locked down while struggling to teach on camera, performed miracles every day as everyone strived to get back to normal. I imagine all involved only recently got to take a deep breath from all that chaos.
And now teachers have to wonder: If we go on strike—yes for the greater good, yes for possible better pay and benefits—how will I pay my bills in the meantime? Parental stress from having to consider how they can twist their lives to provide care for their kids if schools close is also a horrible thing. And making students, particularly high school kids, embrace the anxiety of wondering how they can keep taking steps to graduate, to prepare for AP tests, to apply for colleges if things fall apart, is powerfully unfair.
The house of education got knocked over by COVID. It’s only recently been rebuilt, and even then just barely. This is not the time to put the constituents through another disaster. Teachers and administrators, right now I’m taking the side of the parents and kids. Do not prolong this strife any longer. Sit down, lock the door, figure it out, do the best you can for the teachers (they’re the straws that stir the drinks) and then get back to doing the noble work you all do—educating the next generation of citizens.
Gene Kahane is the founder of the Foodbank Players, a lifelong teacher, and former Poet Laureate for the City of Alameda. Reach him at gene@alamedapost.com. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Gene-Kahane.
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Kindness from a stranger
To the Editor:
I am writing because this past Saturday, January 17, three ladies and myself were crossing the street at about 8:30 p.m. or so on Encinal by the Italian American League Club in Alameda. It was dark and my three companions, all over 90, and myself, 89, were slowly starting to cross the street. There was a big white pickup truck in the middle of the street and we all decided he was waiting for us to cross. He stepped out of his truck and walked over to us and said, “Could I help you ladies cross the street?”
Well, we were all so impressed at the kindness of this young man to show concern for four old ladies that he didn’t even know. We don’t know his name but are hoping he might see this letter to the editor so he will know how much we appreciated his kind gesture. Kindness like that has become rare. Isn’t that a shame? I would also like to thank the people who raised him—they did a great job.
Thank you for helping me say thank you to a kind stranger.
Joanne Parenti
Rossmoor, Walnut Creek
A “Thank You” to local businesses
To the Editor:
The Child Unique (TCU) Montessori School and Montessori Elementary Intermediate School of Alameda (MEISA) recently held a school fundraising event for its award-winning school spanning from 18 months through eighth grade and would like to offer its gratitude to the following businesses for their valued support:
Alameda Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Self-Defense Academy, Alameda Natural Grocery (Marketplace), Anam Cara Chiropractic, Aquatech, Barons Meat (Marketplace), Books Inc., Craft Chocolate, Crispian Bakery, Dandelion Flowers, Julie’s Coffee & Tea Garden, Lucky 13 & Lucky 13 Tattoos, Marley G’s Pizzeria, Max Skills, Mr Tipple’s Jazz, Pacific Pinball Museum, Saffron Studio, San Ramon Escapology, Sandbox VR, Scolari’s, Secret Garden Skincare & Wellness, Starland School of Music, The Sewing Room, Tucker’s Icecream and the Tutu School
Thank you!
The Child Unique Montessori School and Montessori Elementary Intermediate School of Alameda
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