Longtime parent of shuttered Parker Elementary in East Oakland laments closure

OAKLAND – It’s the first day of school at the Oakland Unified School District. But, the bells are silent at Parker Elementary School in Eastmont.

This campus, where crayons sit unloved on the floor was consolidated last year – closed.

“It’s hard to come see that that is closed. That’s really heartfelt because we don’t know where it’s going. Where it’s going to go from here,” Lynnie Moses told KPIX 5.

Moses lives across the street from Parker.

All three of her children went to Parker and thrived. Her daughter, her middle child, is now at UC Berkeley on a full ride scholarship for neuroscience.

“We’re not gonna be seeing any kids. We’re not gonna help any kids anymore. It’s really heartfelt. It’s sad, it’s sad,” Moses said.

It wasn’t just her kids that the teachers are Parker helped. Moses also benefitted from the community school.

While volunteering and reading in classroom, Moses was inspired to finish her high school diploma. The teachers at Parker encouraged her to go back to school.

“They didn’t even have a program but the teachers here made me believe that I could go back and learn and I did,” she said.

During the pandemic, Moses joined her children and graduated high school.

Moses’ kids are grown now, but the loss of the community school is still hitting her family – who now have to figure out daily transportation for her young niece.

Melrose, the new school, is a 10 minute drive away from Parker and should be easy enough to get to – but nothing really comes easy in Eastmont.

“My niece is right across the street here and now we’ve gotta take her all the way to 35th to go to school. It’s gonna be hard. My car…it’s gonna be hard because I’m the one who picks her up and my car broke down. So, it’s already going to be a hard, hard year for us,” she said.

Moses hopes the campus doesn’t languish and once again gets filled with learning and laughter.

“We lost our school, but we don’t want to lose it for the kids in the community. If we’re not gonna get a school, can we have something for us to keep the kids on track?” she said.