Uncertainty looms over Oakland Head Start program after abrupt leadership firings
OAKLAND — Parents and educators in Oakland are expressing deep concern over the future of the city's Head Start program following the sudden dismissal of its two top leaders.
The federally funded early education initiative, which has served low-income and homeless families in Oakland for over five decades, is now facing what supporters fear could be an existential crisis.
The City of Oakland recently terminated Head Start Director Diveena Cooppan and Assistant to the Director Martina Bouey without explanation, a move that supporters said threatens the stability of the 54-year-old program.
"It honestly saved my life," said Eunique Hawkins, a Head Start parent, while picking up her daughter at the 85th Avenue program site on Friday. "I was really going to have to quit [my job]. I didn't have no one that was able to watch them while I was at work."
Hawkins' four-year-old daughter, Savanna, has been enrolled in Head Start for three years. She credits the teachers for helping her daughter develop critical speech and social skills.
"She walks in and she talks to her teachers. She talks to her friends. She's more open. She's completely changed to a different baby," Hawkins said.
Her oldest daughter also went through Head Start and saw lasting benefits.
"She went to kindergarten and thrived and excelled because of everything that she learned at Head Start. So they really do set the kids up for success," she added.
The Head Start program currently serves around 430 children across 14 locations, primarily in East Oakland. It provides childcare, preschool, and other support services for children from birth to age five living in poverty.
The abrupt firings have left many in the community shocked and anxious about what lies ahead.
"There was no indication that [I would be fired]. When I was released, they just said that the city is taking the department in a different direction," said Bouey. When asked what that direction might be, she replied, "I don't know. I honestly don't know what that means. They did not share any of their plans with me."
Bouey described the dismissal of both her and Cooppan as "a big shock," especially given the staff's praise for their leadership.
An internal email from Assistant City Administrator LaTonda Simmons, obtained by CBS News Bay Area, announced that the firings would be effective Friday, May 2. The email stated that both administrators had been placed on administrative leave on April 25. It added: "At this critical time in the City's review of structural and fiscal conditions, the Office of the City Administrator is focused on stabilization of the Human Services Department."
While the firings appear to be part of a cost-saving measure amid Oakland's mounting budget deficit, it's unclear how much financial impact the decision will actually have. The majority of Head Start's funding comes from federal and state sources, with only a small portion provided by the city.
"With such abrupt leadership change, there was no time or no opportunity to do a hand-off, to transition," Bouey said.
She warned that the program's complex regulatory requirements make leadership transitions especially difficult.
Longtime Oakland educator Dr. Ida Oberman echoed those concerns.
"I'm extremely worried that the program will shrink, even risk being eliminated in this time while it's serving so many children," she said. The charter school she founded in East Oakland enrolls many former Head Start students.
"Any budget is a moral document as we know," Dr. Oberman added. "And we should realize that making the cuts on the backs of the most vulnerable is not a smart move if we know that the most vulnerable are also the future of Oakland. We want students to stay and thrive and grow so that Oakland can thrive and grow."
In a statement, city spokesman Sean Maher said, "The City Administrator's Office executive team is engaging with the Head Start team now to support next steps for the program. We will provide updates to the program participants as needed."
According to the internal email, Human Services Manager Robin Love has been appointed as interim leader of the Head Start program.
Although Hawkins' youngest child will begin kindergarten in a few months, she says the stakes remain high for other families who depend on the program.
"Keep Head Start. It's very crucial to the city. It's very crucial to the kids. It's crucial to the parents. We really need it," she urged.
Supporters of the program are now encouraging Oakland residents to contact their city council members and advocate for its preservation.
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