Berkeleyside welcomes submissions of exclusive opinion pieces, which we publish at our discretion. Submissions must be fact-based: Links and citations to substantiate arguments must be included. If you do not hear back, assume we have decided to pass. We generally do not publish items that have appeared elsewhere and ask for two weeks’ exclusivity. Topics should be Berkeley-related, local authors are preferred and anonymity is not allowed. The recommended length is 500-1,000 words, and at least 72 hours’ notice is required. Please send Word or Google docs, not PDFs. Include your name, phone number, and a one-line bio with all relevant disclosures. Email submissions to editors@berkeleyside.com.
For nine years, people who love plays have met Wednesdays at the Central Branch. The library arbitrarily changed the meeting to Fridays at the North Branch, which has made a lot of people unhappy.
Both Brent Stephens and the Berkeley Unified School District favor an approach to learning that is not outlined in the California Dyslexia Guidelines. That must change.
Unfunded liabilities for infrastructure needs now exceed unfunded liabilities for employee pensions. Why, then, does the City Council prioritize paying down pensions rather than fixing roads and sidewalk?
Berkeley voters adopted a neighborhood preservation ordinance in 1973 in reaction to the destruction of "urban renewal." Community groups must be involved in discussing upzoning in residential neighborhoods.
The group is seeking action to dramatically reduce transportation emissions and improve affordability, through revisions to Berkeley's housing policy.
State legislation provides tools that make teacher housing on BUSD property more affordable.
Harris was raised in Berkeley, steeped in the values of the Free Speech and Civil Rights movement. As both a Jamaican American and Indian American, she has lived in many cultures, making her a strong candidate.
From 2012 to 2016, black and Latino civilians were twice as likely as whites and Asian-Americans to be subjected to a police stop that yielded no enforcement action. It is taking too long to figure out why.
Teachers are not the only sector of society struggling to afford high Berkeley rents. So Berkeley should not treat them preferentially by building them housing. We need affordable housing for all.
One way to celebrate the anniversary would be to finish the vision of the artist Jean LaMarr, who wanted to create a Native garden around the mural she painted in 1975. Berkeley is now considering funding the idea.
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