OUSD Data Center Claim Debunked as Oakland Union Sets Nov. 5 Strike

Artificial intelligence and public-sector governance moved to the center of Oakland civic debates this week as an investigation by Oakland Report found zero evidence for claims by two incumbent Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) trustees that their election challengers want to turn closed schools into data centers, while technical union IFPTE Local 21 announced a one-day strike for Thursday, Nov. 5, over AI workplace protections and city staffing vacancies, according to Oakland North. Farther south in Alameda County, the City of Hayward also scheduled its Council Appointed Officers Committee meeting for Thursday, Oct. 29.

Oakland Report Finds Zero Evidence for OUSD Trustees’ “Data Center” Videos

In campaign videos posted to Instagram on Oct. 20 and Oct. 25 ahead of the Nov. 3 election, OUSD Board President Jennifer Brouhard (running for reelection in District 2) and Vice President Valarie Bachelor (running in District 6) claimed that their opponents—Arielle Fleisher in District 2, and Alexandra Williams and Kathryn Camp in District 6—are backed by “billionaires” who want to close Oakland public schools and convert the properties into artificial intelligence data centers.

According to reporter Sean S. Reinhart of Oakland Report, neither Brouhard nor Bachelor responded to written questions asking for any evidence supporting the claim, and multiple legal, zoning, and campaign finance records contradict the assertion:

• State Surplus School Property Laws (9 to 18 Months of Mandatory Priority Offers): Under California Education Code §§17387–17391, the Naylor Act (§§17485–17500), and the Surplus Land Act (Government Code §§54220–54234), a school board cannot simply sell a closed school to a commercial developer. The district must convene a 7-11 citizen advisory committee, hold public hearings, approve surplus status by a two-thirds vote, and spend 9 to 18 months offering the property first to charter schools, public agencies, and affordable housing developers.
• Oakland’s Oct. 6 Moratorium on Large Data Centers: Even if a school site cleared state disposition rules, school properties are zoned for residential and civic use, and on Oct. 6, 2026, the Oakland City Council enacted an emergency moratorium on large data centers exceeding 5 megawatts—pausing the only pending data center proposal in Oakland, a 20-megawatt project at 415 20th Street downtown.
• Campaign Funding and OUSD’s $31.6 Million Loan: Campaign finance disclosures show that all independent expenditure committees active in the 2026 OUSD races—including Empower Oakland and Go Public Schools Advocates—are funded by East Bay residents rather than outside data center billionaires, while the Oakland Education Association teachers union contributed $175,000 over the past two weeks to support Brouhard and Bachelor. Meanwhile, OUSD continues to grapple with a structural budget deficit after projecting a negative $5.5 million ending balance by June 2026 and relying on a $31.6 million conditional loan from the Alameda County Office of Education.

IFPTE Local 21 Announces Nov. 5 One-Day Strike Over AI Protections and Vacancies

At Oakland City Hall, members of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 21—which represents 11,000 public-sector professionals across the Bay Area, including Oakland civil engineers, transportation planners, city attorneys’ staff, and technical specialists—marched to the Oakland Public Library to announce a one-day unfair labor practice and contract strike on Thursday, Nov. 5, according to Oakland North.

Local 21 Vice President Julian Ware said the union is demanding explicit contract language ensuring that artificial intelligence tools cannot be used to replace city employees or outsource professional duties. Senior transportation planner Charlie Ream added that persistent staff vacancies across city departments have left remaining workers stretched thin.

Oakland city spokesperson Sean Maher told Oakland North that contract negotiations with Local 21 remain ongoing and noted that the city recently reached a tentative labor agreement with International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 55.

Hayward Council Appointed Officers Committee Meets Oct. 29

In southern Alameda County, the City of Hayward announced that its Council Appointed Officers Committee (CAOC) will convene on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, in Conference Room 2A at Hayward City Hall, 777 B Street, according to the City of Hayward calendar. Residents can reach the Office of the City Clerk at 510-583-4400 or miriam.lens@hayward-ca.gov for agenda details.