Reinstate Baba Jahi

Our kids need him teaching

Baba Jahi's work is amazzzing!

baba jahi is a all around good person he is a family man a good educator and a good friend . its unfortunate that this situation had happen love too see Jahi back

We are looking forward to Baba Jahi’s return! We are also looking forward to parents, staff, and the Council of Elders to come together to create policies that protect and uphold our community’s values.

deleteAs a parent of a former student (Selma, Class 2018), I am deeply disappointed in the suspension of Baba Jahi due to the allegations against him. Baba has been the director and an extraordinary educator of Ile Omode for 15+ years. Baba Jahi is deeply committed to his current students and alumni because he has an intense desire for the children to succeed in accomplishing their life goals. The council has known him throughout the years, so I am certain that you are well informed of his character, which is highly exceptional. Unclear of the procedures of your institution's policy/and or rules regarding suspensions of staff due to allegations to their character, I feel it is unfair to suspend Bab Jahi until the alleged incident has been proven or unproven. Not only is it unfair to Baba, but it is also unfair to the students, especially, the 8th graders. As you should be aware, Baba Jahi recently submitted their recommendations to the high schools they anticipate to attend in the Fall. He, faithfully, meets with the prospective high school administrators to advocate for the students, and some students had plans to attend Laney College for Math classes, and I, believe, the out of state college tour is this year. Now, the students are left “hanging” because of some allegations which are affecting their education, emotional, physical, and spiritual development. Baba Jahi is not there to ease their (and their parents) concerns, questions, and/or fears regarding their transition from Ile. All of the staff is wonderful and are great in what they do; however, Baba is the pillar/backbone of Ile Omode. If he is not reinstated the school will not be the same, which some hateful people want to happen. I am sure the founders/ancestors do not want the community destroyed and is not pleased with the friction the allegations have caused. In closing, Baba Jah’s unselfish flawless dedication in your institution, for over 15 years, should be acknowledged and taken into consideration

We support Baba Jahi.

I just want to reclarify info I previously posted. I don't know if it was "her or his" child that another anonymous person posted about witnessing the classroom incident. I don't also know if anonymous is a "he or she". Bottomline, I agree with her posting.

It seems to me the intention of putting hands on the student was to "redirect" attention to learning. It is unfortunate that the situation turned into a "spin cycle" where it is difficult to detrrmine the aggressor. Baba Jahi is guilty of caring too much and overzealously reacting instead of appropriately responding to this particular student. Suspension and a COMMUNITY HEALING CIRCLE is in order, then REINSTATEMENT.

It is very obvious that majority of the comments posted by parents that Baba Jahi is wholly supported by a LOT of parents and the community. I am glad that "anonymous" posted her daughter's witness of the events and that is also what I heard, too, from my child who was at the same room the day of the incident. A lot of students are in limbo esp in their Math, Humanities and Science classes. Baba Abubakar and Baba Monte are doing an exceptional job keeping it together for these students. My child told me repeatedly that he/she don't want Baba Jahi to go. They just need a few days of break from HW and they are now ready to roll again. Music to my ears. These kids who knew Anaya feel for her, too and they are still her friends but family is now trying to keep them apart esp if the students' family is supportive of Baba Jahi. It's unfortunate and sad. We all need to move on and start the healing and reconciliation for the sake of ALL the students and the Ile Omode community. This recent event has been so unsettling esp for the students. I hope the Council will take this on line petition seriously and LISTEN to what the majority of parents are saying!!! We want Baba Jahi back in school NOW!

Please reinstate Baba Jahi he"s really good for the school Thanks, Barbara Johnson

Baba Jahi needs to come back.

Thankful that this petition was created so we can get our heartbeat of Ile Omode back. All of the teachers and staff make a difference, but we all know who the fearless leader is and we all know how much he sacrifices for our children on a daily basis. This petition is for the conscious PARENTS who do not have the coon mentality to tear this exceptional institution down on the strength of one man making a mistake. We have collectively felt bad for the child and the teacher and would like to move on for the KIDS that still believe in BaBa Jahi and they come home every day begging for structure and their Director to come back. In 8 years I never thought this community would be struck like this. It has hurt my family to the core and we want Ile Omode to learn and thrive from this unfortunate event. I AM PRAYING FOR US ALL!

The Council must understand that the punishment to Baba Jahi is punishment to each and every student and family. His removal without a plan is highly irresponsible. The Council's seeming inability to factor and weigh comprehensively all dimensions of this issue is perplexing at best. The lack of a plan, poor communication and lack of clarity concerning next steps of Baba Jahi's reinstatement are unsettling and even more disruptive to the school community than the events of February 13. Immediate action on the implementation of a thoughtful reconciliation process is what's called for to bring our Ile Omode community back into right order.

My child was in the class that day She said Baba Jahi was telling her the student to do her work, stop talking and she wouldn't. He asked her why she think its okay to disturb the other kids who are here because they want to work. She threw her hoodie over her head and said I don't care. When he went to remove her by her ear she started swinging on him and as my child put it "mom she was going crazy" She said Baba was telling her to please stop, why are you hurting yourself like this. He never struck her. They both fell and she hit a desk. Even when he was trying to pick her up she was still fighting back. My child made that clear in her report during the investigation. I hear of these incidents all the time in public school but it should not be the case at our school. These are reasons I don't put my child in public school. I came to this school for the middle school education. Baba Jahi is one teacher that works really hard for these kids and cares a lot for them. This should not have happened. He was suspended without pay and rightfully so but because of this my child and all the rest in middle school has suffered. I'm angry that my child had to witness this and I'm sorry that this child's family had to go through this but I will still keep my position that Baba Jahi is an asset to Ile Omode and without him there would be nothing. I'm also sad to hear the families that say if he leaves they will leave. What will happen to our little heaven in the valley of the devil.

We support Baba Jahi

Baba struck my niece with such force that she sustained a concussion. His acts were criminal, as there is no justification for striking, falsely imprisoning or psychologically injuring a child! The permanent removal of this man is necessary to solidify the value of “black lives!” If the board fails to act appropriately I will encourage the family to sue and begin a media campaign to highlight the emotional and physical abuse endemic in this school!

I am a freshman at Bishop O'Dowd High School. Without Baba Jahi I would not be where I am today. His investment of time and energy in me helped me to be on the honor roll in my first semester.

Sincerely, Selma Apara Ile Omode Class of 2018 Bishop O'Dowd Class of 2022

Baba Jahi has been one of the most important people in my development. He has helped me not only academically but has helped me grow as a person. Without Baba Jahi, who is going to teach JavaScript and HTML to students who otherwise would never have the opportunity to do so? Who is going to take the time to speak with the admissions directors of various high schools on behalf of the 8th graders? Who drove a group of rowdy 8th graders to numerous high school tours and open houses? Who taught the middle schoolers how to plan an entire college tour? Who wrote EVERY SINGLE high school recommendation? Who held extra study sessions to ensure the 8th graders were ready for the HSPT? For an institution that was formed for the education of African children, and for the betterment of our people as a whole, it is utterly hypocritical to terminate the very thread that holds Ile Omode together. In Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun", the character Beneatha says that there are two kinds of people that are the most detrimental to our race: white supremacists, and other Black people who do not want us to move forward. In conclusion, terminating Baba Jahi is terminating Ile Omode. To fill Baba Jahi's role as director, mentor, Humanities teacher, homeroom supervisor for 6th/7th, Computer Science teacher, Physical Science teacher, Algebra 1 teacher, Geometry teacher, Algebra 2 teacher, high school applications consultant, emotional support counselor, mediator of student conflicts, and the countless other roles Baba Jahi takes on, Ile Omode will have to hire 20 more people. If there is only one thing I have taken from what I learned at Ile Omode, it is the history of our ancestors and how they fought with blood, sweat, and tears, until they achieved what they wanted. Frederick Douglass once said, "Agitate, agitate, agitate!" If it takes 100 people outside with picket signs, to restore the backbone of Ile Omode, then let it be so. P.S. Baba Jahi also taught me how to write a

Reinstate Baba Jahi.