Debora Gordon

About Debora Gordon

Debora Gordon is a writer, artist, educator and non-violence activist. She has been living in Oakland since 1991, moving here to become a teacher in the Oakland Unified School District. In all of these roles, Debora is interested in developing a life of the mind. “As a mere human living in these simultaneously thrilling and troubled times,” Debora says, “I try to tread lightly, live thoughtfully, teach peace, and not take myself too seriously.”

Oakland teachers join the Makers Movement

January 20, 2016 Debora Gordon

A bicycle-powered blender. A hooked rug wolf portrait that lights up and maybe howls. A squirrel that registers the noise level in a classroom. These are a few of the creations invented by Oakland

ESL teacher won’t take no for an answer

November 2, 2015 Debora Gordon

Gaylynne Hudson is one ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher who doesn’t understand the word, “No.” When changes in the state laws led to significant cuts in Oakland’s ESL programs, many of her

A Day in the Life of Lam Vo

March 5, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon Lam ended a recent letter with “Write me when you find the time. I certainly have all the time in the world to wait.” This prompted me to ask him what it

Body Art for Cars

February 24, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon Say you have a black Honda. Or a white Chevy van. Drive around all day and see dozens of cars indistinguishable from yours. But it does not have to be that way.

A Former Teachers’ Union President Considers Her Legacy

February 23, 2013 Debora Gordon

Former Oakland Education Association President and current Sequoia Elementary School teacher Betty Olson-Jones poses in her 5th grade classroom Photo: Oakland Voices/Debora Gordon January 2013 By Debora Gordon Betty Olson-Jones is back in the classroom

Looking at Lam and what needs to Be done

February 23, 2013 Debora Gordon

Lam was, and perhaps still is, a young man with a lot of potential. He could have gone on to lead a life of commonplace trials and triumphs; having a family, a job or a career,

Oakland Teacher Alison Ball Breathes Life into Math & Science

February 22, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon After early teaching stints in far flung locales from Ecuador and China to New York and Sunnyvale, 4th year middle school teacher Alison Ball, 29, came to Urban Promise Academy (UPA),

A Call to Lam’s Mother

February 20, 2013 Debora Gordon

Many, perhaps most, parts of this story have been hard to tell. I often imagine someone who might be personally affected by a particular part of the story looking over my shoulder. As I write

Oakland Art Teacher Thi Bui Urges Students to Draw, Think Outside the Box

February 13, 2013 Debora Gordon

Thi Bui, an art and digital media teacher at Oakland International High School, described herself as “a little reckless. I break a lot of rules. I’m very comfortable letting go of the reins if there

School-to-Prison Pipeline

February 13, 2013 Debora Gordon

By Debora Gordon Every time a student does poorly in school, or drops out, there is likely a great increase in the chances he will wind up in prison. I recall in my discussion with