Ken Epstein, now a city schoolteacher, recently started the news Web site Oaklandrising.com to cover schools, Oakland police, politics and other goings-on.

"This has been a dream for a long time," Epstein said. "There's been several plans to start a paper, but they've always broken down around the fact that I don't have any money."

Epstein said he wants Oaklandrising.com to be a serious news Web site, not something that will feature "photos from my vacation."

Epstein was the spokesman for several school district administrations. But so far, articles and commentaries about the schools posted on his site are written from what might be called an anti-administration point of view.

Most of the news and commentary is about schools or education issues, and much of it is at least somewhat critical of State Administrator Randolph Ward. Epstein teaches at Edward Shands adult school in East Oakland, so Ward is technically still his boss.

Epstein says his stories will be fair and won't resort to the "personal nastiness that Web sites sometimes seem to indulge in."

The city has a number of news Web sites focusing on individual neighborhoods, and at least one political satire Web site. Epstein's site is apparently the only one that covers the entire city.

Epstein went to the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism but left before earning his degree. He was the education reporter at The Montclarion newspaper in Oakland for a few years and wrote for the San Francisco Bay Guardian.

He also has taught at a number of city schools.

Epstein returned to the classroom after his position was eliminated several months ago by Ward.

Epstein opposed the state takeover that put Ward in charge of the city schools 11/2years ago. As district spokesman, Epstein's job was to represent Ward, but insiders say he was less than enthusiastic about some of his boss' decisions.

"I did my best to really represent the district," Epstein said. "At the same time, I fought very hard against the state takeover, and I've never hidden that from anybody."

The district has yet to replace Epstein. Ward said the office of public information, which handles press calls, requests for public information and other duties, will be dissolved at the end of the month to save money. The three remaining employees will be transferred to other departments, he said.

Ward said he is looking to hire a marketing/public relations official to work out of the state administrator's office.

"Those public information issues, we won't miss a beat on," Ward said.

Oakland Tribune
401 13th Street
Oakland, California 94612
(510) 208-6330 Switchboard
(510) 293-2709 Online Content
www.oaklandtribune.com