Old School, New School: The SFist School Board Interviews

I've seen the budget increase for senior management in the District's Central Offices, while our schools have received a 1% across-the-board budget cut. Some of the increases in District's FY 06-07 Budget include $87,228 for the Policy and Planning Office, $57,139 for the Board of Education's Office, $70,456 for JROTC and $234,207 for the Office of the Chief of Support Services.

An example of how the District is not parent-friendly is how the District staff have changed the start times for schools and child development centers-without talking with the parents. At the school closure meetings, the parents were notified the day before a three week break and each school was only given 10 minutes to convince the School District to not close their school. Public comment occurs at the end of the Board meeting-and students and parents will have to wait till midnight to testify about their own school.

We need a more parent-friendly, student-friendly and teacher-friendly school district. I am running to work with parents, students, staff and the community in creating a district that puts our students first.

Are you a parent? If so, are you sending your children to public school in San Francisco, and why did you make that choice?

I am not a parent. But I believe that all of the students are our children and we need to work together to ensure our City's children's future in order to ensure our City's future.

SFUSD has one of the highest test (Academic Performance Index-API) scores of California's large urban school districts. But our District's test (API) scores for its African American scholars lags between similar scores for Oakland, Los Angeles Unified School District and Fresno. This shows that SFUSD and the City has failed in providing a quality education for our students of color.

We are the richest county in the richest state in the richest country. We need to work together to provide quality education for all of our students at all of our public schools.

Recently, the SF Chronicle pointed out that 94% of San Francisco's murder victims in the last two years who were 24 years old or younger were high school dropouts. Those students could have been our doctors, lawyers, great artists and musicans. We as a City have lost an important part of our future with their deaths.

Rank the following in order of importance to the SFUSD. Explain why you ranked your number 1 choice number 1. And if your most important priority for the SF schools isn't listed below, tell us what that priority is.
_6_neighborhood school assignments
_3_school closings
_4_better union relations with teachers and school staff
_5_racial and economic diversity in school admissions
_8_cordiality among SFUSD board members
_7_improving test scores across the district
_2_increasing enrollment

Bridging the 173 point (achievement) gap between the District's overall testing scores and the average testing scores for our African-American and Latino students- #1

5. How do you feel about former superintendent Arlene Ackerman's (in)famous "platinum parachute" contract?

I think that the money would have been better spent on the students and not on Dr. Ackerman. Her parachute is equivalent with the average annual salary (and benefits) for 5 teachers. It could have bought a lot of one-to-one tutoring, quality afterschool programs and quality child development programs.

The District does not spend any funds on the professional development of our early childhood educators-but the majority of the Board (Kelly, Wynns, Chin and then Commissioner Heather Hiles) found money to give Dr. Ackerman a raise and a platinium parachute.

There is also the issue of the then-President of the Board of Education, Dan Kelly calling a meeting with 22 hour notice on Veteran's Day 2004 for a meeting at 6 p.m. on a Friday to give Dr. Ackerman her parachute and a $25,000 raise. Our parents and community deserved to have Dr. Ackerman's raise and the incompatibility clause discussed at the regular meeting (that was properly noticed) that was held only three days before.

Man, we've listened to some school board meetings on the radio and they're certainly very contentious, what with the angry parents, the angry students, the angry staff, the angry administrators, the angry members of the public, and the angry board members. How do you see yourself balancing all these various interests? Are you a shouter?

I am a listener. I listen to both sides and research both sides before arriving a decision.

The key is researching the topics. Before an item comes to the Board of Education for a vote, it is first introduced and then sent to a Board of Education committee for review. During that time, it is the responsibility of the Board member to do his/her homework. This means calling parents, unions,community organizations and Central staff. I have also visited over 40 of the public schools and have been to almost all of the District's child development centers as preparation for the school board race.

The Board also gets its packet on the Friday before the regular meeting on the following Tuesday. So the Board has an additional four days to research the issues that are scheduled for a vote at their regular meetings.

On a similar note, what do you think is going to be the biggest source of conflict for the school board in the next few years? What do you think we should do about that?

With declining enrollment, we have less funds from the state. The Board of Educations tends to fight more when money is tight and it has to make difficult budget decisions, such as closing schools or programs.

How can we encourage San Franciscans (both with children and without) to commit to the public schools?

We have outstanding public schools, outstanding teachers and outstanding students throughout the City.

San Francisco residents are one of the most educated populations in the nation. They have shown their respect for education by passing every school bond issue withiin memory. San Francisco residents have also shown their support for our schools by passing Proposition H which provide city funds for arts and music in our schools.

But in order to continue that support, we need to create a school district that offers quality education to all of our students. We also deserve a School District that shows respect to all of our parents and students, and the community.

And hey, you're representing the kids of San Francisco! What was your favorite pop song of the summer?

There has been so many great songs that were released this summer. It would too difficult to choose just one.

What I'm currently reading
"Water, Ice, And Stone" by Bill Green

Favorite mode of transportation/favorite MUNI line
#38 Geary (My mode of transportation is using my MUNI pass. I don't own a car.)

Favorite local hangout
Cafe Royale, 800 Post (Leavenworth)

SF has the BEST
kids.

You've never lived in SF until
you've been stuck on the MUNI underground when the trains stopped running.

Favorite Bay area politician of past or present
Congresswoman Barbara Lee

You can tell someone is a local here IF
they are wearing a sweater in the summer.

SF would be soooo much better if only
we provide a quality education for all of our students and it had a public school district that invested its money in our children and not in its administrators.

Best Restaurant
Tu Lan's, 8 6th Street

Favorite Bridge
Bay Bridge (it handles more traffic than the others)

Tell us a San Francisco Story
I was on the 31/Balboa bus and this tiny senior citizen serenaded the entire bus with wonderful Italian and Chinese arias till we reached downtown.

Question you'd ask if you were doing this interview
Why don't you have stories on education or an education reporter?