26 2025 IS NOW CALL TO ORDER AT 5:02 P.M. RECALL PLEASE. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER HERE COMMISSIONER FISHER HERE. COMMISSIONER GUPTA HERE VICE PRESIDENT HULING HERE. COMMISSIONER RIGHT HERE. COMMISSIONER WISEMAN WORK AND PRESIDENT KIM HERE. ITEM A GENERAL INFORMATION ITEM TO ACCESSIBILITY THREE AND FOUR ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION TRANSLATION SERVICES AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER SERVICES CLOSED CAPTIONING INFORMATION AND VIRTUAL MEETING INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ONLINE ON BOARD DOCS ITEM FIVE CHILD CARE INFORMATION AS OPPOSED YOU WILL PROVIDE CHILD CARE FOR REGULAR MEETINGS AND MONITORING MEETINGS ON THE FIRST FLOOR IN THE ENROLLMENT CENTER AT 555 FRANKLIN STREET FROM 6:30 P.M. TO 9 P.M. OR THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. WE CAN END BEFORE NINE TODAY CHILD CARE CHILD CARE IS FOR FAMILIES WHO WILL BE ATTENDING THE REGULAR AND MONITORING
BOARD MEETINGS. SPACE IS LIMITED AND WILL BE PROVIDED ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS FOR CHILDREN AGES 3 TO 10. FOR QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OFFICE AT (415) 241-6427. OR BOARD OFFICE AT S IF YOU SEE THAT EDU. AT THIS TIME BEFORE THE BOARD GOES INTO CLOSE SESSION I CALL FOR ANY SPEAKERS TO THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS LISTED IN THE AGENDA. THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF FIVE MINUTES FOR SPEAKERS. >> ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE ARE NONE IN PERSON BUT WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON ON ZOOM. RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU CARE TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CLOSED SESSION. AGAIN IF YOU'RE ON ZOOM WE WANT TO SPEAK ON CLOSED SESSION. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. NO, I NOW RECESS THIS MEETING AT 5:04 P.M. S.F. GOV TV SAN FRANCISCO GOVERNMENT TELEVISION S.F. GOV TV SAN FRANCISCO GOVERNMENT TELEVISION S.F. GOV TV SAN FRANCISCO GOVERNMENT TELEVISION AND S.F. GOV TV SAN FRANCISCO GOVERNMENT TELEVISION
S.F. GOV TV SAN FRANCISCO GOVERNMENT TELEVISION S.F. GOV TV SAN FRANCISCO GOVERNMENT TELEVISION . >> START OFF WITH OUR READ OUT FROM TODAY'S CLOSED SESSION ITEM SEE ONE INFORMATIVE OF ANTICIPATED LITIGATION THE BOARD BY A VOTE OF SEVEN EYES GIVES DIRECTION TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL ON A VOTE OF FOUR EYES THREE ALEXANDER FISHER RAY NAYS THE BOARD VOTES VOTED TO DENY THE RECOMMENDATION AND PROVIDE DIRECTION TO GENERAL COUNSEL FOR STUDENT OUTCOMES OR THE SMU SC BOARD OF EDUCATION FOLLOWS A STUDENT OUTCOMES FOCUSED GOVERNANCE MODEL BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT. THE BOARD HAS ADOPTED OUR VISION VALUES, GOALS AND GUARDRAILS IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE PORTION OF BOARD MEETING TIME WE SPEND ON OUTCOMES. EVERY OTHER REGULAR MEETING IS A MONITORING WORKSHOP. THIS MODEL ALSO CALLS ON THE BOARD TO EMPOWER THE SUPERINTENDENT TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OR FULL OWNERSHIP AND ADVANTAGE OF THE STRATEGIES USED TO REACH THOSE GOALS WITHIN THE GUARDRAILS SET BY THE BOARD AS WE IMPLEMENT THIS NEW GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK, THE
BOARD WILL CONTINUE TO ADOPT NEW SYSTEMS, ROUTINES AND POLICIES THAT IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES. WE ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO FOLLOW OUR WORK ON OUR WEBSITE S.F. USD EDU SLASH GOVERNANCE AS WE COMMIT TO FINDING NEW AND IMPROVED WAYS TO MORE MEANINGFULLY ENGAGE WITH STAFF, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. ITEM D PUBLIC COMMENT TO ALIGN WITH OUR EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE MODEL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL LAST FOR ONE HOUR OR UNTIL 8 P.M. WHICHEVER IS EARLIER. WE AIM TO RESPECT STAFF, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY TIME BY BEGINNING BOARD BUSINESS NO LATER THAN 8 P.M.. OUR HOPE IS TO CONDUCT BOARD BUSINESS IN AN EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE MANNER DURING REASONABLE HOURS. EACH PARTICIPANT MAY SPEAK FOR UP TO ONE MINUTE. STAFF WILL TAKE THE PARTICIPANT AT THE ONE MINUTE MARK AT ONE MINUTE AND FIVE SECONDS. I HAVE ASKED MR. STEEL TO PLEASE TURN ON THE MIC, TURN OFF THE MIC AND TRANSITION TO THE NEXT SPEAKER. I ASK MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PLEASE RESPECT THAT ONE MINUTE LIMIT SO THAT WE CAN HEAR FROM AS MANY SPEAKERS AS POSSIBLE AND ENCOURAGE SPEAKERS WHO ARE
SPEAKING ON THE SAME TOPIC TO COLLABORATE AND COMBINE THEIR COMMENTS SO THAT THE BOARD CAN HEAR ALL VIEWPOINTS DURING OUR LIMITED TIME. PLEASE ALSO NOTE THAT THE BOARD ACCEPTS WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS VIA EMAIL TO BOARD OFFICER S.F. EDU. WE WILL HEAR FIRST FROM STUDENTS IN PERSON ON AGENDA ITEMS THEN GENERAL PUBLIC IN PERSON ON AGENDA ITEMS FOLLOWED BY STUDENTS IN PERSON ON NON AGENDA ITEMS AND GENERAL PUBLIC IN PERSON AND ON AGENDA ITEMS REGARDLESS OF WHERE OR WHETHER IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT IS COMPLETE WE WILL SAVE 15 MINUTES FOR REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT TAKING COMMENTERS IN THE SAME ORDER AS IN PERSON IF ANY TIMES REMAINS WE WILL THEN RETURN TO IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT. AS A REMINDER BOARD RULES IN CALIFORNIA LAW DO NOT ALLOW US TO RESPOND TO COMMENTS OR ATTEMPT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT TIME. IF APPROPRIATE THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL ASK THAT STAFF FOLLOW UP WITH SPEAKERS. MR. STEEL THANK YOU. STUDENTS FIRST I HAVE ONE STUDENT IDENTIFIED OF THERE ARE OTHERS. >> PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM. LANGSTON MONTGOMERY HELLO
EVERYONE. MY NAME IS LANGSTON MONTGOMERY. I'M BACK AT MY SECOND HOME. IT SEEMS LIKE FORMER STUDENT DELEGATE CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ETHNIC STUDIES ONCE AGAIN. I WAS HERE LAST TIME TO SPEAK ON IT. I THINK STUDIES IS AGAIN A COURSE THAT'S BACKED BY BOTH STANFORD UNIVERSITY, MICHIGAN AND UCLA AFFILIATED STUDIES. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT COURSE THAT NEEDS TO BE TREATED LIKE A TRUE CORE COURSE IN A CITY WHERE WE'VE DONE SO MUCH WORK TO DE-LEGITIMIZE THIS COURSE AND DESPITE THAT FRESHMAN THIS YEAR ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF FRESHMEN HAVE OPTED OUT OF THE COURSE. STUDENTS ARE STANDING BY THIS COURSE. THIS IS OF COURSE THE CITY AGAIN IN SAN FRANCISCO WHERE ETHNIC STUDIES WAS BORN AS A CITY NEEDS TO STAND BY ETHNIC STUDIES AND NEEDS TO REAFFIRM IT RIGHT HERE AGAIN DESPITE THE ATTEMPTS TO DE-LEGITIMIZE IT. ETHNIC STUDIES AGAIN IS HISTORY AND INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY RIGHT NOW IN 2025. WE NEED TO STAND BY IT. THANK YOU CHEMICAL THE NEXT
GROUP OF FIVE FOR YOUR NAME PLEASE COME LINE UP AT THE PODIUM SAM MURPHY AND HUGH BERNICE CASEY, BRANDY MARKMAN AND DOMINIC NONNY. OH BEFORE BEFORE WE START I ALSO WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DRINKING CHARTER LATER ON ON THE AGENDA YOU WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT DURING THAT TIME FOR THAT ITEM . AGAIN, IF YOUR NAME IS CALLED PLEASE COME UP. THIS IS FOR POINT OF INFORMATION. POINT OF INFORMATION. PRESIDENT KIM IS PUBLIC COMMENT NOW FOR ALL ITEMS OR WHO ARE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE TO COMMENT ON ITEM E AND THE DRAGON GATE ACADEMY SHOULD THEY HOLD THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT? ARE THEY ARE WE GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT HERE IN GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AND FOR ITEM E OR DO WE HOW HOW IS THAT WORKING? YEAH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS AT THIS TIME GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS
AND SEPARATELY DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT CAN ONLY BE FOR DRAGON GATE SO SO ANYONE WHO HAS SUBMITTED A COMMENT CARD FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME FOR CURRENTLY AGENDA ITEMS MAY SPEAK INCLUDING TO ME I CORRECT THIS IS FOR ANY ANY AGENDA ITEM AND THEN WILL THOSE SAME SPEAKERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AGAIN WHEN ITEM IS CALLED FOR THAT PUBLIC HEARING? >> I DO BELIEVE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION FOR THE FOR THE GENERAL HEARING. OKAY. JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY. SO THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS BRANDY MARTIN. OKAY. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS BRANDY MARKMAN. I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENT HERE WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO EDUCATION ALLIANCE IN SOLIDARITY WITH SUPERINTENDENT SU'S RECOMMENDATION TO DENY A PETITION TO THIS CHARTER SCHOOL. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE VERY EXTENSIVE 61 PAGE REPORT TALKING A CITING SEVERAL PROBLEMS A LOSS OF FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $50 MILLION ANNUALLY.
AND ONE THING THAT MADE ME THE SADDEST AS THE PARENT OF A CHILD WITH DISABILITY IS THE 11% CAP ON CHILDREN WITH IEPS. THAT IS DISCRIMINATORY AND I THINK THAT WE CAN ALL IN THIS ROOM AGREE THAT DISCRIMINATORY ADMISSIONS POLICIES HAVE NO PLACE IN SFI USD NO PLACE IN SAN FRANCISCO. THANK YOU SUPERINTENDENT TO THANK YOU. I'M SO CONFUSED AS TO WHY A CHARTER PROPOSAL FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT INCLUDES A PRACTICAL CAP ON THE NUMBER OF SPED STUDENTS AT 11%. ANY CAP IS UNACCEPTABLE BUT IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN THEM TWO MINUTES TO LEARN THAT THE AVERAGE IN OUR DISTRICT IS 14%. BUT MAYBE THOSE THEY RAN THOSE NUMBERS AND THEY DIDN'T WORK. >> THERE'S A WORD FOR A SYSTEM THAT VALUES THE EDUCATION OF NON-DISABLED CHILDREN AND OVER THE EDUCATION AND LIVES OF DISABLED PEOPLE. AND THAT WORD STARTS WITH THE LETTER E AND IT IS NOT EQUITY. MAKE NO MISTAKE EVEN WHEN NICE LIBERALS POINT TO A LEDGER AND WAVE HAND SAYING THERE JUST ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY TO EDUCATE
DISABLED CHILDREN THAT IS NOT EQUITY EITHER. I SEE NO CONSIDERATION FOR WHERE THEIR SELVA IS. WILL THAT BE IN ELDORADO COUNTY? WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN WITH FIVE OF FOURS? OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOL HAS A RATE THAT'S CLOSER TO 20% AND OUR COMMUNITY INCLUDES DISABLED CHILDREN. THANK YOU. AS A REMINDER FOLKS, YOU DON'T NEED TO TALK WRITE UP ON THE MIC BECAUSE A GOOD POSITION JUST A FEW INCHES BACK AS BEST . MY NAME'S BERNICE CASEY. I'M A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN AS OF USD I APOLOGIZE TO THE INTERPRETERS BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO COVER THREE THINGS IN ABOUT 52 SECONDS. TODAY IS 105TH ANNIVERSARY OVER PASSING OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT. IT'S WOMEN'S EQUITY DAY. THERE WAS AN ARTICLE TODAY IN FORBES OF ALL PLACES. >> HISTORY SHOWS US PROGRESS ISN'T LINEAR AND CHANGE DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. IF WE DON'T KNOW OUR HISTORY WE DON'T FULLY KNOW WHO WE ARE,
HOW FAR WE'VE COME. SOME OF US FOR MY WORDS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO STAY VIGILANT ABOUT DEFENDING EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL. PLEASE MAINTAIN ETHNIC STUDIES IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SECOND TOPIC YET AGAIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS MESSING WITH BUENA VISTA HORSEMEN. LESS THAN TWO DAYS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED WE GOT A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRINCIPAL THAT THE BUS SYSTEM HAD CHANGED. I BELIEVE ALL OF YOU RECEIVED EMAIL FROM MY PARTNER ABOUT THAT AND IT'S CHANGED AGAIN PLEASE MAKE SURE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND NOT OUR STAFF IS MAKING SURE KIDS ARE BUSED SAFELY. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DOMINIC. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR HAVING A K THROUGH EIGHT MANDARIN IMMERSION SCHOOL IN SAN FRANCISCO IS NOT JUST AN OPTION IT'S A REASON MANY FAMILIES LIKE MINE CHOOSE TO STAY HERE. FAMILIES WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION THAT PREPARES THEM FOR THE FUTURE AND MANDARIN IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LANGUAGES THEY CAN LEARN. >> BUT IMMERSION ONLY WORKS WITH CONSISTENCY. WITHOUT A FULL K THROUGH EIGHT
PROGRAM FAMILIES ARE FORCED TO LEAVE SAN FRANCISCO TO FIND SCHOOLS THAT PROVIDE CONTINUITY AND EVERY TIME A FAMILY LEAVES THE CITY LOSES NOT ONLY JUST STUDENTS IT LOSES LONG TERM RESIDENTS, TAXPAYERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. MY CHILD DESERVES TO GROW UP IN ONE SCHOOL BUILDING LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS, DEVELOPING REAL FLUENCY AND THRIVING IN A STABLE ENVIRONMENT. IF SAN FRANCISCO CAN'T OFFER THAT WE AND MANY MANY FAMILIES LIKE US WILL BE FORCED TO GO ELSEWHERE. THE CHOICE IS SIMPLE INVEST IN MANDARIN IMMERSION K THROUGH EIGHT OR RISK LOSING VERY MANY FAMILIES THAT WANT TO BUILD THEIR LIVES HERE. THANK YOU TO A JUST QUESTION BEFORE I SAY I TO COMMENT GO SO WHICH ONE DID YOU COME IN? THIS IS THE DRAGON GATE. THANKS. OKAY ALL RIGHT THEN OF THAT YEAH THERE'S ONLY BE ONE CARD SOMEBODY YOU SUBMITTED TO YEAH ONE FOR EACH OF THE AGENDA ITEMS ON THE YOU CAN SUBMIT ONE CARD AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK TO BOTH ITEMS.
OKAY. CHOOSE. HELLO I'M ANSHU FORMER SCHOOL BOARD COMMISSIONER AND THE ONLY IMMIGRANT COMMISSIONER I WENT TO SCHOOL IN CHINA DURING THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION IN THE 1960S AND 70S AND WAS SUBJECTED TO THE SAME TYPE OF IN DOCTRINE NATION USED BY S.F. UCSD'S HOME GROWN ETHNIC STUDIES CURRICULUM AND THE VOICES CURRICULUM. IT IS APPALLING TO ME THAT THIS TYPE OF INDOCTRINATION IS HAPPENING IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS IN THE 21ST CENTURY UNDER THE GUISE OF ETHNIC STUDIES. >> MY NONPROFIT AMERICAN AND CHINESE BI CULTURAL SCHOOL HAS AN EXPANDED ETHNIC STUDIES PROGRAM THAT TEACHES TRADITIONAL CHINESE CULTURE AND CHINESE AMERICAN HISTORY. >> WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE AS WELL AS LEARN THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND RESILIENCE OF THEIR ANCESTORS IN THIS LAND. THAT SHOULD BE THE GOAL OF ETHNIC STUDIES AT SUPPOSED NOT INDOCTRINATION AND BREEDING FOR FUTURE REVOLUTIONARIES AGAINST
OUR OWN COUNTRY. THANK YOU SAM MURPHY HERE. OH HERE'S WHAT I'M PROUD TO CALL THE NEXT GROUP ABBY CHILD LILY PARADIS CHRISTINA CHER ALESSI FERMIN THOMAS REIDY AND AMY RACHEL. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS ABBY CHAO AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK PRO DRAGON GATE. I AM A CHINESE-AMERICAN PARENT OF THREE YOUNG KIDS HERE IN SAN FRANCISCO, A TWO YEAR OLD AND SEVEN MONTH OLD TWINS. AND I HAVE TO SAY GROWING UP AS A CHINESE-AMERICAN IN THE MIDWEST, I ALWAYS FELT AWKWARD AND UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT BEING CHINESE. >> I HATED GOING TO SATURDAY CHINESE SCHOOL AND I WANTED TO JUST FIT IN WITH THE OTHER KIDS. >> AND AS AN ADULT I'VE REALIZED THAT MANDARIN IS AN AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE AND CULTURE AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH MY KIDS. AND THAT'S WHY I FEEL SO STRONGLY ABOUT DRAGON GATE RIGHT NOW. SO IF USD ONLY OFFERS THREE MANDARIN IMMERSION CLASSROOMS PER YEAR 60 ISH SEATS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY AND I'VE BEEN TO
THOSE INFO SESSIONS AND THEY ARE PACKED WITH PARENTS WHO WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SAME THING THAT I WANT TO THEIR CHILDREN IF YOU CAN'T GET ONE OF THOSE SPOTS THEN YOUR OTHER CHOICE IS TO SPEND $45,000 A YEAR IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY UNREALISTIC FOR MOST FAMILIES. SO FOR ME DRAGON GATE IS NOT COMPETING. IT'S A YES AND AND I COMPELLING THANK YOU. HI MY NAME IS CHRISTINA SHARE. I'M A PROUD PARENT OF A NINTH GRADER AT MISSION HIGH SCHOOL. I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE ETHNIC STUDIES REQUIREMENT AND MY OPPOSITION TO ADDING A NEW CHARTER SCHOOL FOR ETHNIC STUDIES. >> I BELIEVE IT WORKS AND THERE'S ALREADY RESEARCH IN SAN FRANCISCO SHOWING IT IMPROVES GRADES AND ATTENDANCE AND GRADUATION RATES AND ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO'VE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THING.
I THINK TEACHING STUDENTS THEIR FULL THE FULL STORY OF OUR SHARED HISTORY IS REALLY IMPORTANT LIKE WE DON'T GET TO DO HORRIBLE THINGS AND THEN JUST NEVER SPEAK OF THEM AGAIN. THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT COOL AND I'M APPALLED THAT I GOT TO BE AN ADULT AND I BEFORE I LEARNED ABOUT JUNETEENTH AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE WEREN'T DONE IN SCHOOL AND MEANWHILE AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE FACING DECLINING ENROLLMENT IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE'RE LOOKING AT CLOSING SCHOOLS. I DON'T SUPPORT DRAGON GATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. READY? SO HEY, MY NAME IS ALEX. I AM A PROUD PARENT OF A LOWELL STUDENT AND I ALSO CAME TO THE US AS A REFUGEE FROM THE SOVIET UNION HAVING FACED LIFE VERY VERY REAL DISCRIMINATION. AND I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT ETHNIC STUDIES AND LOOK AT A HIGH QUALITY EMPATHETIC CROSS MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL RIGHT FOR OUR KIDS.
I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON THAT. BUT HIGH QUALITY IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT HERE. AND LOOK, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR FOR THROWING OUT THE PREVIOUS CURRICULUM. IT WAS SHAMEFUL IN MANY WAYS. >> WE DON'T NEED TO GO THERE. BUT LOOK, THE NEW VERSION IT IS UNPROVEN. IT IS NOT THOUGHT THROUGH. THE TEACHERS WILL BE TEACHING IT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO PREPARE AND PRACTICE FOR IT AND I'M ASKING YOU TO FIND THE COURAGE TO SAY LOOK, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE'RE GETTING THIS WRONG SO LET'S STEP BACK AND LET'S COME BACK NEXT YEAR WITH A CURRICULUM THAT WORKS, THAT IS THOUGHT OUT, THAT HAS TRAINED TEACHERS AND THAT WILL DO RIGHT BY OUR KIDS. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> HI. I'M A TRAINED TEACHER AND KNOWLEDGEABLE HISTORY IN A BRIEF HISTORY LESSON FOR YOU IF WE GO BACK TO THE 80S AND WHAT THE MALA THERE WAS A WATERMELON GENOCIDE AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT ALMOST 30% OF THE STUDENTS ARE HERE IN OUR
DISTRICT. ALMOST 30% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE CENTRAL AMERICAN AND THEY SHARE IN THE HISTORY OF OTHER STUDENTS WHO FACE OPPRESSION. ANOTHER HISTORY LESSON THAT I CAN GIVE YOU GUYS IS THE THIRD WORLD LIBERATION FRONT SOME OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE ETHNIC STUDIES MOVEMENT INCLUDED UNITED, BLACK, ASIAN AND CHICANO ACADEMICS AND THE PUBLIC. WE ARE MUCH MORE UNITED WHEN WE ARE MUCH STRONGER WHEN WE ARE TOGETHER. ON JUNE 13TH DR. MARIA SUE EMAILED US SAYING THAT S.F. USD SUPPORTS IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND OUR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS DESERVE TO LEARN STORIES OF RESILIENCE AND STRUGGLE. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS DR. SUE MY NAME IS THOMAS REDDY. I TEACH AT WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES AND I WOULD LIKE TO QUOTE FROM OUR DISTRICT'S VERY OWN VISION STATEMENT FOR DEEPER LEARNING. SO THIS IS ACTUALLY FROM A DISTRICT DOCUMENT IN S.F. USD WE RECOGNIZE THAT STRUCTURAL AND SYSTEMIC RACISM MOST CLEARLY MANIFEST IN SHAMEFULLY
PREDICTABLE LOW ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AND PERSISTENT SENSE OF ALIENATION WITHIN SCHOOLS FOR BROWN AND BLACK STUDENTS WE HAVE WORK TO FIND MEANINGFUL WAYS TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES OF ALL STUDENTS CENTERING ON CREATING POSITIVE INTERACTIONS ACROSS DIFFERENCE PRIORITIZING LITERATURE WITH DIVERSE AND MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES AND REDESIGNING CURRICULUM TO ENSURE STUDENTS OF COLOR SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN IT. WE HAVE MOVED TOWARDS A CURRICULUM THAT FOCUSES ON EXPOSING THE SOCIAL POLITICAL CONTEXT THAT STUDENTS EXPERIENCE WITH THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF RAISING STUDENTS CONSCIOUSNESS ABOUT INEQUITY IN EVERYDAY ASPECTS OF LIFE SO WE CAN COLLECTIVELY RECOGNIZE AND INTERRUPT INEQUITABLE PATTERNS AND PRACTICES IN SOCIETY. SO AS YOU CAN SEE ETHNIC STUDIES A ROBUST ETHNIC STUDIES CLASS IS VERY MUCH CENTRAL TO THE DISTRICT'S VISION FOR EDUCATION. PLEASE SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS AMY. RACHEL AND I HAVE SERVED THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES OF SFP WITH C SINCE 2000 AND SIX AND STARTED TEACHING ETHNIC STUDIES IN 2008. I'M ALSO ONE OF THE VERY PROUD ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE
CURRICULUM PLANNING COMMITTEE FOR THE CURRENT DISTRICT'S FRAMEWORK. >> WE CAME TOGETHER OUT OF A LOVE FOR THE POWER OF ANTI-RACIST TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION. >> WE FOUGHT HARD TO CONTINUE THE HISTORICAL STRUGGLE TO OFFER ETHNIC STUDIES FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SAY THAT IT INFURIATES ME THAT I HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK TO DEFEND THE EXISTENCE OF ETHNIC STUDIES FIGHTING FOR A COURSE THAT WE KNOW HAVE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR OUR STUDENTS. DURING MY MANY YEARS OF TEACHING ETHNIC STUDIES I HAVE TAUGHT WELL OVER A THOUSAND STUDENTS. NOT ONE HAS OPTED OUT OF MY CLASS DURING A TIME OF NATIONAL ATTACKS ON PUBLIC EDUCATION. >> WE MUST STAND FIRM FOR OUR PRINCIPLES AND VALUES AS A DISTRICT WE MUST STRIVE TO DEMAND FOR EDUCATION THAT DEMANDS THE HUMANITY OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. >> AND IF WE CLAIM TO BE AN ANTI-RACIST SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE MUST FULLY SUPPORT PROGRAMS LIKE ETHNIC STUDIES THAT ARE BELOVED BY OUR FAMILIES
AND COMMUNITIES RATHER THAN TEARING THEM APART. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU CALLED THE NEXT GROUP DELANEY SARITA 11 JODY SHUFFLES JANE BERNSTEIN AND SARA STETLER PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM. HI THERE. I'M DELANEY. I WAS THE ETHNIC STUDIES TSA. I WROTE THE CURRICULUM FOR THREE YEARS AND IT WAS VETTED AND IT WAS GOOD AND IT WAS NOT INDOCTRINATION. THE WORDS THAT ARE BEING STATED HERE IN THIS ROOM ARE SO DISRESPECTFUL. THIS IS MY 40TH YEAR OF TEACHING AND TO SAY WHAT YOU ALL ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS COURSE THAT YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN IS RIDICULOUS. WE HAVE DATA THAT SHOWS THAT WE'RE DOING GOOD. YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY DATA THAT SUPPORTS YOUR FEELINGS. >> WE HAVE PROOF THAT THIS COURSE IS HELPING STUDENTS BE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL. YOU'RE UPSET THE KIDS ARE DOING GOOD.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE JUST BECAUSE YOUR FEELINGS ARE HURT. >> YES, WE WANT OUR KIDS TO BE REVOLUTIONARIES. YOU'RE IN YOUR ADVOCATING RIGHT NOW. >> WHY DON'T YOU WANT YOUR KIDS TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES TOO? IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. THE DISRESPECT IS RIDICULOUS . THANK YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS STUDIED 11. I AM A CAREER TEACHER OF ETHNIC STUDIES HERE IN S.F. CITY AND I WANT TO ASK THE BOARD HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO AN ETHNIC STUDIES CLASS? I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MARIA SU HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO AN ETHNIC STUDIES CLASS BEFORE YOU DECLARED IT PROBLEMATIC FOUR TIMES IN A 15 MINUTE INTERVIEW A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN SAID ABOUT ETHNIC STUDIES MISCHARACTERIZING ETHNIC STUDIES SCREENSHOTS PULLED OUT OF WHO KNOWS WHERE. TRYING TO BROAD BRUSH THE ENTIRE PROGRAM THE PROGRAM WHICH IS THE ONLY ACADEMIC INTERVENTION THAT'S BEEN SHOWN TO PROVE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR OUR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS, OUR
BLACK STUDENTS, OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR OVERALL. SO WHEN YOU SAY WE WANT TO CANCEL ETHNIC STUDIES, DO YOU WANT TO CANCEL THOSE POSITIVE OUTCOMES? IT HAVE BEEN PROVEN BY OVER A DECADE OF DATA. WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU DON'T TRUST OUR CURRICULUM, YOU DON'T TRUST THE CURRICULUM THAT CREATED THOSE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR OUR STUDENTS. >> LESS THAN 1% OF STUDENTS HAVE OPTED OUT OF ETHNIC STUDIES. THIS IS A MAGA ATTACK. THANK YOU. AND IT'S BEING TREATED AS THOUGH IT'S LEGIT AND GIVE US YOUR TIME. >> HI MY NAME IS JODY SHUFFLES AND THIS IS MY SEVENTH YEAR TEACHING MATH AND I SERVE YOUR CITY. I'M NOT WATCHING TONIGHT SCHOOL AS IF EDUCATORS LIKE MYSELF ARE ALARMED BY THESE ATTACKS ON ETHNIC STUDIES. THE IDEA THAT TEACHING FACTS AND CRITICAL THINKING FOUND IN ETHNIC STUDIES IS INDOCTRINATION AND BREEDING REVOLUTIONARIES IS STRAIGHT OUT OF THE MAGA TALKING POINTS PLAYBOOK. LET'S BE CLEAR EDUCATORS IN SUPPORT OF ETHNIC STUDIES
SAY NO TO RACISM NO TO ANTI-SEMITISM AND NO TO THE SUPPRESSION OF KNOWLEDGE. HISTORY IS COMPLEX AND CAN BE UNCOMFORTABLE BUT EFFORTS TO SHIELD STUDENTS FROM THAT COMPLEX IT DOES THEM A DISSERVICE AND IS AKIN TO CENSORSHIP. ETHNIC STUDIES IS AN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL ACADEMIC PROGRAM AND WE KNOW MOST STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AGREE WITH THAT AS SARITA JUST POINTED OUT BARELY ANY MORE OPTING OUT THIS YEAR AND IT'S DEEPLY DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR FOLKS DISPARAGE IT AND SPREAD HARMFUL MISINFORMATION. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JANE BERNSTEIN. I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN WITH THIS NEW CURRICULUM THAT IS THAT IT MAY PRESSURE KIDS TO ADOPT POLITICAL IDENTITIES THROUGH INTERSECTIONALITY AND AN OVEREMPHASIS ON RACE BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE LAST ONE CHILDREN ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVISM BEFORE UNDERSTANDING COMPLEX ISSUES AND WORLD EVENTS. MY OWN CHILD WHO'S BEGAN ATTENDING PROTESTS OUT OF FEAR
OF BEING COUNSELED BY PEERS AND HAS BEEN PRESSURED TO SEE HER OWN FAMILY JEWISH HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS AND REFUGEES FROM THE SOVIET UNION AS OPPRESSORS SIMPLY BECAUSE OF OUR WHITE SKIN. AND ALTHOUGH MY SKIN IS WHITE I DO NOT WISH THIS PRIVILEGE ON ANYONE. LAST MONTH THE SUPREME COURT CONFIRMED THAT PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF LESSONS THAT VIOLATE THEIR FAITH. I URGE THE BOARD TO PAUSE AND RECONSIDER BEFORE APPROVING A CURRICULUM THAT RISKS DIVIDING FAMILIES AND INVITING LAWSUITS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS SARAH STETLER AND I AM NOT AGAINST ETHNIC STUDIES AS A CLASS BEING AVAILABLE. I AM AGAINST THIS PARTICULAR CURRICULUM. I'M AGAINST HOW IN THE INTRODUCTION IT TELLS OUR MAJORITY ASIAN STUDENT PARTY THAT THEY'RE WHITE. >> IT'S THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.
IT SAYS THROUGH A PROCESS CALLED WHITENING IRISH AMERICANS JEWISH AMERICANS AND ASIAN AMERICANS HAVE NOW COME TO BE CONSIDERED WHITE IN AMERICA. IT'S FROM THE ACTUAL TEXT I TOOK MY HALF HOUR. I MET WITH NICOLE LORD AND I EXPLAINED MY CONCERNS ABOUT THIS AND HE SAID WELL IT MAY HAVE HAD TO DO SOMETHING WITH YOU KNOW, THE LAWS AND I'M LIKE WELL IT'S NOT IN THE TEXTBOOK AND THAT'S ONE PROBLEM. THERE'S A LOT OF PROBLEMS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SUPPORT DISABLED STUDENTS WHO NEED TO TAKE STUDY SKILLS BUT ARE TRYING TO GET INTO VERY COMPETITIVE UNIVERSITIES NEED THEIR ELECTIVES FOR ACADEMIC BECAUSE CAL POLY WANTS FIVE YEARS OF ENGLISH AND FIVE YEARS OF MATH AND FOUR YEARS OF LANGUAGE. >> SO PLEASE GIVE US THE ABILITY TO OPT OUT WITHOUT A RIGHT BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT GROUP AND I WOULD ASK THE AUDIENCE TO PLEASE NOT SHUT OUT WHAT OTHER FOLKS ARE TALKING AND ALSO WE DON'T NEED TO BE SO CLOSE TO THE MICROPHONE FOR IT TO GET PICKED UP.
IT GETS DISTORTED IF YOU DO THAT WHEN YOU CALL THE NEXT GROUP. VIVIAN SAFFRON LEE FILMER LIZ LEE EARLY I'M SORRY KIMBERLY MORGAN, JOHN AVALOS AND JOHN CAMPBELL PLEASE COME THE PODIUM . GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS VIVIAN SAFRAN. I'M THE PARENT OF THREE CHILDREN, TWO OF WHOM ARE IN S.F. USD AND I WANT OH I'M SORRY. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS OFTEN MISREPRESENTED PARENTS WHO OBJECT TO THE YEARLONG MANDATE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO ETHNIC STUDIES. WE VALUE COURSES THAT HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND HISTORY, CULTURE AND IDENTITY AND ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TAKE ETHNIC STUDIES SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE ABLE TO. BUT I WANT TO ADDRESS TWO ARGUMENTS WE KEEP HEARING TO JUSTIFY THE YEAR LONG ETHNIC STUDIES MANDATE THE STANFORD STUDY AND THE LOW OPT OUT NUMBERS. FAMILIES ARE NOT OPTING OUT BECAUSE IT'S SIMPLY DELAYING OR REQUIRE MENT. STUDENTS STILL FACE A DISTRICT SPECIFIC YEAR LONG MANDATE DISRUPTIVE SCHEDULE CHANGES AND VERY LITTLE ELECTIVE OPTIONS.
THERE ARE NO OTHER HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE COURSES. A FRESHMAN CAN OPT INTO AND WITH NO RIGOROUS ACADEMIC ALTERNATIVES TO MEET A FULL YEAR MANDATE, FAMILIES ARE STUCK. THAT'S WHY RELIANCE ON LOW OPT OUT NUMBERS AS AN ENDORSEMENT OF THE CLASS IS SO PROBLEMATIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HI MY NAME IS LEE AND I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENT. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO VIEW THE VOICES ETHNIC STUDIES CURRICULUM IN PERSON AND WHILE THE TEXTBOOK IS AN IMPROVEMENT OVER THE HEADLINE MAKING EMBARRASSMENTS OF LAST YEAR'S MODEL CURRICULUM, THE VOICES TEXTBOOK DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE NEARLY ENOUGH CURRICULUM TO FILL AN ENTIRE YEAR. THIS MEANS THAT TEACHER ADD ONS WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE REQUIRED TO FILL AN ADDITIONAL SEMESTER OF REQUIRED CLASS TIME . >> EVEN IF THE TOOTHLESS ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION IS ACTUALLY FOLLOWED, APPROVALS OF THOSE ADD ONS WILL LIKELY BE DELEGATED TO THE SAME DISTRICT EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE IN THE PAST APPROVED, BIASED HATEFUL AND INACCURATE MATERIALS. THE DISTRICT COULD NOT EVEN LOCATE A REPUTABLE CURRICULUM THAT CONTAINS A YEAR OF
CONTENT. THIS IS ANOTHER GOOD REASON THAT ETHNIC STUDIES SHOULD BE OFFERED AS A ONE SEMESTER ELECTIVE COURSE NOT A YEAR LONG MANDATE. THIS WILL BE CONSISTENT WITH A NONBINDING STATE ASSEMBLY BILL AND WITH HOW OTHER DISTRICTS SUCCESSFULLY OFFER ETHNIC STUDIES. WHY IS THIS THE WAY THE POLICY WAS CHOSEN TO EXCEED STATE STANDARDS WHEN EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT HALF OF US OF U.S. STUDENTS WON'T BE READY FOR COLLEGE OR TO FIND A JOB WHEN THEY GRADUATE, WE SHOULD ASK OURSELVES AS A MANDATORY YEAR OF ETHNIC STUDIES THE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE OUR GOAL OF EQUIPPING OUR STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> HI, I'M AN S.F. UCD PARENT. GUEST SPEAKERS CAN COME INTO THE CLASSROOM IN ETHNIC STUDIES AND BUCKET HITLER AND SERIAL KILLERS WITH POLICE OFFICERS. I MEAN WE'RE FACING A PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS IN SAN FRANCISCO. WE'RE SHORT 500 OFFICERS. IS THIS REALLY THE TIME FOR OUR CLASSROOMS TO BE VILIFYING S.F.? AND GUESS WHAT? IT WILL WHEN WE DON'T HAVE QUALITY EDUCATION, OUR OFFICERS DON'T WANT TO COME HERE AND RAISE FAMILIES. >> PITTING ONE RACIAL GROUP VERSUS ANOTHER. BOXING ASIAN-AMERICANS
AND JEWISH STUDENTS INTO COLONIZERS AND OPPRESSORS IS NOT EDUCATION. IT'S INDOCTRINATION AND WORSE THIS CURRICULUM. >> HE HUMANIZES OUR STUDENTS TEACHING THEM TO BE ASHAMED OF THEIR UNIQUE SOCIAL CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS. >> MARTINEZ SAID ETHNIC STUDIES CURRICULUM TAUGHT THAT INTERRACIAL FAMILIES LIKE OURS WERE BOXED INTO SIMPLISTIC OFFENSIVE NARRATIVES PURELY A BYPRODUCT OF QUOTE UNQUOTE WHITE SAVIOR MENTALITIES. THIS IS NOT INCLUSION. IT'S RACIST AND ANTI COLONIZING PROPAGANDA. WE ARE FACING A HALF $1 BILLION BUDGET. THANK YOU. THE MONEY WENT TO OH I'M AN I'M NSF USD PARENT. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE LENGTH OF THE COURSE. I BELIEVE IT WAS SAID AT THE LAST MEETING THAT THERE WAS A PATHWAY WITHIN THE VOICES CURRICULUM TO STREAMLINE IT INTO A ONE SEMESTER COURSE. I SUPPORT THIS. IT WOULD FREE UP TIME FOR STUDENTS TO EXPLORE ELECTIVES ADVANCED COURSEWORK CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION OR GET COLLEGE CREDIT TO MAKE APPLICATIONS MORE COMPETITIVE FOR UCS. THIS WOULD KEEP STUDENT CHOICE AND FLEXIBILITY AND PROMOTE EQUITY AND ACCESS ESPECIALLY
FOR STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE EXTRA RESOURCES FOR TUTORS, COUNSELORS, EXTRACURRICULARS. >> FISCALLY IT COULD REDUCE SCHEDULING CONFLICTS AND AND FREE UP TEACHERS FOR OTHER NEEDED COURSES MAKING MORE EFFICIENT USE OF DISTRICT RESOURCES. OTHER DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS SUCCESSFULLY TEACH ETHNIC STUDIES IN ONE SEMESTER WITH EQUAL OR BETTER STUDENT OUTCOMES AND WE CAN DO THE SAME. IT'S NOT ABOUT LOWERING STANDARDS. IT'S ABOUT RAISING OPPORTUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> GOOD EVENING. JOHN AVALOS, A PARENT OF FOUR, FORMER SWC STUDENTS THREE GRADUATES AT A TIME WHEN THE WHITE SUPREMACIST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS PURGING THE SMITHSONIAN AND OUR HISTORY TEXTBOOKS OF THE EVIL CRUELTY OF CHATTEL SLAVERY AND SETTLER COLONIALISM WHILE FEDERAL TROOPS OCCUPY OUR CITIES AND OUR GOVERNMENT FOMENTS GENOCIDE ABROAD. IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE UPHOLD THE FULL TRUTH OF HISTORY.
AS A THIRD GENERATION MEXICAN-AMERICAN AND CHICANO. I STAND HERE ONLY BECAUSE MY GRANDPARENTS SURVIVED THE THREAT OF DEPORTATION DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION. OUR CHILDREN HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW HOW OUR FAMILIES AND YOUR GENERATIONS OF WHITE SUPREMACY AND CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM IN THIS COUNTRY. >> THE SCHOOL BOARD MUST HOLD THE LINE ON PROCEEDING WITH ETHNIC STUDIES WITHOUT PAUSE SO THAT EVERY NINTH GRADE STUDENT CAN CONTINUE TO LEARN THE CONTRIBUTION STRUGGLES AND RESILIENCE OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES. >> ONLY BY TEACHING THE FULL HISTORY CAN WE PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY ESPECIALLY AS CRUELTY BECAUSE OUR CITIES ACROSS THE NATION TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. AND CALL THE NEXT GROUP. GERALD CHIU. GLORIA M FROM MISSION HIGH SCHOOL. I DON'T WANT TO TOTALLY MESS UP YOUR LAST NAME. I'M SORRY. CHRISTINE LINDBERGH. JOHN ROTHMAN LOPEZ JUNIOR. >> HI, MY NAME IS GERALD SOO
AND THE PARENT OF A NINTH GRADER AT LAW AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ETHNIC STUDIES. MY DAUGHTER JUST STARTED THIS PAST WEEK AND SHE IS IN THE ETHNIC STUDIES CURRICULUM AND WE WERE EXCITED BECAUSE OF WHAT SFI USD PROVIDED. THERE WAS COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY ON THE DIFFERENT SLIDE SETS. THERE WAS DATA ABOUT THE STUDENTS SURVEYS THAT SHOWED THAT 84% OR 85% OF STUDENTS FELT MORE COMFORTABLE IN THEIR OWN SKIN. THEY KNEW WHO THEY WERE. THEY KNEW WHAT THEIR NARRATIVES WERE AND 92% WANTED TO WORK WITH KIDS OF OTHER BACKGROUNDS . THOSE ARE REALLY IMPRESSIVE RESULTS AND SO WE WERE EXCITED WHEN THE DISTRICT MADE THIS A MANDATE THAT ALL STUDENTS TAKE UP STUDIES BECAUSE I THINK NOW IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER THAT STUDENTS FEEL EMPOWERED TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR COLLEAGUES TO KNOW EACH OTHER'S HISTORIES AS WELL SO THAT THEY CAN TELL OUR COLLECTIVE SHARED STORY. >> AND FOR THAT REASON I HOPE THAT THE DISTRICT DOES NOT DILUTE ETHNIC STUDIES CURRICULA WE SHOULD DO LIKE WE DO WITH EVERY CURRICULA IS WORK WITH
TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO MAKE IT BETTER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS. MY NAME IS GLORIA. AS YOU SKI AND I'M A PROUD PARENT OF A NINTH GRADER, ALSO A GRADUATING SENIOR FROM WALLENBERG. >> THANK YOU MS.. WEISSMAN WHITE FOR SPEAKING AT THE GRADUATION. MY NINTH GRADER IS EXCITED AT MISSION TO TAKE ETHNIC STUDIES AND SELECTED MASTERING CULTURAL IDENTITY AS AN ELECTIVE AT WILLIE BROWN. MY CHILD WHO DID TAKE ETHNIC STUDIES AT WALLENBERG GAINED INSIGHT, CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY. I VIEWED THE NEW ADAPTIVE CURRICULUM WITH THE OTHER SPEAKER THAT SAID IT WAS NOT A FULL YEAR. THAT WOMAN OBVIOUSLY HAS NEVER TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM. THAT BOOK WAS PACKED WITH INFORMATION AND A TO CALL IT RACIST WHICH I'VE SEEN SOME PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM SAY IN NEWSLETTERS IS JUST AN OUTRAGEOUS LIE. I'M ASHAMED OF THE LOCAL VOICES THAT HAVE LEGITIMIZED A MAGA MOVEMENT IN OUR DISTRICT TO PRESERVE ETHNIC STUDIES.
IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR OUR KIDS. IT IT JUST ILLUSTRATES OUR DIVERSITY, OUR CULTURAL AWARENESS AND OUR WORLD MAY BE FRAUGHT WITH INJUSTICE BUT WE CAN TEACH A WAY OUT OF IT. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CHRISTINE LINDA BLOCK AND I TO SUPPORT THE TEACHING OF ETHNIC STUDIES. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF REMOVING BESPOKE CURRICULUM COMPLETELY FROM WHAT IS OFFERED OR WHAT CAN BE TAUGHT AS A SUPPLEMENT TO VOICES. AS YOU CAN SEE AS SERVE, USDA LAST YEAR TAUGHT THAT WE LIVE IN THE SO CALLED UNITED STATES AND THERE WAS A LESSON ON ASKING STUDENTS WHETHER WE SHOULD GET RID OF SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, LOUISIANA AS PART OF SOME NEW AFRICA PROGRAM AND THAT WE SHOULD START WE SHOULD CHANGE THE BORDERS OF THE UNITED STATES TO REFLECT AN ANTI-RACIST COUNTRY. LOVELY. NEXT THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM WHO TOLD YOU THAT? LET ME JUST READ THIS. IT SAYS HERE JEWS AND ASIANS
HAVE EXPERIENCED WHITENING AS BEING ABSORBED INTO THE EXPANDING CATEGORY OF CALLED CATEGORY OF CALLED WHITE. I'M GIVING THIS TO YOU ALSO IT'S INVOICES. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. I AM JOHN ROFFMAN. I AM A GRADUATE OF MADISON SCHOOL ROOSEVELT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND GEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL. MY CHILDREN BOTH ATTENDED PUBLIC SCHOOL. LET ME BE CLEAR I AM IN FAVOR OF ETHNIC STUDIES. I WAS ONE OF THE ARCHITECTS OF THE ORIGINAL DEFINITION STATEWIDE OF ETHNIC STUDIES HISTORY, LANGUAGE, LITERATURE, ART FORM, RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY AND LAND. IF A COURSE IS TAUGHT THAT IDENTIFIES IT THAT WAY IT WORKS . BUT I HAD A MEETING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND IN THAT MEETING SHE SAID TO US AS A GROUP THAT WE WERE NOT READY THIS COMING YEAR FOR THIS KIND OF CURRICULUM. I DON'T KNOW WHY SHE CHANGED HER MIND BUT I CAN TELL YOU CLEARLY THAT THERE ARE ENOUGH
PEOPLE WHO WISH THAT ETHNIC STUDIES WOULD WORK IN A REASONABLE FASHION. THAT ALL OF YOU SHOULD CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE FEELINGS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THE PEOPLE OF SAN FRANCISCO. >> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LOPEZ YAP JUNIOR. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M A PRINCIPAL PLAINTIFF THREE SUCCESSFUL LAWSUIT AGAINST THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE. JUST KNOW THIS I'VE WATCHED IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMMENTARY MEETINGS AND JUST RECENTLY I'M LISTENING TO STUFF THAT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. AND I ASK THAT YOU RESPOND TO GOOD GOVERNANCE TRANSPARENT SEE AND BETTER ANSWERS AND IF PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS PLEASE GIVE THEM THE ANSWERS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE QUESTIONS. OR WORST CASE WOULD YOU PLEASE RESPOND TO THOSE QUESTIONS? THIS WEEKEND I WATCHED AGAIN A LOT OF NEFARIOUS THINGS THAT I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO BUT YOU
SHOULD JUST BE AWARE YOU'LL NEVER GET INTO POSITIVE PROACTIVE MOVEMENTS WHETHER IT'S EDUCATION'S OR STUDENTS FIRST UNLESS YOU DEAL WITH THAT . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO CALL THE NEXT GROUP SCOTT KRAVITZ JUSTIN VAN ZANDY. KATE LAZARUS, CHRIS GARZA AND MAC MCCANN. >> HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SCOTT KRAVITZ. I'M A FEISTY PARENT. THE LAST MEETING WE HEARD REPEATEDLY THAT THE NEW VOICES CURRICULUM IS USED ACROSS THE STATE AND EVEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THAT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE IN REALITY, ONLY TWO DISTRICTS OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA USE VOICES WITHIN CALIFORNIA. LESS THAN 2% OF DISTRICTS HAVE ADOPTED IT. ALMOST ALL IS ELECTIVE AND MOST FOR JUST ONE SEMESTER S.F. USD IS TREATING THIS PROGRAM USED BY A TINY PERCENTAGE OF SMALL DISTRICTS AS IF IT WERE A GOLD STANDARD AND MAKING IT A
MANDATORY YEARLONG REQUIREMENT THAT DIRECTLY VIOLATES BOARD POLICY 6161.1 WHICH REQUIRES QUOTE UNQUOTE PILOT PROGRAMS TO BE TESTED IN A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF CLASSROOMS WITH TEACHERS AND STUDENT FEEDBACK BEFORE CITYWIDE ADOPTION, THE DISTRICT CANNOT CALL SOMETHING A PILOT WHILE ALSO MAKING IT A REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION. THANK YOU JUSTIN VAN ZANDT RAISED FIVE KIDS IN SAN FRANCISCO. I THINK YOU NEED TO BE MORE BALANCED. IT'S A VERY NEGATIVE TONE TO IT. FLORIDA'S BEATING US BY 12 POINTS ON BLACK TEST SCORES, 11 ON LATINO. >> WE'RE NOT THE BEST STATE YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT. WE HAVE GREAT RESULTS. WE DON'T FLORIDA'S PICKING OUR HOUSE IN QUALITY FUTURE BLACK AND LATINO LIVES BASED ON TEST SCORES OVER A NOW WE'VE GONE FROM 4% TO 94% SUPPORTING INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE IN 64 YEARS. SHOW ME ANOTHER NATION THAT'S DONE THAT HAS ISRAEL DONE THAT PALESTINE, FIJI ANYWHERE NONWHITE IMMIGRANTS FROM OVER 100 NATIONS EARN MORE THAN WHITE PEOPLE WITHIN ONE GENERATION AND EACH OF THOSE
CASES THAT GROUP OF IMMIGRANTS 50 AFRICAN COUNTRIES STUDY IS MORE OURS HAS MORE STABLE FAMILIES, WORKS HARDER AND JOBS AND DOES BETTER. >> THE CONTENT OF CHARACTER IS NOT A GUARANTEE. IT SAYS THAT YOU GET TO MAKE MORE IF YOU STUDY MORE HOURS. >> THE AVERAGE ASIAN KIDS STUDY IS 14 HOURS A WEEK WHITE SIX YOUR JOB IS TO CONVINCE ALL KIDS THAT IF THEY STUDY 15 PLUS HOURS A WEEK THEY WILL MAKE MONEY AND HAVE A GOOD LIFE IN AMERICA AND TO WORK HARD AND ASSIMILATE INTO THE BEST COUNTRY IN HISTORY WE HAVE THE RICHEST BLACK PEOPLE OF ANY NATION, THE RICHEST LATINO PEOPLE, THE RICHEST PEOPLE WITH THE GREATEST NATION ON EARTH. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATE LAZARUS. I'M A DISTRICT PARENT AND I'M ON THE BOARD OF THE LOWELL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. BUT I'M HUMBLED THIS EVENING TO BE ASKED TO SHARE A COMMENT FROM A LOCAL FRESHMAN WHO WAS TOO NERVOUS TO BE HERE HERSELF. SO LET ME GO AHEAD. SHE SAYS I BELIEVE THAT ETHNIC STUDIES IS A REALLY GOOD IDEA WHEN EXECUTED PROPERLY IT CAN
SHOW US STUDENTS THE STORIES BEHIND THE HISTORY THAT WE'VE BEEN LEARNING IN SCHOOL SO FAR BUT THE EMPHASIS THERE IS ON WELL-EXECUTED BECAUSE RIGHT NOW ETHNIC STUDIES REQUIRES MORE HOMEWORK THAN ANY OTHER CLASS I TAKE AND THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM WITH IT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT I'M PUTTING IN SO MUCH WORK AND EFFORT FOR ESSENTIALLY NOTHING. I HEAR THE SAME THING EVERY DAY AND I'M SPENDING HOURS EVERY NIGHT ON A CLASS THAT IS NOT WELL DEVELOPED AND IT'S A WASTE OF MY TIME ETHNIC STUDIES IS SO IMPORTANT WHEN WE LEARN THE RIGHT THINGS BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE AREN'T. I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ETHNIC AND ETHNIC STUDIES CLASS THAT IS PROPERLY DEVELOPED AND ISN'T JUST A BUNCH OF THE SAME MATERIAL STRETCHED INTO A YEARLONG COURSE BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE A GENUINELY GOOD CURRICULUM. >> GOOD EVENING MY NAME IS CHRIS GAZA. >> I AM THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT EVERETT MIDDLE SCHOOL. THIS IS MY 12TH YEAR. THANK YOU. THIS IS MY 12TH YEAR AT EVERETT. MY TWO KIDS ALSO ATTEND SFD. I WANT TO ASK THE BOARD TO SUPPORT THE SUPERINTENDENTS RECOMMENDATION TO REJECT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS PETITION TONIGHT. IT WAS RECENTLY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THIS GROUP WANTS TO PUT THEIR CHARTER AT EVERETT
AND EVEN HAD A PHOTO OF EVERY IN THEIR PRESENTATION THEY MADE TO THE BOARD LAST MONTH. >> THIS SHOCKED ME IF THIS IS HOW THEY'RE GETTING STARTED, IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF WE ACTUALLY HAD TO SHARE SPACE WITH THEM. WHEN SOMEONE SHOWS YOU WHO THEY ARE BELIEVE THEM AND I BELIEVE THEM. I BELIEVE THEY WANT TO BULLDOZE THEIR WAY INTO S.F. US SO THEY CAN COLONIZE OUR SPACE AT EVERETT I BELIEVE THEY THINK WE'RE WEAK AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO LET THIS HAPPEN. WELL, EVERETT DIDN'T START THIS WAR BUT WE DON'T BACK DOWN FROM A FIGHT. WE INTEND TO WIN THIS WAR AND MAKE THIS AS PAINFUL AS POSSIBLE FOR THIS GROUP OR ANYONE ELSE WHO THINKS THEY CAN JUST PUSH US AROUND. WE'RE STRONG. WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITY IS BEHIND US AND WE'RE READY FOR THIS FIGHT BECAUSE WHEN WE FIGHT WE WILL. WHEN WE FIGHT, WHEN WE FIGHT . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS MAC. IT'S MY FOURTH YEAR TEACHING HISTORY AT EVERETT MIDDLE SCHOOL. EVERETT HAS STOOD FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS AND HAS SERVED STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THAT TIME IS ONE OF THREE
MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT THAT SERVES NEWCOMERS. IT WOULD BE AN INSULT TO OUR CITY AND TO OUR COMMUNITY TO LET THIS CHARTER HAPPEN. EDUCATION IS A HUMAN RIGHT AND THE STUDENTS THAT GO TO OUR SCHOOL DESERVE THAT EDUCATION. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW THIS CHARTER TO HAPPEN. GO OWLS GO SAN FRANCISCO. >> THANK YOU. MCCALL THE LAST THREE CARDS FOR AGENDA ITEMS. JOHNNY STAFFORD TICKETS AS ROBERT DIAZ FORGIVE ME IF IT'S NOT LAWRENCE LEE. >> HI, I'M JOHNNY STAFFORD. I INTEND TO SPEAK ON CO-LOCATING AT EVERETT MIDDLE SCHOOL. I AM A PARENT OF S.F. STUDENTS. I TAUGHT FOR EIGHT YEARS AT A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL THAT PARTNERED AND WAS CO-LOCATED WITH THE SCHOOL AND IT'S MY FOURTH YEAR TEACHING AT EVERETT . OUR GOAL AS S OF USD SHOULD BE TO TEACH SUCH A RIGOROUS AND JOYFUL CURRICULUM THAT EVERY STUDENT WANTS TO COME HERE AND WE NEED TO NOT DO THINGS THAT GET IN THE WAY OF
THAT. WHEN I CAME TO EVERETT IT WAS A CHALLENGING SCHOOL WHICH IS A EUPHEMISM I DON'T LIKE BECAUSE IT IMPLIES THINGS ABOUT OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE REALLY ABOUT OUR STRUCTURES AND WE DON'T NEED MORE STRUCTURES THAT MAKE IT HARD. THERE'S ENOUGH THINGS THAT ARE HARD. WE WANT THINGS THAT ARE JOYFUL AND MORE THINGS THAT ARE COMPETENT AND PROGRESSIVE AND HELPFUL. THANK YOU. OH AND QUICKLY. I AM A PARENT. MY STUDENTS STARTED THIS WEEK IN NINTH GRADE. AND SO FAR THEY LOVE THEIR ETHNIC STUDIES CLASS. THEY'RE WRITING AND THEY'RE THINKING CRITICALLY. THANK YOU. >> HI, MY NAME IS RUBEN DIAS. I'M A FATHER OF TWO CHILDREN. AS A PHILOSOPHY AND A CHICANO, I SUPPORT ETHNIC STUDIES AS A YEAR LONG COURSE. THE HISTORY OF BLACKS, LATINOS, NATIVE AMERICANS AND ASIANS IS RICH AND NEEDS TO BE A YEAR LONG STUDY. ETHNIC STUDIES TEACHES STUDENTS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT IS COVERED IN PASSING IN OTHER CLASSES. THIS KNOWLEDGE GIVEN TO ALL STUDENTS IS A STEP TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING AMONG STUDENTS. I SEE THIS CLASS MORE VITAL THAN ADVANCED ENGLISH MATH OR BIOLOGY.
THE FUTURE OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA RESTS ON CITIZENS LISTENING TO EACH OTHER, UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER AND LIVING IN PEACE. >> THE OTHER ASPECT OF ETHNIC STUDIES IS THE EXAMINATION OF POWER STRUCTURES POWER IN THE US HAS LED TO THE PEOPLE OF COLOR BEING AT A DISADVANTAGE. IN ORDER TO LIVE IN PEACE WE MUST LEARN HOW TO ADDRESS THESE POWER DIFFERENTIALS. I SUPPORT ETHNIC STUDIES AS IT WAS AND AT A MINIMUM AS A PRIVATE PILOT AT THIS YEAR. THANK YOU. >> THINK OF MOVE TO NON AGENDA ITEMS. OH I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. DEJA HA! >> OH WHAT Y'ALL DIDN'T FOR TO YOU SHAKE. OKAY WELL THE TEACHER SHALL SHALL. MY NAME IS LAWRENCE LEE. I'M A SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC SCHOOL GRADUATE AND I'M ALSO A SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND OVERSIGHT MEMBER. AND SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I'M LEARNING MANDARIN AND IT'S A VERY POPULAR LANGUAGE AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE
PROGRAMS, MORE SCHOOLS AND MORE CLASSES FOR MANDARIN. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO MOVE TO NON-INDIAN ITEMS AND ALLOW FOR SONNY WONG HAPPY MATTHEWS JON BATISTE. THERE YOU GO. GOOD EVENING. I'M ANNA CLAPPER, PRESIDENT OF UNITED ADMINISTRATORS OF SAN FRANCISCO. I'M ASKING FOR THE RAISE THAT WE DESERVE. >> WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO MORE WITH LESS LESS STAFF, LESS SUPPORT, LESS FUNDING, LESS SUPERVISION, LESS EVERYTHING EXCEPT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES. THESE KEEP ADDING UP. IN FACT, JUST YESTERDAY MULTIPLE SCHOOL LEADERS RECEIVED A BLANK SPREADSHEET FROM THE PAYROLL DEPARTMENT ASKING US TO POPULATE ALL OF OUR STAFF THEIR NAMES, THEIR POSITIONS AND THEIR INFORMATION . HOW IS THIS NOW ALSO OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS SCHOOL PRINCIPALS? AND YET IF WE DON'T FILL IT OUT OUR PEOPLE MIGHT NOT GET PAID. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. TO KEEP ASKING MORE OF US
AND NOT GIVING US THE MINIMUM OF THE 5% RAISE THAT WE DESERVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS SONNY WONG AND I'M THE PROUD ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF YOLO ELEMENTARY. >> THIS IS MY 20TH YEAR IN S.F. USD AND MY 11TH YEAR AS A SITE ADMINISTRATOR. I HAVE WITNESSED FIRST HAND MANY INCREDIBLE UC LEADERS WHO HAVE LEFT FOR HIGHER PAY, BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS AND MORE SUPPORT. IF WE AS A DISTRICT WANT TO INCREASE STUDENT OUTCOMES WE NEED TO RETAIN STRONG LEADERS IN S.F. USD BECAUSE WITHOUT STRONG LEADERS WE CAN'T HAVE STRONG SCHOOLS. >> S.F. USD NEEDS TO DO BETTER FOR SITE LEADERS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATOR ERS COMPENSATE US APPROPRIATELY FOR THE TIRELESS WORK WE DO EVERY DAY SO THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES CAN THRIVE. >> THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING. I STAND HERE TONIGHT AS THE PROUD AP OF LAW HIGH SCHOOL A F MEMBER AND SOMEONE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO S.F. YOU STUDENTS WE HAVE LED OUR SCHOOLS THROUGH UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES YET THIS YEAR WE ARE ASKED TO DO EVEN MORE WITH LESS SUPPORT AND NO INCREASE IN OUR COMPENSATION. >> S.F. USD LOSES NEARLY 1 IN 3 SCHOOL LEADERS EVERY YEAR. THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE AND IT'S NOT FAIR TO OUR STUDENTS. RESEARCH IS CLEAR LEADERSHIP STABILITY DIRECTLY DRIVES STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, PRINCIPAL TURNOVER OR AT LEAST A LOWER GRADUATION RATES WEAKER SCHOOL CULTURE AND HIGHER TEACHER ATTRITION ESPECIALLY IN OUR HIGH NEED SCHOOLS. THIS IS A STAFFING ISSUE. IT IS A STUDENT EQUITY ISSUE. WHY ARE UCSF COLLEAGUES RECEIVED A RAISE LAST YEAR? WE DID NOT. AS A RESULT, MANY OF OUR MOST
EFFECTIVE LEADERS WERE RECRUITED BY NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS AND OFFERED SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER PAY. THANK YOU. PLEASE COMPENSATE US ACCORDINGLY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JAN BAUTISTA DE AND THE PROUD PRINCIPAL LOWELL HIGH SCHOOL. I HAVE BEEN AN EMPLOYEE OF S.F. UCD FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS. I WAS A SCIENCE AND NEWCOMER TEACHER AT MIDDLE SCHOOL. I WAS AN ADMINISTRATOR FOR OUR MULTILINGUAL PATHWAYS DEPARTMENT FIGHTING FOR OUR LANGUAGE COURSES AND SUPPORT FOR OUR ELD STUDENTS AND OUR NEWCOMERS. AND I NOW STAND BEFORE YOU AS THE THIRD PRINCIPAL IN FIVE YEARS FOR LOWELL HIGH SCHOOL. >> AND WHEN WE ARE RUNNING A POPULATION OF 3000 PEOPLE EVERY DAY WE SHOULD BE COMPENSATED TO LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO AND FIND SUCCESS IN SAN FRANCISCO. I COMMUTE ABOUT THREE HOURS EVERY DAY TO COME TO SCHOOL AS I LIVE OUT IN OAKLAND. THAT'S WHERE I WAS ABLE TO FIND
A HOME. >> AND I HAVE SEEN MY MENTOR LEAVE THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT YEAR OVER YEAR OVER A YEAR. AND I KNOW THAT AS A WOMAN OF COLOR AND AS A LEADER IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT SEEING THOSE MENTORS LEAVE FOR 30 TO 40,000 MORE THAT'S A YEAR OF RENT THAT THEY CAN PAY. SO PLEASE PAY US. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT KIM THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKER CARDS FOR IN-PERSON THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. 20 15 MINUTES ONLINE PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE. THANK YOU. I WILL BE MOVING TO PUBLIC COMMENT ONLINE TODAY. WE WILL START WITH STUDENTS FIRST ONE STUDENTS WHO WISH TO SPEAK TO AGENDA OR NON AGENDA ITEMS THEY CAN RAISE THEIR HAND RIGHT NOW SO PLEASE LOWER YOUR HAND IF YOU ARE NOT A STUDENT. CAN THAT BE REPEATED IN SPANISH AND CHINESE PLEASE WHEN A NOTICE PORTFOLIO AND TELL THEM NOT TO SEND THIS TO THE END THIS MY OPPONENT SAYS A COMMENT THAT A POLITICAL COMMENTARY WAS SAID AND I CAN JUST CANNOT SAY I JUST PUT OUT A BUTTON SOMEONE IS LIKE OUT I'M HMONG SO I'M USING WHATEVER YOU HAVE GOT. SO I THINK I'M GOING SOMETHING BY THAT IS HOW WILL MAKE YOUR
HOUSE ENTERTAINING HOW YOU COME CLOSE I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO WE'LL BE STARTING WITH STUDENTS FOLLOWED BY AGENDA ITEMS THEN FOLLOWED BY NON AGENDA ITEMS. SO I HAVE A PHONE NUMBER THAT STARTS WITH 917 523 YOU CAN GO AHEAD 917 PHONE NUMBER THAT A STUDENT MAY SPEAK I'M SORRY I'M NOT I'M NOT A STUDENT MAY NOT AT THIS TIME BUT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SHORTLY JUST RAISE YOUR HAND AFTER I ANNOUNCE THE NEXT TIME FOR FOLKS TO SPEAK. THANK YOU, JOE. >> GEORGE. HELLO. HELLO. I AM GEORGE, RIGHT? I'M A RECENT GRADUATE FROM MUHLENBERG HIGH SCHOOL. I TOOK ETHNIC STUDIES AS A FRESHMAN AND IT'S MY FAVORITE CLASS THAT YEAR AS A WHITE STUDENT I ENJOYED LEARNING ABOUT MY CULTURES IN THE HISTORY OF MY PEERS AND SHARING MY OWN HERITAGE. HOLDING BACK THIS CURRICULUM WOULD BE ROBBING STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES OF THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND MUTUAL SPECT THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LAST CALL FOR ANY MORE STUDENTS . >> OKAY SO NOW WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS SO PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU CARE TO SPEAK TO AGENDA ITEMS THIS EVENING IF YOU'RE AN
ADULT ALSO COME DEBBIE REPEATED IN SPANISH AND CHINESE PLEASE. BUT I CARE ABOUT AS IT GOES TO TAYLOR PUT YOUR LEGO FROM JOHN FINANCE YOU CAN HEAR HOW YOU CAN YOU CAN GET A MILLION YOU CAN TURN THE TABLES AND FIND YOU WANTING GUYS HELP THANK YOU THANK YOU OKAY SO 917 YOU CAN GO AHEAD NOW THANK YOU. I AM MY NAME IS WILLIAM. >> I'M A PARENT OF THREE CHILDREN TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ONE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. I WANT TO ADDRESS AN ARGUMENT WE KEEP HEARING TO JUSTIFY THIS YEAR LONG ETHNIC STUDIES MANDATE THAT WAS DONE AT STANFORD. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT, IT INVOLVED ABOUT 50 STUDENTS WHO HAD GPAS BELOW 2.0 WHO OPTED INTO AN ELECTIVE. YEARS AGO THE RESULTS WERE MODELED NOT DIRECTLY OBSERVED IN THE STUDY'S LEAD AUTHOR HAS CAUTIONED AGAINST GENERALIZING ITS FINDINGS AND STRESSED THAT STRONG ETHNIC STUDIES SHOULD EMPHASIZE BELONGING AND ENGAGEMENT NOT THE POLITICAL FRAMING THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE VOICES CURRICULUM IS DEEPLY CONCERNING TO ME TO CREATE DISTRICT WIDE POLICY BASED ON SUCH A LIMITED STUDY ESPECIALLY ONE THAT THE RESEARCHERS THEMSELVES APPLIED FOR FLAWS AND MISUSE. OUR STUDENTS DESERVE RIGOROUS
ACADEMICS. FAMILIES DESERVE REAL OPTIONS AND THIS BOARD DESERVES ALL THE HONEST EVIDENCE TO BASE THEIR DECISIONS ON NOT THE POLITICAL SPIN. PLEASE STOP IMPOSING THIS REQUIREMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VIRGINIA MARSHALL AND I THANK YOU MR. STEELE TO THE COMMISSIONERS SUPERINTENDENT TO DO SO ON BEHALF OF THE NAACP SAN FRANCISCO BRANCH WE STAND IN FULL SUPPORT OF ETHNIC STUDIES CURRICULUM OFFERED BY USF USD AT A TIME OF COLD REPROACHES. THIS INFORMATION AND VISION ARE BEING WEAPONIZED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SAN FRANCISCO MUST STAND ON THE SET OF TRUTH, INCLUSION AND EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE. INJUSTICE THRIVES IN SILENCE. WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED. THIS WAS A PRESS CONFERENCE BY PRESIDENT ALPHA DOWN THE BOTTOM OF DR. AMOS C BROWN AGAIN WE FULLY SUPPORT THE ONE YEAR COURSE CURRICULUM FOR ETHNIC STUDIES. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> IT SAYS SEE GUEST I'M THE
HANDLE SAYS C I NSF UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PARENTS I WANTED TO BE CLEAR I'M NOT AGAINST ETHNIC STUDIES BUT IT SHOULD BE SELECTIVE. MY OWN CHILD TOOK THE CLASS FOR HALF A SEMESTER AND HER EXPERIENCE WAS TROUBLING. SHE CAME FROM SHE CAME HOME FEELING AWFUL NOT JUST FOR SCHOOL BUT FOR HER CLASSMATES. ONE BOY WITH THE Y LAST NAME FROM TEXAS FELT SO PRESSURED THAT HE LIED ABOUT BEING HALF HISPANIC. HE WAS AFRAID THAT IF HE DIDN'T HE WOULDN'T GET A FAIR GRADE. STUDENT WERE REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT QUOTE UNQUOTE WHITE PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED AND BLAME FOR SOCIETY INEQUALITY. THIS QUIET ENVIRONMENT OF SHAME AND FEAR INSTEAD OF HONEST LEARNING AND DIALOG. WHEN A CLASS SENDS THE MESSAGE TO SOME STUDENTS ARE INHERENTLY AND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THEIR BACKGROUND THAT IS HARMFUL AND IT PUSHES FAMILY WHO CAN AFFORD IT INTO PRIVATE SCHOOLS WHICH ONLY DEEPEN INEQUALITY IN OUR DISTRICT. I URGE YOU TO LOOK CLOSELY AT HOW THESE CLASSES WERE BEING TAUGHT. ETHNIC STUDIES CAN AND SHOULD BUILD EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING.
BUT WHEN STUDENTS FEEL ATTACK SILENCE OR PRESSURE TO DENY WHO THEY ARE, THAT IS NOT EDUCATION THAT IS HARMFUL. THE FACT THAT THE STUDENTS ARE HAVING SUCH DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES SHOWS A DEEPER PROBLEM. THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE TEACHERS. THEY ARE TEACHING WHATEVER THEY WANT. THIS YEAR THE TRAINING. >> THANK YOU. I'M SORRY THAT YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. >> DAVID COE HI MY NAME IS DAVID COE GRADUATE FROM WASHINGTON, THE CLASS OF 2021 YEAR SPENT TEACHING AT THE DISTRICT 17 OF THEM TEACHING ETHNIC STUDIES. EVERY YEAR I HAVE STUDENTS WRITE LETTERS TO FUTURE YEAR STUDENTS SO THAT BRAND NEW NINTH GRADERS GET A SENSE OF WHAT THE CLASSES LIKE. AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME EXCERPTS FROM THE LETTERS THAT LAST YEAR'S STUDENTS WROTE. ONE STUDENT SAID THIS CLASS PUSHED ME TO OPEN UP ABOUT MY ETHNICITY. ANOTHER SAID SOME TOPICS TO EXPECT TO LEARN ABOUT IN THIS CLASS ARE IDENTITIES POWER AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF CULTURES THE WAY ETHNIC STUDIES IS TAUGHT AND SCARY ENGAGING BECAUSE MOST CLASSES HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE WHOLE CLASS. ANOTHER SAID THIS CLASS IS
GOING TO HELP YOU IDENTIFY AND REFLECT ON YOUR IDENTITIES AND CULTURAL GROUPS. THIS IS GOING TO BE A NEW JOURNEY WHEN YOU ENTER HIGH SCHOOL. ANOTHER SAID YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES OF CULTURES AND HISTORIES OF RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS. YOU SHOULD COME IN WITH AN OPEN MINDED MINDSET SINCE YOUR VIEWS AND OPINIONS WILL MOST LIKELY CHANGE. SINCE MY DID TO ANOTHER SAID THIS CLASS WILL TEACH YOU MORE ABOUT RACE OPPRESSION THE HISTORY OF ETHNICITIES. JUST HAVE ONE CLASS AND YOU WILL NOT ONLY HAVE FUN BUT LEARN MORE ABOUT YOURSELF. THIS CLASS HAS MANY ASSIGNMENTS THAT PUSH YOU FROM YOUR COMFORT ZONE. ANOTHER SAID EXERCISE FOCUSES ON THE WAY SOCIETY IS FORMED AND THE WEAKNESSES AND STEREOTYPES PLAY A FACTOR IN PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIVES. THIS IS A RANDOM THINKING FOR DOZENS OF STUDENTS WHO HAD LESS. I'M SORRY THAT YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TOM. HI. YES. MY WIFE AND I ARE BOTH SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN THIS DISTRICT FOR BOTH OF US. OVER TEN YEARS WE HAVE TWO KIDS. THEY GO TO DOLORES HUERTA ELEMENTARY ON EVERY MEETING. I'M HOPING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE NOT GETTING PAID
CORRECTLY WITH THE NEW PAYROLL SYSTEM. IT'S ATROCIOUS, UNLAWFUL AND CRAZY THAT EVEN ONE PERSON IS BEING NOT PAID. WE HAVE SO MANY OPEN JOBS THAT SHOULD ALSO BE ON THERE. AS A SPECIALTY TEACHER I'M HORRIFIED TO SEE THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OPEN POSITIONS AND JUST LIKE GOOD LUCK HAVE AT IT. ENOUGH OF THAT. WE NEED TO FIGURE THIS OUT INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING ALL RIGHT WELL IT'S LEGAL. IT'S LEGAL. IT'S LEGAL. HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING TEACHERS? HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING PARENTS? WE'RE NOT. AS A DISTRICT PEOPLE LEAVE INSTEAD BECAUSE IT'S TOO MUCH AND THEY LEAVE ALL THE TIME PEOPLE IN HIGH POSITIONS, PARENTS AND TEACHERS. AND WHY DO YOU THINK? BECAUSE THEY'RE BURNT OUT. SO WE NEED TO FIGURE THIS OUT. WE NEED TO MAKE IT SO ONE PERSON IS NOT BEING PAID INCORRECTLY. MY COWORKERS AND I EVERY PAYCHECK I HOPE WE'RE PAID CORRECTLY HOW WE'RE PAID FOR ALL THIS ACTUAL WORK WE'RE DOING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALL BOARD MEMBERS THANK YOU EVERY MEETING. >> JUST TO REMIND THE PUBLIC WE'RE ON AGENDA ITEMS RIGHT NOW WOULD BE MOVING TO NOT AGENDA
ITEM SHORTLY BUT THAT SHOULD BE ON ALL AGENDA. THANK YOU TOM. THANK YOU EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT. I LOST MY PLACE HERE. ALL RIGHT. >> JUST JAMIE LIANG. SORRY. JAMIE LIANG. GO AHEAD. >> SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS A HIGH DEMAND FOR LANGUAGE IMMERSION AS THE U.S. NEEDS TO DELIVER ON THAT. WE ALSO NEED LIKE A TON OF TECH CLASSES. I DON'T BELIEVE TAKING PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDS AND OPENING A WHOLE NEW SCHOOL IS THE ANSWER. ESPECIALLY WHEN LAST YEAR YOU ALL TRIED TO CLOSE EIGHT SCHOOLS. THIS MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. BILL CAMM SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF FROM THE VOTE AS A FORMER CHARTER CHARTER SCHOOL EXECUTIVE. I'M A WHITE PERSON AND I SUPPORT KEEPING ETHNIC STUDIES AS IS REFORMED THE RACES PROP 13 THOUGH AND SO SAD FOR OTHER RACIST WHITE PEOPLE WHO ARE DEEPLY OFFENDED BY THE ETHNIC STUDIES. SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF SPEAKERS HERE WANT A PRIVATE SCHOOL BUT CAN'T AFFORD IT. THEY WANT TO S.F. THAT DOESN'T EXIST MAYBE BETTER OFF IN THE SUBURBS. THIS IS A MAGA MOVEMENT
STRAIGHT UP. I'M IN SOLIDARITY WITH EVERETT AND I WILL FIGHT WITH THEM. >> AND ETHNIC STUDIES ALSO WITH YOURSELF. THANK YOU SO GENE. ALL SORRY. GENE ARE YOU THERE? GENE WILL BE OFF. YES. YES. CAN HEAR ME OKAY? YES. GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU. I I AM A PARENT OF A 10TH GRADER AT LOWELL. I WANT TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR HAVING ETHNIC STUDIES BE A ONE SEMESTER CLASS CARD AFTER A U.S. HISTORY CLASS. I FULLY SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT STUDENTS SHOULD BE EXPOSED TO ALL ASPECTS OF A VERY RICH HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY BUT THEY SHOULD GET THE FULL PICTURE AND IF THEY WANT A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE TOPICS THEN THERE IS NO REASON WHY STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE A ONE SEMESTER ELECTIVE AND ENGAGE IN THAT KIND OF STUDY. AND MY POINT IS YOU SHOULDN'T
NOT LOOK AT LAST YEAR'S OPT OUT RATES AS A MEASURE AS TO HOW EFFECTIVE THE CLASS WAS LAST YEAR BECAUSE THE PROCESS OF OPTING OUT WAS PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. >> SO JUST BE CAREFUL ABOUT USING THAT AS A YARDSTICK. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ROLANDO BATISTA. >> THREE BOARD COMMISSIONERS AND EVERYBODY IN IT AND IT'S MY NAME IS RANDALL BEATTY'S AND I AM AN API CARE LEADER. HATE AND HATEFUL ACTS HAVE BEEN PERVASIVE IN THIS COUNTRY AND CONTINUES TO INCREASE AT ALARMING RATES. ETHNICITIES FAILED TO ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS OF ALL RACES BETTER UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER AND HOW AND CONNECTED WE ALL ARE. SEPARATISM AND FEAR CONTINUES TO DIVIDE OUR COUNTRY. AS ABUSE HAS TO CONTINUE TO BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS. MY DAUGHTER IS CURRENTLY IN COLLEGE AND SHE TOOK ETHNIC STUDIES TAKING THIS CLASS HELP HER TO FEEL SEEN AND HEARD. WE HAVE TO PUT OUR STUDENTS FIRST AND STOP ALLOWING ADULTS
WITH LITTLE TO NO KNOWLEDGE OF OUR CITY AND THE VALUES THAT SAN FRANCISCO HOLDS TO IMPACT OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. ETHNIC STUDIES IS NEEDED AND IT NEEDED AS IS. AS A FALL SEMESTER AS A I'M SORRY ONE YEAR COURSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TRULY SHOW YOUR COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN ONE SEMESTER. PLEASE DO NOT DIVERT FROM THE COURSE. STAY BOLD, COURAGEOUS AND PUT OUR STUDENTS FIRST. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SIS DILWORTH ASSIST DILWORTH. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD. HELLO. I'M A PARENT. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND A FIVE YEAR USD AND A PART OF THE PACK AGNES STUDIES IS ABOUT TRUTH TELLING. CULTURAL AWARENESS AND CRITICAL THINKING NOT POLITICAL INDOCTRINATION. LEARNING ABOUT DIVERSE HISTORIES AND PERSPECTIVES STRENGTHENS DEMOCRACY. IT DOESN'T END IN DARK NIGHT ETHNIC STUDIES. EMPOWER STUDENTS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR HERITAGE AND THE
CONTRIBUTION OF ALL PEOPLE. IT DOES NOT TELL THEM WHAT IT THINK. IT TEACHES THEM HOW TO THINK CRITICALLY. THE ONE YEAR REQUIREMENT IS THE DEPTH OF EXPOSURE. >> STUDENTS NEED AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH OTHER UC CSU A2G REQUIRED CLASS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU CHARLES S. YES, I SPEAK FOR MYSELF AS A PARENT IN SAN FRANCISCO. I SUPPORT THE ETHNIC STUDIES BUT THE CURRICULUM NEEDS BETTER PUBLIC VETTING TO PREVENT LAWSUITS. I SUPPORT ETHNIC STUDIES AS THE ONE SEMESTER MANDATE AND ONE SEMESTER ELECTIVE FOR ACADEMIC CHOICE. ETHNIC STUDIES IS NOT HATE SPEECH. HATE SPEECH SHOULD BE POLICED. ETHNIC STUDIES IS MEANINGFUL BUT I FEEL THE DISTRICT HAS NOT ESCAPED THE SHADOW OF ALLISON COLLINS. COLLINS TWEETS. THERE IS AN UNSPOKEN ISSUE WHEN PEOPLE SAY IT'S A MAGA CONSPIRACY. THE REALITY IS THAT SMU SD HAS
THE HIGHEST OPT OUT RATES OF ANY MAJOR CITY AT ROUGHLY 30%. SAN FRANCISCO MUST LOOK AT ITSELF AS A SEGREGATED CITY. IT IS WHEN THE ONLY PLACE YOU REALLY SEE WHITE KIDS IS ON PRIVATE SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS. THERE ISN'T ONE PLACE IN THE U.S. WITH THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF SFP SD INCLUDING SAN FRANCISCO ITSELF. PLEASE 100% CORRECT PAYCHECKS FOR ALL OF YOUR EMPLOYEES. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NO ONE CHARTER SCHOOLS. ROSITA FRASIER. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ROSITA AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF ETHNIC STUDIES RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE COUNTRY WE ARE WITNESSING COORDINATED ATTEMPTS BY RIGHT WING GROUPS TO ERASE ETHNIC STUDIES, TO CENSOR CURRICULA AND TO SILENCE VOICES. BUT LET'S BE CLEAR. ETHNIC STUDIES IS NOT A THREAT. IT IS A GIFT. IT STRENGTHENS OUR SCHOOLS, OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR DEMOCRACY.
ETHNIC STUDIES TEACHES THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR HISTORY THE TRUTH THAT INCLUDES STRUGGLE AND RESILIENCE, HARM AND HEALING. IT GIVES STUDENTS THE TOOLS TO THINK CRITICALLY, TO BUILD EMPATHY AND TO WORK ACROSS DIFFERENCES IN A TIME OF DIVISION AND DISINFORMATION. WE NEED THIS MORE THAN EVER WHEN ETHNIC STUDIES IS DISMANTLED. THE MESSAGE TO STUDENTS ESPECIALLY STUDENTS OF COLOR IS THAT THEIR HISTORIES DON'T MATTER THAT THEIR COMMUNITIES DON'T BELONG. THAT IS NOT ONLY HARMFUL, IT IS DANGEROUS. THAT IS WHY THESE COURSES ARE UNDER ATTACK BECAUSE THEY EMPOWER STUDENTS. THEY PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE TO QUESTION INJUSTICE AND TO BUILD A MORE JUST FUTURE. RIGHT. EXACTLY. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THOSE PUSHING CENSORSHIP ARE AFRAID OF. AS A HEALTH CARE WORKER. ETHNIC STUDIES HAVE BEEN INTEGRAL TO MY CRAFT AS A HEALER FOR THE COMMUNITIES I SERVE. I URGE YOU DO NOT THINK YOU FEAR A PRESSURE STAND ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH, EDUCATION AND INCLUSION. THANK YOU. PROTECT ETHNIC STUDIES. THE NAME IS R E B O U H. REBA A REBEL.
SORRY FOR MISPRONOUNCING. YES. HELLO? YES, GO AHEAD. YES, I'M CALLING IN SUPPORT OF ETHNIC STUDIES FOR ONE YEAR AND ALSO NO TO CHARTER SCHOOLS. I MAJORED FOR MY UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDIES IN ETHNIC STUDIES SO I THINK I'M FULLY EQUIPPED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT ETHNIC STUDIES SHOULD NOT BE ONE SEMESTER. PLEASE DON'T TRIVIALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ETHNIC STUDIES AND IT IS NOT A HISTORY CLASS LIKE THE PERSON BEFORE SPOKE SPOKEN. IT IS A AN IMPERATIVE. IT'S A CRITICALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ESSENTIALLY IMPORTANT CLASS FOR OUR SOCIETY, FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO REALIZE HOW OUR GOOD THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE CENTURIES OF ILLS THAT UNITE US STATES HAD KEEPS MOVING FORWARD ON WITHOUT CORRECTING, WITHOUT PREPARING FOR A BETTER FUTURE. AND THAT'S WHY THE KIDS WHO TAKE ETHNIC STUDIES THEY APPRECIATE IT AND THE SURVEYS
SHOW THEY APPRECIATE THAT THEY LIKE THE CLASS. MY DAUGHTER TOOK IT LAST YEAR AND IT WAS HER FAVORITE CLASS. I HAVE TWO OTHER KIDS ONE GRADUATE OF SFA USD AND WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR SFA SD AS A CURRICULUM SINCE THE 1980S. THIS IS NOTHING NEW BUT THANK YOU CHALLENGING. THANK YOU THAT YOUR TIME. >> BUT IT IS A REQUIREMENT FOR THANK YOU THAT YOUR TIME I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. THANK YOU LEILANI. HI. THANK YOU. I'M CALLING IN TO SUPPORT ETHNIC STUDIES FOR ONE YEAR. >> I AM CONCERNED THAT PARENTS FROM LOW ONCE AGAIN ARE COMING TO SFD WITH D WITH WHITE NATIONALIST TALKING POINTS AND STATING THAT THEY HAD A MEETING WITH DR. SU AND SHE WAS SOMEWHAT IN AGREEMENT WITH THEM. AS A BLACK SAN FRANCISCAN I AM AFRAID OF WHERE WE ARE GOING. WHITE NATIONALIST CODED TALKING POINTS ARE BEING USED IN A CLEAN WAY TO HIDE THAT THEY ARE
UTTERLY RACIST ETHNIC STUDIES IS ABOUT VARIOUS GROUPS POLITICAL SCIENCE HISTORY, SOCIOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY. IT IS ABOUT US AS AMERICANS THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY AND WE SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO TELL WHITE NATIONALISTS TO PLEASE SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET. I AM CONCERNED WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR STUDENTS AT LAW CHECK IN WITH THEM. IT SEEMS LIKE THEIR PARENTS AND ALUMNI ARE TRYING TO INDOCTRINATE THEM. WE SHOULD STAND UP AGAINST THIS AND TEACH OUR CHILDREN THAT THIS TYPE OF WHITE NATIONALIST THANK YOU THAT YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LESLIE. >> LESLIE. HI. HI. I'M A HOMEOWNER. >> I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 15 YEARS AND ME AND MY HUSBAND BOTH COMMUTE FIVE DAYS A WEEK VIA PUBLIC TRANSIT TO OUR JOBS DOWNTOWN. I JUST GAVE BIRTH TO MY DAUGHTER LAST YEAR AND IT'S BEEN A JOY CELEBRATING HER FIRST YEAR OF LIFE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO. I DON'T WANT TO MOVE OUT OF THE CITY WHEN SHE REACHES SCHOOL AGE BUT MAY HAVE TO DUE TO
LIMITED MANDARIN IMMERSION SCHOOL OPTIONS. DRAGON GATE COMING TO FRUITION WOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE REASON I STAY IN SAN FRANCISCO. PLEASE SUPPORT DRAGON GATE OPENING TO KEEP FAMILIES LIKE MINE IN THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BRANDY. ALL RIGHT. WE NEED MORE BRANDY FROM COMMON ADVOCATES. I JUST WANTED TO ENCOURAGE THE BOARD IN ALL THE DECISION MAKERS INVOLVED TO FOLLOW YOUR GUT AND TO NOT COWER IN THE FACE OF THIS WHITE NATIONALIST WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUPS WHO ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE ALL THE POSITIVE ACADEMIC AND IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS THAT COME WITH ETHNIC STUDIES JUST FOR THE SAKE OF OF THEIR OWN INTERESTS AND JUST WANTING YOU ALL TO STAND STRONG AND TO NOT FALL FOR THE REAL POLITICAL INDOCTRINATION THAT'S THAT UP RIGHT NOW WHICH IS THAT IN THE FACE OF RACISM WE COWER AND WE DON'T FOLLOW OUR GOOD
SELF. JUST ENCOURAGING YOU TO STAY STRONG AND TO STAY COMMITTED TO THE ORIGINAL GOALS. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT KIM THAT CONCLUDES THE TIME ALLOTTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS OR VIRTUALLY TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS TO ALIGN WITH OUR EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE PRACTICES TO SUPERINTEND AND HER TEAM ARE TASKED WITH PROVIDING A DRAFT OF EACH AGENDA 12 DAYS IN ADVANCE. ONCE THAT DRAFT IS MADE PUBLIC ON OUR WEBSITE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT TO SUBMIT CLARIFYING AND TECHNICAL QUESTIONS AND STAFF HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT TO RESPOND TO THESE QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE OF EACH BOARD MEETING. THIS Q&A IS LINKED INTO EACH BOARD AGENDA ON BOARD DOCS. WE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW THOSE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ALONGSIDE OUR DISCUSSIONS TODAY . ADDITIONALLY TO CREATE MORE FOCUS SPACE ON STUDENT OUTCOMES, WE'LL BE MOVING BOTH ITEMS TO OUR CONSENT CALENDAR AND IDENTIFY ONLY OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY AGENDA ITEMS TO DISCUSS. BOARD MEMBERS ARE REMINDED NOT TO RESTATE QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY STAFF IN ADVANCE BUT TO
BRING FORWARD STRATEGIC QUESTIONS THAT ALLOW US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND OUR PROGRESS TOWARDS GOALS AND THE UNDERLYING STRATEGIES SO WE CAN BETTER BE BETTER INFORMED IN OUR DECISION MAKING AND PARTNER WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AS WE HOLD OUR ACCOUNTABLE. MOVING TO ITEM E PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION ITEM 1258-26 ESP ONE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION REGARDING DRAGON GATE ACADEMY CHARTER PETITION I NOW CALL AN ITEM E1A PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPTION OF 258-26 AS ONE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION REGARDING DRAGON GATE ACADEMY CHARTER PETITION. I'M ABOUT TO ASK PUBLIC COMMENT. YEAH. YES. YEAH I NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:49 P.M. WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. MR. STEEL ARE THERE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR THIS ITEM? >> GOT ALL THE SPEAKER CARDS AT ONCE. THEY DIDN'T DIFFERENTIATE WHETHER THEY WERE FROM GOING TO BE DURING OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT OR DURING THE ITEM ITSELF. IT JUST LISTED DRAGONS GATE OUT
MOST OF THE CARDS SO I CAN SURE IF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IF THEY CAN PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM YOU'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK. I DON'T FOLLOW THE SAME PROTOCOL AS GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. WE CAN TALK. OKAY SURE. SURE. OKAY. YOU CAN GO AHEAD. HELLO AGAIN. MY NAME IS RANDY MARKMAN PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENT AND TO SUPPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT SUE RECOMMENDATION TO DENY THIS CHARTER I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF MORE MANDARIN IMMERSION CLASSES BUT I I I READ THE REPORT CITING ALL THE ISSUES I MENTIONED DURING MY OTHER REALLY PUBLIC COMMENT. THE HEARTBREAKING SEGREGATIONIST POLICY OF CAPPING THE PERCENTAGE OF DISABLED STUDENTS AT 11% THAT IS NOT WHO WE ARE AS AS IF YOU SD AGAIN I AM IN SUPPORT OF OF MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN MANDARIN THIS IS AN IT ALMOST.
ALSO THE FOUR FORMER ESL TEACHER JUST BEING UPSET READING THE THEN NOTE THAT DRAGNET ACADEMY FAILED TO PROVIDE A SOUND PROCESS FOR SEVEN STUDENTS WHO ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS SO YES DENYING THIS CHARTER I ALSO THINK THAT IT IS UNFAIR TO CO-LOCATE AT OTHER S.F. U S D SCHOOLS. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> HI MY NAME IS CALLAN TAYLOR . I WASN'T PLANNING ON SPEAKING. I'M THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT MISSION. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AT S.F. USD AND ONE IS AT EVERETT. THEY ALL WENT TO IMMERSION SCHOOL AND THE REASON WHY I WANT TO TALK IS TO SAY I WOULD NEVER LEAVE SAN FRANCISCO BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET WHAT I WANTED. I LOVE SAN FRANCISCO. I LOVE AS A FEISTY I LOVE EVERETT. I HAVE THREE KIDS THERE AND I'M THERE TO BE IN THE GOOD AND THE BAD AND TO DO THE STRUGGLE AND NOT LEAVE BECAUSE I DON'T GET WHAT I WANT. I WORK AT MISSION WHERE STUDENTS GO TO COLLEGE AND HAVE
ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY CAN GET AND I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT IT'S A FALSE COMPARISON TO SAY IF I DON'T GET THIS THEN I'M LEAVING AND SO I'M HERE. I'M COMMITTED TO SAN FRANCISCO, I PLAN ON RETIRING AND I'M A PROUD S.F. USD PERSON FOR 26 YEARS SO HI I'M ANSHU FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND FOUNDER OF AN AMERICAN AND CHINESE BI CULTURAL SCHOOL VIRTUAL ACADEMY. >> THERE IS HUGE DEMAND FOR CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAMS IN SAN FRANCISCO NOT JUST FROM THE 25% OF SAN FRANCISCANS OF CHINESE DESCENT BUT ALSO FROM PARENTS WHO WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF THE SECOND LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD EXISTING HOUSE OF USED CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAMS ARE NOT ENOUGH TO MEET THIS DEMAND MOST PRIVATE OPTIONS ARE EXORBITANTLY EXPENSIVE. THAT'S WHY I STARTED AN AFFORDABLE NONPROFIT SCHOOL AND WE TEACH MANDARIN TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO THRIVE IN THE 21ST CENTURY WHERE CHINA IS WILL STILL BE THE SECOND
LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. >> I SUPPORT ANY AND ALL EFFORTS TO PROVIDE MORE CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAMS IN SAN FRANCISCO AND HOPE THEY INCLUDE CHINESE CULTURAL ELEMENTS LIKE WE DO AT SHOW ACADEMY AND I URGE THE BOARD MEMBERS TO APPROVE DRAGON GATE ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL AND FOLLOW THROUGH ON YOUR MANDARIN IMMERSION SCHOOL PLAN. THANK YOU. >> HI ABBY CHAO AGAIN. I JUST WANTED TO FINISH MY COMMENT FROM EARLIER WHICH IS I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A YES AND SITUATION. I THINK MORE OPPORTUNITIES ARE BETTER AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE BOTH THE CHARTER SCHOOL AND THE AS OF US MANDARIN IMMERSION PROGRAM IS AMAZING. LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAMS ARE REASONS THAT FAMILIES STAY IN SAN FRANCISCO AND I THINK WE NEED TO GIVE FAMILIES AS MANY REASONS AS POSSIBLE INCLUDING MINE TO STAY. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS IN PERSON? >> PLEASE LINE UP IF YOU KNOW
YOU CAN SPEAK RIGHT NOW SO WE WANT TO DO HI MY NAME IS RUBEN DIAS AND I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION FOR DRAGON GATE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE 11% CAP OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. WHY IS THERE A CAP? I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT. THANK YOU. SEEING NO OTHER SPEAKERS IN PERSON TO DO SO. >> YES. IS THERE ARE THERE HANDS UP. I WILL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT I CAN MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF WE ARE THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW FOR THE DRAGON GATE CHARTER PETITION IF YOU CARE TO SPEAK TO THE PETITION PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND RIGHT NOW. CAN THAT BE REPEATED IN SPANISH AND CHINESE PLEASE? THE NOTICE GO AHEAD, PLEASE. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. WHEN A NOTICE AND AS A MEMENTO AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE IS THAT IT STILL IS BUT A LA LA SAMILTON LOMA DRAGON GATE WHAT'S OUR GRASS IS GARLIC OR DRAGON GATE ACADEMY HOLDINGS IN GALATIANS THAT YOU KNOW WHY DON'T YOU GO OKAY DURING THE GET EVERYTHING THAT GOES OUT THANK YOU THANK YOU VIRGINIA MARSHALL YES THANK YOU MR. STEEL AGAIN WHO THE
BOARD COMMISSIONERS PRESIDENT KIM SUPERINTENDENT TENMUSU I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT SUE DENIAL OF THIS CHARTER SCHOOL DRAGON GATE . WE MUST SPEND ALL OUR RESOURCES ON THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE OPEN AT THIS VERY MOMENT. I HOWEVER I DO BELIEVE THAT EVERY K CHILD IN GRADES K TO 12 IN S F USD SHOULD TAKE A FOR LANGUAGE START IN FREE KINDERGARTEN. SO AGAIN I WAS THE EDUCATED PARENT AND GRANDMOTHER. I SUPPORT THE DENIAL OF THIS CHARTER SCHOOL CALLED DRAGON GATE. IT WOULD TAKE RESOURCES FROM S F USD. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU RIHANNA BUT IS GOOD EVENING AGAIN BOARD COMMISSIONER SUPERINTENDENT TO MY NAME IS MIRANDA THE AND I'M CALLING TONIGHT AS A PARENT AND I STAND IN FULL SUPPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT SIMMS DENIAL OF THIS CHARTER SCHOOL AS IF YOU A Z HAS A RICH HISTORY OF LANGUAGE IMMERSION AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IF YOU AS D HAS THE CAPABILITY TO OFFER THE CLASSES NECESSARY FOR OUR STUDENTS WHEN WE ARE ALREADY AT
A DEFICIT WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING WE DON'T NEED ANYTHING ELSE TAKING RESOURCES FROM OUR STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF HIS OPINION AT THIS POINT EVERY DIME ALLOCATED PENNY WHATEVER FOR AS F USD NEEDS TO REMAIN WITHIN AS IF USD AND WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE KNEW WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE DO BEST AND THAT IS MAKE SURE THAT LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR OUR PEOPLE AS MS. MARSHALL SAID AND MRS. MARSHALL SAID STARTING AT PRE-K FIND A WAY TO DO IT. WE CAN DO IT. WE DON'T NEED AN OUTSIDE SCHOOL COMING IN AND TRYING TO SAY THAT THEY CAN OFFER BETTER THAN WHAT WE CAN DO. WE CAN DO IT OURSELVES. LET'S GET IT TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SORRY I. I SUPPORT DRAGON GATE. THEY WILL OUTPERFORM ANY OTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL INCLUDING EVERETT. WE NEED MORE ACADEMICALLY FOCUSED SCHOOL AND SERVICES SCHOOL CHILDREN DESERVE THAT. THANK YOU.
VALERIE CARP. YES I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON A NON AGENDA ITEM PUBLIC COMMENT WAS NOT CALLED FOR NON AGENDA. >> YES I'M SORRY WE ARE NOW UNDER THE PUBLIC HEARING SO YOU CAN ONLY SPEAK TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEM RIGHT NOW WHICH IS THE DRAGON GATE CHARTER PETITION LILA HELLO. YES I'M SORRY I DON'T I JUST GOT CONFUSED BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE VIRTUAL PARTICIPANTS BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF YES I'M SORRY BUT THE TIME RAN OUT SO WE DIDN'T GET TO THE NON AGENDA ITEMS SO WE'RE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING NO. OKAY THANK YOU LAURIE PLEASE. TONIGHT THE DRAGON GATE CHARTER SCHOOL PETITION THEIR APPLICATION MOVED AHEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER WHEN SO FEW FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. EVEN SO, DURING JUST THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZED A PETITION OPPOSING IT AND GATHERED OVER 250 SIGNATURES. THAT SWIFT RESPONSE SHOWS BROAD
PUBLIC OPPOSITION CHARTER SCHOOL EXPANSION IS A DIRECT DRIVER OF SFD WITH THIS FISCAL CRISIS EVERY YEAR MORE THAN $32 MILLION IN PUBLIC FUNDING GOES TO PRIVATELY RUN CHARTERS INSTEAD OF CEP USD DRAGON GATE ALONE WOULD TAKE ANOTHER $5 MILLION ANNUALLY PROMPTING PROGRAM CUTS STAFF LAYOFFS AND EVEN SCHOOL CLOSURES. AND WHEN YOU CLOSE AND CONSOLIDATE SCHOOLS YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY PRE CLEARING FACILITY SPACE FOR NEW CHARTERS TO MOVE IN FUELING A CYCLE OF PRIVATIZATION. THAT'S WHY WE ALSO URGE YOU TO HALT SHORT SIGHTED CLOSURE PLANS. NOW DRAGON GATE CLAIMS IT WOULD MOSTLY CAPTURE FAMILIES FROM PRIVATE SCHOOLS BECAUSE IF YOU WERE CITY ITSELF CAN ATTRACT AND RETAIN THOSE FAMILIES. DO ITS OWN K THROUGH EIGHT MENTORING PROGRAM AND OTHER INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS BRINGING ENROLLMENT AND FUNDING INTO SFP. MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU. >> THAT'S YOUR TIME. CINDY CHIN YEAH. CINDY CINDY TEN OKAY OKAY WE'LL COME BACK. CODY FRYDENBERG CODY. HI MY NAME IS CODY AND I'M THE PARENT OF AN FFA U.S.
MANDARIN IMMERSION STUDENT. I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR MY CHILD BEING ABLE TO LEARN A SECOND LANGUAGE OR A HERITAGE LANGUAGE IN THE U.S. HOWEVER, THIS SHOULD SAY THE FUNDS FOR US YOU SHOULD STAY WITHIN SFA USD. WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE PROGRAMS THAT TAKE FUNDS AWAY FROM STUDENTS AND FURTHER HARM STUDENTS THROUGH CO-LOCATION. I FULLY SUPPORT ADDITIONAL MANDARIN PROGRAM BUT LET'S DO IT THROUGH SFD. WE KNOW WE CAN DO IT. WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND WE EVEN HAVE A PLAN AND FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT. NOW IF IT WERE A ZERO SUM GAME AND WE COULD HAVE BOTH OPTIONS WITHOUT COSTING STUDENTS THEN THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE. THANK YOU BERNICE CASEY WE'RE IN EXPERTISE. CASEY I'M A PARENT OF TWO AS OPPOSED TO CHILDREN I DON'T REALLY THINK I HAVE MUCH MORE TO SAY BASED ON WHAT THE OTHER SPEAKERS JUST SAID. PLEASE DO NOT GRANT THIS CHARTER. THERE'S LIMITS ON SPECIAL EDUCATION. WE CAN'T HAVE THAT AND IT TAKES MONEY AWAY FROM OTHER STUDENTS
AND OTHER FAMILIES WHO HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CODY, ARE YOU THERE? OH, IS IT I'M SORRY. WELL, THAT CONCLUDES OUR VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT. PRESIDENT KIM THANK YOU AT THIS IF WE CAN GET MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PLEASE TAKE THEIR CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE PLEASE AS WE ENTER OUR PRESENTATION FROM PETITIONERS AND STAFF. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO INVITE STAFF AND PETITIONERS TO PRESENT. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MANUEL MARTINEZ. I'M THE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR SFI USD. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. I WANTED TO START OFF BY GIVING OUR SINCERE THANKS TO PETITIONERS. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION BUT I DO WANT TO JUST REPORT VERY DEFINITIVELY THAT THEY'VE BEEN GOOD, THEY'VE BEEN DECENT AND FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW THERE'S THERE'S A SITUATION HERE WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE WITH GOOD INTENTIONS AND WE'RE HERE TO
MAKE A DECISION ABOUT SOME PAPERWORK BUT NOT ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL FOLKS. AND I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT. >> TODAY'S PROCESS IS THE FINAL STEP IN THE HEARING REGARDING THE PETITION AND THIS IS ALL PURSUANT TO ED CODE. THE HEARING PROCESS IS SET FORTH IN EDUCATION CODE SECTION 47 6O5B THE STAFF REPORT PROCESS AS SET FORTH IN EDUCATION CODE SECTION 47 6O5C THE MILESTONES TO GET TO TO THIS POINT HAVE BEEN AS FOLLOWS THE PETITION WAS SUBMITTED ON JUNE 2ND, 2025. THE BOARD HAD ITS INITIAL HEARING TO GAUGE PUBLIC SUPPORT PURSUANT TO ED CODE ON JULY 29TH 2025. THE STAFF REPORT WAS PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO LAW ON AUGUST 11TH, 2025. >> NOW THIS IS WHERE THE TIMELINE DEVIATES A LITTLE BIT FROM THE ED CODE. ON AUGUST 19TH WE RECEIVED SOME AMENDMENTS FROM PETITIONERS. I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT DISTRICT STAFF DID ASK PETITIONERS BEFORE THE PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT FOR
SOME CLARIFYING INFORMATION BUT WE RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF THE STAFF REPORT SO THOSE AMENDMENTS WERE NOT DISCUSSED IN THE STAFF REPORT. HOWEVER, AFTER REVIEW OF THE AMENDMENTS SEVERAL OF THE ELEMENTS ADDRESSED IN THE AMENDMENTS NOT ONLY WERE UNTIMELY BUT WERE ALSO DEEMED BY STAFF TO BE MATERIAL AMENDMENTS NOT CLERICAL AS OFFERED BY PETITIONERS AND THEREFORE STAFF DISAGREES THAT EVEN IF WE WERE TO ALLOW FOR THE UNTIMELY AMENDMENTS TO BE MADE THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE MOVED THE NEEDLE ON THE MORE SERIOUS CONCERNS THAT STAFF HAD ON THE REPORT. SO WE WOULD FRAME AS STAFF THEIR AMENDMENTS TO BE MATERIAL REVISIONS WHICH ARE EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED BY LAW. TONIGHT IS THE FINAL STEP. IT IS THE DECISION OR HEARING YOU'VE ALREADY HAD PUBLIC COMMENT. AND TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
FROM MY COLLEAGUE MR. CHRIS ARMENTROUT AND THEN FROM PETITIONERS. THANK YOU, MR. MARTINEZ. GOOD EVENING, DR. SUE COMMISSIONERS MY NAME IS CHRIS ARMENTROUT. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND PLANNING AND I LED THE TEAM TO PREPARE THE STAFF REPORT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU. BEFORE I BEGIN I DO WANT TO ECHO MR. MARTINEZ'S COMMENT AND TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO THE GROUP HERE. I THINK YOU CAN SEE FROM THE REPORT AND FROM THE PETITION THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS EFFORT THAT WENT FORWARD AND MAYBE IT'S TIME FOR ME TO BE EXPRESSING MY APPRECIATION GIVEN OUR RECOMMENDATION. BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE VISION AND THE GOAL THAT THAT THIS GROUP IS PUTTING FORWARD IS A REALLY GREAT ONE. AND WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE TIME THE EFFORT. THESE ARE FOLKS THAT HAVE VERY BUSY LIVES AND I'M SURE THEY WOULD LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN TO BE ABLE TO LIVE THEIR LIVES
AND TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO A GREAT SCHOOL. BUT THEY TOOK IT ON THEMSELVES TO MAKE THIS EFFORT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THEIR KIDS. AND FOR THE FOUR GENERATIONS OF KIDS AND SO I DO REALLY DO I SINCERELY MEAN THAT WHEN I SAY THAT I APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORT TO DO THIS. AND I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND APPRECIATION TO THE TO THE TEAM THAT HELPED PRODUCE THIS REPORT. I SHARED EARLIER THAT THERE WERE 14 DIFFERENT MANAGERS WHO HELPED PRODUCE THIS WHO DID ALL THE ANALYSIS FOR THE VARIOUS AREAS OF EXPERTISE. I THINK WE ESTIMATED CONSERVATIVELY THERE ARE SOMETHING CLOSE TO 200 YEARS OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE COLLECTIVELY THAT WAS REPRESENTED THERE. AND THAT INCLUDES REPRESENTATIVES FROM CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION, LEGAL BUSINESS SERVICES, RESEARCH, HUMAN RESOURCES AND THE EDUCATIONAL PLACEMENT CENTER. >> AND YOU MAY RECALL AT OUR LAST MEETING I PRESENTED THAT THERE WERE 15 KEY ELEMENTS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT. AND AGAIN THIS RANGES FROM THEIR GOVERNANCE, FROM THEIR EDUCATION PROGRAM TO THEIR USE
OF STUDENT DATA A WHOLE MATRIX OF HOW IT'S LAID OUT THERE. SO OUR MANAGERS ARE SOMETIMES LOOKING MORE THAN ONE MORE THAN ONE ASSIGNED TO ONE OF THESE AREAS PRODUCE THEIR ANALYSIS THROUGH THE LENS OF ED CODE 47605. THEY CAME UP WITH THEIR ANALYSIS THEN FROM THOSE 15 BASICALLY SEPARATE REPORTS THOSE FED INTO THE EIGHT CRITERIA THAT ARE LET OUT THERE WITHIN EDUCATION CODE 476O5 PART C ONE THROUGH EIGHT. SO YOU MAY SEE IN THE REPORT THAT YOU'LL SEE VARIOUS ELEMENTS ARE KIND OF INFORM VARIOUS DIFFERENT PARTS OF THAT . SO I'M NOT TO MAKE THE REPORT AS QUITE LENGTHY. I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER IT IN DETAIL TONIGHT BUT RATHER JUST AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL. THE ISSUE IS THAT THE PLAN WE RECEIVED WE DO NOT THINK IS WORKABLE AS IT STANDS THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS FOR US TO MAKE
BASICALLY THE LEAP OF FAITH TO BE ABLE TO ENDORSE THIS. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THIS IS COMING AT THE WRONG TIME FOR SFI USD WHILE WE ARE IN NEGATIVE CERTIFICATION. SO IN SUMMARY VERY QUICKLY THE KEY AREAS ARE UNDER 476O5C8 WHICH SPEAKS TO THE REBUTTABLE ASSUMPTION OF DENIAL AROUND A CHARTER PETITION FOR A DISTRICT OR NEGATIVE CERTIFICATION IN 470605 PARTS C ONE AND C TWO THAT'S CONNECTED TO ISSUES AND CONCERNS AROUND THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND THE LIKELIHOOD THAT IT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED SUCCESSFULLY. AND THEN FINALLY FOR 76O5C7 WHICH IS SPEAKING TO THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY WHICH WE DID NOT ULTIMATELY SEE THIS AS SERVING. SO THAT IS BASICALLY OUR SUMMARY WILL LEAVE MORE TIME FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS AND FOCUS THERE. >> AND I DO WANT TO GIVE ONE MORE CHANCE FOR THE PETITIONERS IF YOU DO WISH TO PRESENT. I DO WANT TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY. YEAH. OKAY. VERY GOOD. >> WE'RE HERE TO. OH, YOU'RE HERE? YES, SIR. OKAY. SO EXCUSE ME JUST TO CORRECT. SO THE PETITIONERS HAD REACHED OUT TO ME. THEY WERE OPTING NOT TO PRESENT TONIGHT BUT WE JUST WANTED FOR
THE RECORD TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THEY DID HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. AND SO WE WILL MOVE DIRECTLY TO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO INVITE COMMISSIONERS TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR PETITIONERS OR PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS. COMMISSIONERS HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. MR. SEAL IF YOU CAN CHECK THAT FOR US. IS THERE SOMEONE WHO LIKE TO START US OFF? COMMISSIONER FISHER IT'S I'M ACTUALLY SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE NOT ACTUALLY PRESENTING TO US TONIGHT IN MY EXPERIENCE AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND A MEMBER OF THE OUR CHARTER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. THE HISTORICAL PRACTICE HAS BEEN WHENEVER A CHARTER SCHOOL COMES TO US THERE'S A PRESENTATION AND AND YOU COME WITH US WITH THE PRESENTATION POTENTIALLY PROVIDING ANSWERS TO THE INFORMATION WHERE WE SAY WHERE WE MIGHT SAY YOU DON'T MEET IT. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY OF THAT DATA TO SHARE WITH US OR A PRESENTATION TO SHARE ABOUT OUR OUR FINDINGS? DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPONSE TO OUR
FINDINGS? >> WELL, I'M HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON THE FINDINGS. YEAH. SO SOME OF THE FINDINGS OH, EXCUSE ME. AM I ALLOWED TO SPEAK? YES. MR. YEAH. THANK YOU, MR. SEAL. YES. SO WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON THE FINDINGS SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME OF THE FINDINGS YOU COULD SAY WERE ARBITRARY. SOME OF THE FINDINGS YOU COULD SAY WERE INACCURATE AND FALSE. SO WE'RE JUST HERE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON THEM. IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO REFUTE A CLAIM THAT'S MADE ARBITRARILY . SO IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER THEM AND THE QUESTIONS FOR US WE'RE HERE TO AS WE PRESENTED ALSO PREVIOUSLY WHEN WE WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO YOU DURING THIS PROCESS AND YOU COULD HAVE ALSO EXPRESSED YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE FROM US AND WE CAN ENGAGE INDIVIDUALLY OUTSIDE
OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU DIDN'T RESPOND TO OUR EMAIL WHEN WE HAD OFFERED TO MEET WITH YOU AND SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT OUR CHARTER PETITION SO IF YOU HAD EMAILED US WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ENGAGE BUT I'M SORRY WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM YOU. COMMISSIONER RAY GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU SO MUCH ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S PRESENCE. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO ASK. SO I'M JUST GOING TO START BY ASKING QUICKLY. FIRST OF ALL, I SEE THAT A NUMBER OF FOLKS HAVE COMMENTED ON WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS AN 11% CAP ON STUDENTS WITH IEPS OR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. WHEN I READ THE PETITION THERE WAS REFERENCES TO LIKE MIRRORING I THINK OR TO REFLECTING THE POPULATION OF S.W.A.T. SO I JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT IS THAT 11% CITED IN YOUR PETITION MEANT TO BE A CAP OR IS IT DOES IT HAVE ANOTHER MEANING WITHIN THE PETITION? SECOND I'M STRINGING MY QUESTIONS BECAUSE OF THE TIME LIMIT HERE. I NOTICED THAT YOU SUBMITTED A
SECOND AMENDMENT DOCUMENT THAT CONTAINED A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS. SO I WANTED TO TO ASK YOU ABOUT THOSE AND THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A QUESTION PERHAPS FOR MR. MARTINEZ AND MR. ARMENTROUT MORE THAN FOR YOU WHAT THE IMPACT IS OF SUBMITTING THOSE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR STATEMENTS AFTER YOU KNOW, AFTER THE STAFF REPORT. AND THEN THIRD, I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION THAT HAS BEEN REFERENCED AND ASK WHETHER YOU CAN POINT ME TO ANY SPECIFIC EVIDENCE TO REBUT THE PRESUMPTION THAT ARISES FROM THE DISTRICT'S NEGATIVE FISCAL CERTIFICATION. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. >> YEAH. SO THE 11% A VERY HOT TOPIC. THE 11% IN THE CHARTER PETITION IS IN REFERENCE AND USED AS PART OF THE BUDGET NARRATIVE. AND BUDGETING. SO WE NEED TO CREATE A BUDGET FORECAST. WE NEED TO CREATE PROJECTION. WE NEED TO CREATE A NARRATIVE OF WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT. OF COURSE. IT CAN BE MORE, IT COULD BE
LESS BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF A CHARTER PETITION PROCESS WE NEED TO CREATE A BUDGET FORECAST AND ENROLLMENT FORECAST. SO AN 11% IS JUST SIMPLY AN ESTIMATE. AND SO WHEN I MENTIONED AS FALSE ASSERTIONS THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CHARTER PETITION THAT SAYS THERE IS AN 11% CAP ON SPECIAL EDUCATION. SO THE REPORT IN MANY WAYS AT LEAST IN THIS REGARD IS SIMPLY FALSE. SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT IT WAS CHARACTERIZED IN THAT WAY AS A CAP. THERE'S NO CAP. IT'S SIMPLY FOR BUDGETING PROJECTIONS, FORECASTING FINANCING WHICH ARE AS MR. MARTINEZ AND MR. ARMENTROUT WOULD AGREE ARE REQUIRED AS PART OF THIS PROCESS WE MUST PRESENT A FORECAST. WE MUST PRESENT ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS AND TO SUGGEST THAT THERE'S A CAP ON SPECIAL EDUCATION IS VERY UNFORTUNATE. IT'S INSULTING AND AND AS YOU CAN SEE CREATED A LOT OF ANGST
IN THE COMMUNITY AND I THINK THE DISTRICT SHOULD APOLOGIZE. WHAT WAS YOUR NEXT QUESTION? >> THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT I HAD ASKED HER ABOUT THE WHAT EVIDENCE THE GATE HAS REGARDING THE REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION SINCE THAT IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT. AND THEN THE QUESTION ABOUT THE THE IMPACT AND THAT IS PERHAPS BETTER ANSWERED BY MR. MARTINEZ OR MR. ERVIN TRIAL I OUT I WOULD LOVE THE YEAH BUT IN TERMS OF THE THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WAS SUBMITTED YEAH I WOULD SO I WOULD DIRECT THAT TO MR. MARTINEZ ON THE LAST QUESTION BECAUSE HE MENTIONED IT IT'S IT'S THE DISTRICT'S OPINION THAT THEIR MATERIAL WE'RE OF THE OPINION THAT THEY'RE IMMATERIAL WE'RE NOT CHANGING ENROLLMENT FIGURES PROGRAM MATERIAL OF I'M SORRY CURRICULUM MATERIAL OR STRUCTURE OF THE OF THE SCHOOL THEY WERE IMMATERIAL TO THE CHARTER PETITION ITSELF IN ITS CORE THINGS AROUND FOR ONE K COMPLIANCE WHICH WE FOUND TO BE MATERIAL SO IT'S IT'S HIS OPINION WHICH HE'S ALLOWED TO
HAVE AND HE STATED AS SUCH WE JUST HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON THAT. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION COMMISSIONER RAY. SO UNDER THE LAW ESSENTIALLY THEIR HOMEWORK WAS DUE ON THE DATE OF THE PETITION WAS SUBMITTED. THE LAW DOESN'T REQUIRE A SEASON OF SUBMISSION. THERE'S NO DEADLINE OF SAY JANUARY OR DECEMBER. PETITIONERS ARE FREE TO SUBMIT WHENEVER THEY WANT. THE TRADEOFF THERE IS THAT IT HAS TO BE COMPLETE AND IT HAS TO BE ESSENTIALLY THEIR PLAN. AND ONCE THEY GET THEIR PLAN THEY'RE LOCKED IN. ONCE THEY START KIND OF DEVIATING FROM THE MATERIAL STRUCTURE OF THEIR PLAN THAT IS DEEMED A MATERIAL AMENDMENT WHICH IS NOT ALLOWED BY THE EDUCATION CODE SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE AT THAT POINT THE GOAL LINE WOULD MOVE AND WOULD PREVENT THIS BOARD FROM EVER ACTUALLY DECIDING ON WHAT THE ACTUAL PLAN IS WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT MEASUREMENT BECAUSE FOR EVERYBODY'S SAKE FOR THE BOARD'S SAKE, FOR THE SCHOOL'S SAKE AND FOR THE COMMUNITY'S SAKE WE WOULD NEED
TO KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT THEY INTEND TO DO ON ALL OF THOSE 15 ELEMENTS. I WOULD THEN YOU KNOW, TURN IT OVER TO MR. ARMENTROUT TO EXPLAIN IN JUST BRIEF BROAD STROKES AS TO WHAT THE MATERIALITY OF THOSE AMENDMENTS REALLY WERE. AGAIN, AFTER WE'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED THE STAFF REPORT, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE DID ASK THEM QUESTIONS LEADING LIKE BEFORE THE STAFF REPORT WHICH WAS PUBLISHED ON AUGUST 11TH WE GOT THE MATERIAL AMENDMENTS WHICH THE DAY THE 26 SO ABOUT SEVEN DAYS AGO AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT WOULD MADE IT INTO THE STATUTORILY REQUIRED TIMELINE OF THE STAFF REPORT. SO EVEN JUST FROM LOOKING AT IT FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT, IF THESE AMENDMENTS WERE DESIGNED TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THE PETITION, THEY WERE SUBMITTED WELL PAST THE STATUTORY TIMELINE FOR THIS BOARD TO CONSIDER ITS OWN STAFF REPORT. >> >> THANK YOU. MS. MARTINEZ. I DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE THE
DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS BUT JUST TO FRAME THE REASON WHY WE CONSIDERED THESE MORE OF A MATERIAL. SO ONE EXAMPLE IS THAT THERE WAS A A PLAN WITHIN THERE TO OFFER A41K IN LIEU OF COUNT OF CALSTRS. AND THE PROBLEM IS IS THAT THAT'S NOT ALLOWED UNDER THE LAW WHICH CHANGED IN 2023. SO IT WAS COMPLETELY COMPLETE. NOW YOU CAN SAY LIKE WELL OKAY THAT'S A MINOR THING. AND THEN THEIR CORRECTION WAS WELL WE'LL JUST OFFER CALSTRS FINE. BUT PART OF THE PROBLEM IS IS THAT THE OFFERING OF A41K WAS PRESENTED AS PART OF THEIR INNOVATION FOR PART OF THEIR RECRUITMENT. IT WAS PUT FORWARD AS PART OF THE WAY THAT THEIR BUDGET IS SET UP. SIMILAR KIND OF THING WITH THE WAY THAT THE THE RETIREMENT OPTIONS WERE OFFERED FOR RECLASSIFIED. AND AGAIN THIS HAS A KIND OF A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT SO YOU CHANGE THIS ONE THING THAN YOU'RE CHANGING A MATERIAL PART OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN TERMS OF HOW THEY'RE GOING TO HOW THEY'RE GOING TO RECRUIT PEOPLE IT'S CHANGING HOW THEIR BUDGET IS. AND THIS SPEAKS TO HOW WE DIDN'T HAVE A VERY DETAILED BUDGET TO REALLY GO ON. SO THAT WAS PROBLEMATIC FOR US.
SO THAT'S A GOOD ILLUSTRATION FOR WHY WE CONSIDER THESE THESE THINGS MATERIAL. >> ANOTHER ISSUE IN THERE WAS THAT THE THEY DID NOT THEY HAD A LINE IN THERE THAT SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE 50% OF THEIR TEACHERS QUALIFIED BY 2 OR 3 YEARS. >> AND OF COURSE YOU NEED TO HAVE 1% OF YOUR TEACHERS QUALIFY OR HAVE THEM EITHER FORMALLY WAIVED OR HAVE THE PERMITS OR HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE BEFORE ANYONE CAN COME IN THERE TO TEACH. AND AGAIN, MAYBE THAT'S LOOKED AT AS AS JUST A SMALL DETAIL. WE CONSIDER THAT A PRETTY BIG STEP. AND SO THAT'S THAT WAS WHY WE CONSIDERED THESE THINGS ON THAT ORDER OF BEING A MATERIAL REVISION. WE DO CONSIDER THEM QUITE SIGNIFICANT. I SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT PETITIONERS HAD SENT US EARLIER A SERIES OF CORRECTIONS IS ACTUALLY IN THE REPORT OF TYPOS AND THINGS THAT WERE CORRECTING. THEY HAD MIS BALANCED THEY HAD DIFFERENT NUMBERS FOR THEIR ATTENDANCE THAT DIDN'T MATCH UP . WE ACCEPTED ALL THOSE AND INCORPORATED THAT ALL INTO
THE WAY THAT WE DID OUR FINDINGS FOR IT. SO I HOPE THAT THAT SPEAKS TO YOUR YOUR QUESTION COMMISSIONER, ON THAT. AND JUST TO TO ANSWER ON THE QUESTION ON THE 11%, WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T SAY THAT THEY HAD 11% CAP. OUR PROBLEM WAS THAT THEY WERE BUDGETING AND EVERYTHING WAS FOCUSED ON AROUND 11%. OUR POINT AND THIS WAS WHY IT WAS AN AREA OF CONCERN IS BECAUSE OUR BACK OUR DISTRICT STANDARD IS 14%. SO THERE WAS A MISMATCH THERE. WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. THAT WAS THAT WAS WHERE WE WERE COMING FROM. >> I ALSO WANTED TO ADDRESS THE PART COMMISSIONER RAY REGARDING THE REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION. IT BRINGS ME NO PLEASURE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AND WE'VE INCLUDED IT AS PART OF THE STAFF REPORT THAT THE DISTRICTS BEEN ON NOTICE FROM THE CDC FOR AT LEAST THE LAST TWO YEARS OF OUR NEGATIVE CERTIFICATION. IT'S BEEN PUBLICLY DISCUSSED AND SO PETITIONERS UNDER THE LAW UNDER THE NEW RECENT MODIFICATIONS UNDER THE LAW WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A ROBUST
FULL THROATED REBUTTAL AGAINST HOW THAT ESTABLISHMENT OF THEIR SCHOOL WOULD WOULD WORK UNDER OUR NEGATIVE CERTIFICATION AND THAT JUST WAS ABSENT. >> I BELIEVE WE ALSO HAVE ELLIOTT ON ZOOM. SO TO YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER RAY ELLIOTT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS HERE? YEAH. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER OR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SUPERINTENDENTS THE OUR ANALYSIS OF THIS IS VERY SIMPLE BUT IMPORTANT AS MR. MARTINEZ POINTED OUT, IT'S UNDER SECTION FOUR GETTING THE ED CODE FOR 7605C38 AND IT'S IT GIVES REASON FOR DENIAL OF PETITION AND THAT IS IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT IS UNDER A NEGATIVE OR QUALIFIED CERTIFICATION AND SAN FRANCISCO AS MR. MARTINEZ POINTED OUT IS UNDER A NEGATIVE CERTIFICATION AND I WANT TO JUST SAY WHY THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THERE THROUGH A COMPLEX ANALYSIS OF THEIR INTERIM REPORTS, YOUR INTERIM REPORTS EACH YEAR BY THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, A DETERMINATION HAS BEEN MADE AND CONTINUES TO BE MADE WILL SEE IF HOW MUCH LONGER IT DOES I SUSPECT IT'S NOT GOING TO END IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO OR EVEN MONTH OR TWO AND SORRY PROBABLY NOT AT YOUR FIRST INTERIM EITHER BUT BASICALLY THAT THE DISTRICT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MEET ITS FISCAL OBLIGATIONS FOR THE CURRENT OR NEXT FISCAL TWO FISCAL YEARS. YOU HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN GETTING TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GET WITH THAT BUT IT'S NOT DONE YET AND IT'S NOT YOU WOULD NEED TO HAVE A POSITIVE CERTIFICATION MEANING YOU CAN AND YOU'VE DEMONSTRATED THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO MEET YOUR FISCAL OBLIGATIONS. THAT MEANS THAT ANYTHING THAT BECOMES A NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTE TO YOUR BUDGET IS JUST GOING TO AGGRAVATE. THAT'S A SITUATION OF HAVING A NEGATIVE CERTIFICATION AND AS MR. MARTINEZ POINTS OUT IS IS
REBUTTABLE AND IT HADN'T BEEN REBUTTED. WE TAKE NO POSITION BY THE WAY I PROBABLY NEED TO SAY THIS AND NOT WE. I YOU KNOW I, I SPEAK AS A CDC FISCAL ADVISOR MY ONLY WHEELHOUSE HERE IS THE FISCAL SOLVENCY OF THE DISTRICT. I DO NOT ANALYZE THE PETITION IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM BUT I DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ANALYZING THE DISTRICT'S BUDGET . THANK YOU, ELIOT. I'M CAN I HAVE I REQUEST TO SPEAK TO ADDRESS OUR COMMITTEE MEMBER YET? MR. ARMENTROUT I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONED THAT THE STAFF REPORT DOES NOT SAY THAT THE CHARTER PETITION CAPS SPECIAL EDUCATION BUT READING FROM THE STAFF REPORT VERBATIM THE PETITION ALSO APPEARS TO CAP THEIR POPULATION OF STUDENTS WITH IEPS TO 11%. THAT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR. SO THAT'S A FALSE STATEMENT IF I MAY. OKAY. SO LET ME TRY TO BE BETTER
BETTER ARTICULATE HERE. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS IS THAT THE WAY THAT THIS IS FRAMED WITHIN THE REPORT IT BECOMES A APPEARS TO BE A SEEM TO BE A DE FACTO CAP IN THE WAY THAT THEY ARE BUDGETING IN THE WAY THEY ARE PLANNING. SO I HAD ACTUALLY LENGTHY CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR INTERIM HEAD OF SPECIAL ED AROUND THIS POINT BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS VERY KEY AND ONE THING THAT WAS POINTED OUT TO ME WAS THAT ONE ARE MERE IF THEY WERE LOOKING DOING THE RESEARCH THEY WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT AHMIR WAS 14%. SO THAT'S TROUBLING BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT PUT OUT THERE. SECONDLY, WE MAKE IT VERY CLEAR WE TAKE ALL STUDENTS WHO COME TO US. WE DON'T SET A CAP. WE DON'T SET ANY KIND OF LIMIT. WE DON'T SET ANY KIND OF PLANNING LIKE THAT. AND IT APPEARS THAT THERE WAS NO LANGUAGE WITHIN THEIR REPORT THAT ADDRESSED THAT. THAT STILL REMAINS AN AREA OF CONCERN. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER WISEMAN THANK YOU. I JUST I, I GUESS WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT THE 11% BUT I WANT TO SAY IS A LAY PERSON IN TERMS OF NOT CHARTER SCHOOL EXPERT BUT ALSO AS AN ATTORNEY
IN READING PAGE 11 OF THE CHARTER PETITION WHERE IT SAYS IS COMMITTED TO PARTNERING ETC. ETC. TO DELIVER COMPREHEND OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES FOR 11% OF STUDENTS. WHEN I READ THAT I UNDERSTOOD OKAY THERE'S A COMMITMENT TO 11% BUT IF IT'S BEYOND 11% AT BEST WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. AT WORST IT'S A FUNCTIONAL CAP IS HOW I UNDERSTOOD THAT TO TO TO READ SO JUST FROM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ONE READER ANOTHER READER I SHOULD SAY AND I ALSO HAD A QUESTION WERE YOU ALL AWARE THAT EVERY GO OWLS PICTURE IS ON YOUR REPORT IN YOUR PETITION THAT THERE'S A PICTURE OF EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL IN YOUR DOCUMENTS PRESENT AGAIN? >> YES. AM I AWARE THAT THE SCHOOL IS MENTIONED IN THE CHARTER PETITION KNOW THAT THERE'S A PICTURE SO THAT UNDER CO-LOCATION IS SMART STRATEGY? THERE IS A LOVELY PICTURE OF THE LOVELY EVERETT MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO MY QUESTION IS ARE YOU AWARE THAT THAT PICTURE WAS USED? YES. SO AS PART OF THE CHARTER
PETITION WE ARE REQUIRED TO PUT FORTH THE FACILITIES PROPOSAL AND OUR STRATEGY IS CO-LOCATION WHICH IS A STRATEGY THAT UTILIZES EXISTING FACILITIES AS NOT TO PLACE ANY ADDITIONAL BURDEN ON THE DISTRICT. AS WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE'S MANY SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT FULLY ENROLLED AND HAVE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY. SO IT'S OUR GOAL TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT HURT THE DISTRICT'S BUDGET ISSUES AS HAS BEEN KIND OF WELL DOCUMENTED ANY FURTHER. WE'VE ALSO MENTIONED OTHER SCHOOLS AS PART OF THAT AND WE ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE'RE OPEN TO ANY OTHER SCHOOL AND WE'RE WILLING TO PARTNER WITH THE DISTRICT. BUT WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND WE'VE LOOKED AT THE MASTER FACILITIES PLAN AND WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF THE CAPACITY THAT'S AVAILABLE ACROSS DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. WE HAVE ALSO CONSIDERED THIS CONCEPT OF A CENTRALLY LOCATED MANAGED IMMERSION SCHOOLS. SO WE LOOKED AT SCHOOLS THAT HAD CAPACITY THAT WERE GENERALLY CENTRALLY LOCATED SO THAT WE COULD ACHIEVE THOSE
GOALS. >> OKAY. SO JUST TO CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE MOST OF US RIGHT? YEAH. SORRY WE CAN ONLY HAVE ONE MIKE AT A TIME. SO JUST TO CLARIFY. YES. YOU KNEW THAT THERE WAS A PICTURE OF EVERETT MIDDLE SCHOOL PLACED ON YOUR POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT WAS INCLUDED WITH THE JULY 29TH MEETING. JUST YES OR NO ON THE EVERETT PICTURE. I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. YES, I'M AWARE THERE'S A PHOTO OF THE SCHOOL. YES. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS JUSTIN DELEGATES COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER SORRY, I WANTED TO SPEAK A BIT TO THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM UNDER ED CODE FOUR SEVEN 6 OR 5 C ONE I AM ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM I BELIEVE WHO HAS ACTUALLY STARTED A SCHOOL SO SO I HAVE SOME SENSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF IT AND ACTUALLY AND SHE WAS HERE TOO SHE STARTED THE SCHOOL SORRY. SO I SAID FEW PEOPLE I DIDN'T SAY THE ONLY ONE. I SAID A FEW PEOPLE. SO I HAVE SOME SENSE OF THE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF IT AND AND FOR ME ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS WAS WHERE IT SAYS IN THE STAFF REPORT THAT THERE
ARE SERIOUS CONCERNS I'M QUOTING NOW ABOUT THE SOUNDNESS AND FEASIBILITY OF THE PROPOSED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IT LACKS INTERNAL CONSISTENCY AND ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS AND OFFERS ASPIRATIONAL GOALS WITHOUT RESEARCH BASED STRATEGIES OR SMART METRICS TO GUIDE IMPLEMENTATION. IT DOES NOT DEMONSTRATE AN ADEQUATE UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEEDS OF ENGLISH LEARNERS A GROUP LIKELY TO COMPRISE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE STUDENT BODY. IT OMITS KEY LEGAL AND INSTRUCTIONAL COMPONENTS INCLUDING PROCESSES FOR ENGLISH LEARNER IDENTIFICATION, APPROPRIATE SUPPORTS FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND PLANS FOR RECLASSIFICATION AND MONITORING . ADDITIONALLY, THE PETITION FAILS TO DESCRIBE HOW WE WILL DELIVER A STANDARDS ALIGNED LDA CURRICULUM OR ENGAGE MEANINGFULLY WITH ELL ENGLISH LEARNER FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. THESE GAPS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SCHOOL'S READINESS TO SERVE A DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION EFFECTIVELY AND SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY RESPONSES TO THOSE. AGAIN, I MEAN THIS DOESN'T AS I THINK MR. ARMENTROUT SAID OR MR. MARTINEZ THAT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM THE INTENTION THE
GOOD INTENTIONS NOR THE THE VISION, RIGHT. I THINK THERE'S BROAD AGREEMENT THAT WE NEED MORE LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAMS. BUT IN TERMS OF THE EDUCATION NATIONAL CAPACITY TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT A SCHOOL I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE BECAUSE TO ME THAT WAS IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THESE OTHER CONCERNS THAT WAS KIND OF A GLARING CONCERN. IT'S A IT'S A IT'S A REAL IT'S A SACRED TRUST TO TAKE ON THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN AND WE NEED IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THAT TO SOMEONE, WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN THEY CAN DO IT. SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY RESPONSE TO THOSE CONCERNS . WHAT WAS THE SPECIFIC QUESTION? JUST RESPONSE TO CONCERNS SORRY, THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE THE LACK OF ADEQUACY OF THE EDUCATION I JUST READ THAT PART I READ IT FROM THE FROM THE STAFF REPORT. >> YEAH. SO WE JUST WE DISAGREE WITH THE ASSESSMENT AND WE FEEL THAT WE'VE ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED ALL OF THOSE POINTS ARE WE DISAGREE THAT IT'S INADEQUATE. IT'S IT'S SIMPLY JUST AN
OPINION OF THE STAFF REPORT THAT THEY'RE INADEQUATE AND WE FEEL THAT THEY ARE ADEQUATE. WELL RIGHT. WHAT ABOUT THOSE VERY SPECIFIC CONCERNS THAT WERE MENTIONED? WHICH ONES? >> THE ONES I READ WHICH WOULD YOU READ? YOU ACTUALLY SAID A LOT. SO WHAT LET'S JUST GO ONE BY ONE. WHAT'S CONCERN NUMBER ONE GO WITH ANY OF THEM ANY OF THE EDUCATIONAL I ONLY HAVE 30S LEFT. THAT'S WHY I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM BECAUSE WE'RE OUR TIME IS LIMITED SO ANY OF THE EDUCATIONAL CONCERNS I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO RESPOND IF YOU IF YOU IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, THAT'S FINE. WELL, I THINK THAT SO THE TWO CONCERNS WERE AND ARE CAN I SPEAK AND I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME YOUR TIME IS OUR TIME IS LIMITED SO SO WE JUST WE DISAGREE WITH THE CONCERNS WE FELT THAT WE ADDRESSED IT IN THE CHARTER PETITION. WE FELT THAT THEY WERE ROBUSTLY DOCUMENTED, ROBUSTLY ARTICULATED ACROSS THE CHARTER PETITION JUST LIKE THE 11% EXAMPLE WHERE HE SAYS THAT IT'S NOT CAP WHERE HE SAYS THAT IT'S
CAPPED BUT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT CAPPED. THERE'S MANY OTHER THINGS WITHIN THE STAFF REPORT THAT ARE I WOULD SAY VERY BIAS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE WAY IN WHICH THE STAFF REPORT FEELS THAT THE TWO THIRDS ONE THIRD ENROLLMENT CRITERIA FOR NATIVE SPEAKER FIRST NON-NATIVE SPEAKER IS PROBLEMATIC WHEN IN FACT IT'S WRITTEN TO MIRROR EXACTLY THE DISTRICT'S POLICY FOR IMMERSION PROGRAMS. THE STAFF REPORT GOES ON TO SAY THAT LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY OR MAGIC PROFICIENCY IS A BARRIER FOR STUDENTS TO ACCESS THE MANDARIN IMMERSION PROGRAM WHEN IN FACT THAT MIRRORS EXACTLY WHAT IS WITHIN THE DISTRICT'S POLICY. THERE IS PROFICIENCY EXAMS AND PROFICIENCY TESTS FOR STUDENTS ACCESSING SPANISH IMMERSION CANTONESE IMMERSION, MANDARIN IMMERSION WITHIN THE DISTRICT. SO IT'S WITHIN THAT CONTEXT AND WITHIN THAT FRAME OF REFERENCE THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE STAFF REPORT THE STAFF REPORT WAS VERY BIASED AGAINST CHARTERS. IN FACT THE MAJORITY OF THIS BOARD SIGNED A PETITION THAT THEY WILL FIGHT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW CHARTERS.
SO IT'S IT'S THROUGH THAT LENS AND IN THAT CONTEXT THAT THE STAFF REPORT WAS WRITTEN. SO IT'S THE STAFF REPORT'S OPINION THAT THEY'RE INADEQUATE BUT IT'S THROUGH THAT LENS OF BIAS. IT'S THROUGH THAT LENS OF THE PLEDGE THAT MANY OF YOU I BELIEVE THE SUPER MAJORITY OF THIS BOARD HAS TAKEN TO FIGHT NEW CHARTERS. SO IT'S THROUGH THAT LENS BY WHICH THOSE OPINIONS WERE FORMED. SO I DISAGREE WITH THAT OPINION THAT THEY'RE INADEQUATE. I FEEL THAT THEY ARE ADEQUATE AND IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE COMMENTS IN THE TOTALITY OF THE STAFF REPORT AND IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS BOARD AND THEIR PLEDGES AGAINST NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS, I WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT. >> I'LL JUST USE MY LAST 25 SECONDS TO SAY MY CHILDREN ATTENDED A CHARTER SCHOOL. I'M NOT ANTI CHARTER SCHOOLS. I'M ANTI BAD SCHOOL. AND SO MY CONCERN IS MY MY CONCERN IS WHETHER YOU HAVE THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERTISE IS THAT WAS THE TENOR OF MY QUESTION.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE. THANK YOU. SO CAN I RESPOND? I DON'T EITHER. OKAY. BUT CAN I NOT RESPOND? YOU ARE WELCOME TO RESPOND, HE SAYS SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, HE'S NOT AGAINST CHARTER SCHOOLS BUT HE SIGNED A PLEDGE TO FIGHT NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS. I BELIEVE THAT YOU ALSO COAUTHORED THE PLEDGE IS THAT CORRECT? ARE YOU DONE WITH YOUR COMMENT? I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. I'M TRYING TO I'M TRYING TO SQUARE THE PEG THAT HE'S NOT AGAINST CHARTERS BUT SIGNED A PLEDGE THAT SAYS HE'S GOING TO FIGHT NEW CHARTERS. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. OKAY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, VICE PRESIDENT EWING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I LIKE TO ASSURE FOR SURE I'M SURPRISED THAT THERE WASN'T A FORMAL PRESENTATION OF REBUTTAL TO THE STAFF FINDINGS WHICH I THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL FOR OUR DECISION MAKING. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT A NUMBER
OF FINDINGS THAT ARE NOT OPINION IN THE STAFF REPORT IN PARTICULAR THAT THE PETITION DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE LEGAL MANDATE THAT TEACHERS BE CERTIFICATED AND INDEED WOULD NEED TO BE DUAL LANGUAGE CERTIFICATED WHICH IS MORE EXPENSIVE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT FOR AND NOT REFLECTED IN YOUR BUDGET AND IN FACT THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM INDICATES THAT YOU'LL HAVE TEACHERS AT CERTAIN LEVELS WHO HAVE ENGLISH, MANDARIN AND CANTONESE FLUENCY BUT DOES NOT BUT SEEMS TO HAVE A PLAN TO PAY IN ILLEGALLY LOW RETIREMENT BENEFIT. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ACTUALLY RUN THE BUDGET OF THE SCHOOL TO GET ESPECIALLY HIGHLY CREDENTIALED, HIGHLY PAID TEACHERS WHEN YOU'RE OFFERING LOWER THAN AVERAGE BENEFITS AND LOWER THAN LEGAL LIMIT BENEFITS? SO THE QUESTION IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO RECRUIT TEACHERS? >> YES, HOW ARE YOU HOW IS THIS
A DEMONSTRABLY SUCCESSFULLY TO IMPLEMENT PETITION GIVEN THAT IT CONTAINS EACH OF THOSE FOR YOU JUST INCLUDING MULTIPLE FAILURES TO MEET BASIC LEGAL REQUIREMENTS? SO YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT IT'S FACT BASED AND NOT OPINION BASED BUT THEN PROVIDE AN OPINION THAT IT'S YOU DON'T FEEL THAT IT'S HIGH ENOUGH TO RECRUIT THE TEACHERS. IT DOESN'T COMPLY WITH STATE LAW. THE PAY YOUR IS SPECIFICALLY SPEAKING TO THE PROPOSED RETIREMENT BENEFITS IN THE INITIAL PETITION. OH RIGHT. YES. YES. SO WE SO WE SO WE DISAGREE ON WHAT'S MATERIAL WHAT'S THE MATERIAL AND WE WE SOUGHT TO AMEND THAT WHICH WE DISAGREE ON IF IT'S OUR RIGHT OR NOT OUR RIGHT TO AMEND REGARDING RECRUITING TEACHERS WE'VE HAD SAN FRANCISCO STATE REACH OUT TO US. THEY'RE EXCITED TO GIVE US A PIPELINE OF TEACHERS WE'VE HAD VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY SEEK TO PROVIDE US TEACHERS SO THE LEVEL OF PAY IS AN ESTIMATE
AND PART OF THE BUDGET. IN EACH YEAR OF THE BUDGET WE PROPOSE A SURPLUS SO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE PAY WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IS PROPOSED BUT BECAUSE IT'S JUST SIMPLY A FORECAST WILL YOUR BUDGET STILL PENCIL IF YOU COMPLY WITH STATE LAW BY HIRING CERTIFICATED TEACHERS WE HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN SURPLUS WITHIN THE BUDGET WE'LL BE HIRING IN THE FIRST YEAR PROBABLY FEWER THAN 12 TEACHERS AND WOULD BE ABLE TO ABSORB THAT. ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS ABOUT THE REPEATED REFERENCES IN THE ORAL PRESENTATION THAT YOU GAVE AND IN THE WRITTEN PETITION ABOUT A PREFERRED CENTRAL LOCATION AND FILLING ESSENTIALLY A MARKET NEED FOR A CENTRALLY LOCATED MANDARIN IMMERSION SCHOOL. YOUR PETITION INDICATES THAT YOU WILL SEEK TO USE DISTRICT SPACE UNDER PROP 39. MY UNDERSTANDING OF PROP 39 IS THAT IT DOES NOT ALLOW A PETITIONER TO RECEIVE A PREFERRED SPACE OR PREFERRED
ZONE OF SPACE AND SO WILL YOUR SCHOOL FUNCTION IF YOU ARE, WILL YOUR PETITION BE SUCCESSFUL AND SUCCESSFULLY RECRUIT THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THAT YOU SEEK IF YOU RECEIVE PROP 39 SPACE THAT IS ALONG ANY BORDER OF SAN FRANCISCO AS OPPOSED TO A CENTRAL LOCATION THAT YOU PREFER, THE ANSWER IS YES. I WOULD SAY THAT THE DEMAND FOR MANDARIN IMMERSION IS VERY HIGH WITHIN THE DISTRICT AS PROPOSED BY DR. SEUSS DESIRE TO EXPAND MANDARIN IMMERSION. SO I OFTEN WILL JOKE THAT YOU COULD PUT THE SCHOOL ON TREASURE ISLAND AND IT WOULD BE FULLY ENROLLED SO YES, OUR GOAL IS PROVIDING GEOGRAPHIC EQUITY FOR MANDARIN IMMERSION STUDENTS ,PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND PART OF THAT IS FINDING A LOCATION WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT TO MAKE IT CENTRAL SO THAT IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO MORE PEOPLE. SO THE MORE SO I MEAN I'M NOT A GEOMETRY MAJOR BUT MY EXPECTATION IS OF SOMETHING CENTRALLY LOCATED IT WILL BE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO MORE PEOPLE. SO THAT'S THE GOAL. BUT IF YOU IF YOU PUT US ANYWHERE IN THE CITY, I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE SCHOOL WOULD BE FULLY ENROLLED AS EVIDENCED
BY THE HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS AND THE HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES THAT SPEND BETWEEN 40 AND $50,000 FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL AND THOSE SCHOOLS ARE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I'M CONFIDENT THAT THERE'S FAMILIES ACROSS THE CITY THAT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN MANDARIN IMMERSION AND WE HAVE WE CAN GO THROUGH THE IT'S IN THE CHARTER PETITION BUT WE COULD PROBABLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE ZIP CODE AND YOU CAN DO THAT OF ALL OF THE PARENTS THAT SIGNED THE CHARTER PETITION BECAUSE THEY PROVIDED THEIR ADDRESS IN FACT IT WAS POSTED ONLINE. SO IT'S VERY ACCESSIBLE TO YOU AND THEN YOU COULD PROBABLY TAKE A LOOK AND SEE FROM A GEOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE IF IT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE. BUT I WOULD EVEN THROW IT OVER TO ALBERT WHO LIVES ON BASICALLY IS BASICALLY LIVES ON THE BEACH AND HE TRAVELS ACROSS THE CITY FOR MANDARIN IMMERSION . THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL DOMINIC WE SPOKE EARLIER HE LIVES ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE BEACH AS WELL AND TRAVELS COMPLETELY ACROSS THE STREET FROM AND ACROSS THE CITY FROM ENGINE
IMMERSION. >> SO THE DEMAND IS OUTRAGEOUS AND I THINK THAT THAT'S ALSO BECAUSE OF THE DISTRICT'S LACK OF FOCUS ON DELIVERING FOR MANDARIN IMMERSION FAMILIES. IT'S BEEN PROBABLY ABOUT 15 YEARS SINCE MANDARIN IMMERSION HAS BEEN INTRODUCED BY THE DISTRICT AT A TIME OF INNOVATION AND AT A TIME OF GROWTH AND OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS THE DISTRICT HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF MANAGING IMMERSION FAMILIES. SO NO MATTER WHERE YOU PUT THE SCHOOL THERE WILL BE DEMAND AS EVIDENCED BY THE OVER 215 PARENTS AND GUARDIANS THAT SIGNED THE CHARTER PETITION REPRESENTING OVER 300 STUDENTS. SO OUR GOAL OF 156 STUDENTS IN THE FIRST YEAR BASED OFF OF 300 STUDENTS REPRESENTED WITHIN THE CHARTER PETITION WHO SIGNED AND THEN THAT'S EVEN WITH VERY LOW AWARENESS WE'VE HAD MANY, MANY PEOPLE REACH OUT TO US AFTER THE CHARTER PETITION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED WITH ALL OF THE NEWS AROUND THIS. SO I'M CONFIDENT THAT NO MATTER WHERE YOU STUCK IT THERE WOULD BE EXCESS CAPACITY.
IN FACT WE WHEN SUPERINTENDENT SUE PROPOSED THE THE DISTRICT PLAN TO EXPAND MANDARIN IMMERSION WE APPLAUDED IT. WE SAID FANTASTIC AS MANY OTHER SPEAKERS HERE HAVE SAID THAT YES, IT'S NOT IT'S IT'S A MATTER OF BOTH AND THERE'S ENOUGH DEMAND AND INTEREST AND CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE CITY THAT TO SAY THAT IF IT'S IN ONE PART OF THE CITY OR ANOTHER IT WON'T BE SUCCESSFUL WOULD BE DEMONSTRATING A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE MANDARIN IMMERSION COMMUNITY AND THE PASSION THAT PARENTS, GUARDIANS AND OTHERS HAVE FOR THIS LANGUAGE ACQUISITION. MAY I JUMP IN? YEAH. THIS IS ALICIA. SHE'S A MEMBER OF OUR BOARD. SHE CAN SHE JUST WASN'T THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH CHAIRS. UM, I TAUGHT ESL AT CITY COLLEGE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH. YOU KNOW, COME TO THE MICROPHONE. >> I TAUGHT ESL AT CITY COLLEGE FOR 40 FIVE YEARS AND I'VE RECENTLY RETIRED. THE LAST FEW YEARS BEFORE I RETIRED I TAUGHT ENGLISH SECOND
LANGUAGE CITIZENSHIP AND THEN THE LAST FEW YEARS BEFORE RETIRED I FOUND THAT MORE AND MORE OF MY STUDENTS WERE MANDARIN SPEAKING AND FOR MANDARIN SPEAKERS THEY CALL CHINESE AND THE LANGUAGE OF THE HAN PEOPLE THE CANTONESE PEOPLE SAY IT'S CALLED LAW BECAUSE THEY'RE PEOPLE OF THE TANG DYNASTY. I'M FULLY CREDENTIALED TO TEACH BOTH MANDARIN AND CANTONESE AND I HAVE TAUGHT BOTH AT CITY COLLEGE THERE ARE SOME OF US AND THERE ARE INCREASINGLY MORE AND MORE OF US BECAUSE CHINA NOW HAS UNIFIED LINGUISTS. WE PUT ON WHAT IS TAUGHT IN EVERY SCHOOL ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. SO REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU'RE FROM IN CHINA YOU SPEAK YOUR OWN DIALECT. I SPEAK THE DIALECT OF THE TRAN JUST SAMPLE I ALSO SPEAK MANDARIN. SO HOW DO YOU AND I SPEAK CANTONESE? LOOK UP ON THE WALL SO CHILDREN
WHO GROW UP IN VILLAGES IN GUANGDONG THEY SPEAK PUT ON WHAT NO. THIS IS A POPULATION THAT IS NOT BEING SERVED. THIS IS A GROWING POPULATION OF IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE NOT BEING SERVED. I SPEAK NOW AS A MEMBER OF THE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS COMMISSION. WE SEE THIS NEW IMMIGRANT GROUP COMING INTO SAN FRANCISCO AND THEIR NEEDS ARE NOT BEING SERVED. I HAD STUDENTS IN MY CLASS WHO SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT I KNEW WHEN I CAME TO THIS COUNTRY I WOULD HAVE TO LEARN ENGLISH. I DIDN'T REALIZE I WOULD HAVE TO LEARN CANTONESE TO AND CANTONESE IS HARDER THAN ENGLISH. THIS IS NOT A SCHOOL. THIS IS NOT A PROGRAM FOR MARINA PACIFIC HEIGHTS ALTHOUGH IT IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THIS COUNTRY YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE WHOLE OFFER MANDARIN BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS ARE NOT STUPID. THEIR PARENTS KNOW THAT THEIR CHILDREN WILL NEED TO KNOW MANDARIN IN THE 21ST CENTURY. WHY ARE WE DENYING THAT TO
STUDENTS WHO CANNOT AFFORD PRIVATE SCHOOL? WHY ARE WE NOT TEACHING THE THOUSANDS OF IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF CHINA WHO ARE COMING IN EVERY SINGLE DAY AND WHOSE NEEDS ARE NOT BEING MET? LET'S TRY QUIBBLE ABOUT CHARTER OR NOT CHARTER. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHARTER BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS FAILED IN ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO THESE NEW IMMIGRANTS. THERE SHOULD HAVE YOU SHOULD HAVE PUT TOGETHER A ABANDONED IMMERSION PROGRAM YEARS AGO. YOU HAVE NOT MET THAT NEED THESE PEOPLE THIS GROUP AS MR. MARTINEZ HAS SAID, THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE WITH GOOD INTENTIONS. THEY'RE NOT EDUCATIONAL INSIDERS. YEAH, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY WROTE? WHAT'S IN SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE WITH IT WOULD HAVE WRITTEN? BUT THE NEED IS THERE AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD SHOULD BE VOTING ON NOT
QUIBBLING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IN THE PAPERWORK BECAUSE YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. I'M RETIRED NOW. I SPENT MANY YEARS DOING COMMUNITY ORGANIZING VOTER REGISTRATION, EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITY AND I SPEAK NOW FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW AND I ASK YOU PLEASE TO CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY THE FAMILIES WHO ARE IMMIGRATING HERE WHO NEED HELP, WHOSE CHILDREN NEED TO FIND A PLACE IN OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU SO I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND I HAVE I'M A STAUNCH ADVOCATE FOR DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION SCHOOLING BOTH OF MY KIDS ARE IN DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION SCHOOLS AND THEY SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGE PATHWAYS IN S.F.. I THINK THERE'S A LARGE UNMET NEEDS FOR MANDARIN FOR SPANISH AND FOR OTHER LANGUAGES AS WELL. IN SAN FRANCISCO WHICH IS SUCH A MULTILINGUAL CITY I AM HOWEVER REQUIRED TO VOTE BY LAW BASED ON STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
AND WHETHER THE PETITIONERS ARE DEMONSTRABLY LIKELY TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM THAT THEY'VE SET FORTH WHETHER THEY MEET THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, WHETHER THERE WILL BE ANY NEGATIVE FISCAL IMPACT ON S.F. USD AND I AM CONCERNED THAT MANY OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE HAVE BEEN REALLY JUST NOT SPEAKING TO THOSE ISSUES, SPEAKING TO THE ISSUES OF WHETHER YOU'RE ACTUALLY LIKELY TO SUCCEED WITH CHILDREN AND FUNDS THAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO ENTRUST TO YOU AND INSTEAD TAKING POTSHOTS AT S.F. USD THE INITIAL PRESENTATION WAS REALLY NOT EVEN SO MUCH ABOUT DRAGON GATE CHARTER SCHOOL. IT WAS ABOUT THAT YOU KNOW YOU WON'T HAVE GRADING FOR EQUITY WHICH SF USD DOESN'T HAVE OR YOU WON'T HAVE ETHNIC STUDIES WHICH IS NOT REQUIRED IN ANY K THROUGH EIGHT SCHOOL IN S.F. USD AND SO I REALLY DO HOPE THAT YOU'LL ENGAGE WITH US ON THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS THAT
WE'RE HERE TO VOTE ON TODAY I'M GOING TO GO OVER TO STUDENT DELEGATE CRUZ AND THEN IF THERE'S WELL WE NEED TO GO THROUGH ALL THE COMMISSIONERS FIRST BEFORE WE COME BACK AROUND SO HI I GREW UP ON SPANISH IMMERSION. I UNDERSTAND AND I'VE SEEN BOTH POINT OF VIEWS FROM YOU GUYS OBVIOUSLY AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS LACK OF MANDARIN TO LANGUAGE EMOTIONS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT COMING WITH THE CRISIS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IN OUR CITY WITH THESE SCHOOLS, I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT'S ALREADY ESTABLISHED INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT WE OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS FOR ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THERE IS MORE INTO BUILDING A SCHOOL. THERE'S STAFF, THERE'S TEACHERS ,THERE IS MEETING REQUIREMENT AND NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS AND I FEEL LIKE I, I FULLY SUPPORT DUAL EMERGENCE. I GREW UP ON IT BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT WE HAVE NOW AND THAT WE SHOULD INVEST MORE ON WHAT WE HAVE NOW INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS FOR AND I, I
REALLY STAY ON THAT. I FULLY SUPPORT YOUR MODESTO BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT WE HAVE AND INVEST IN WHAT WE HAVE INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BUILD SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE FUNDS FOR. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER OR MIKE. MY QUESTION IS FOR MR. MARTINEZ AND MR. IRVIN TROUT. I JUST WANT TO BE THOROUGH IN REVIEWING THE DOCUMENT AND SO FORTH AND I THINK I KNOW WHAT WHAT HAPPENED ON PAGE TWO. I KNOW THAT THE FINDINGS SAYS CRITERIA FIVE UM OR SORRY CRITERIA SIX THE PETITION DOES NOT CONTAIN A DECLARATION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE CHARTER SCHOOL SHOULD BE DEEMED THE EXCLUSIVE PUBLIC EMPLOYER. IT SEEMS LIKE ON PAGE 22 THAT QUESTION WAS ANSWERED AS IT SAYS UH AS PER PETITIONS HAVE SATISFIED THIS REQUIREMENT AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS A LATER DOCUMENT THAT DID THAT AND I AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? YES, COMMISSIONER IN MY APOLOGIES THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF SEVERAL TYPOS AND THE PETITIONERS DID DID CORRECT THAT ISSUE SO THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT VERSIONS THAT ARE ON THE BOARD OF I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE YOU'RE LOOKING AT BUT THAT
THAT WAS THAT WAS CORRECTED SO IT'S NO LONGER AN ISSUE AND AND JUST SO CRITERION SIX HAS BEEN MET. CRITERION SIX HAS BEEN MET AND FOR THE RECORD, DOES THIS MATERIALLY AFFECT YOUR RECOMMENDATION OR CHANGE IT IN ANY WAY? NO, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY REMAINING COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO MAKE? IT SEEMS TO BE A I HAVE TWO MINUTES AND 12 SECONDS LEFT. OH, USE SOME SOMEONE WAS COUNTING AND I JUST WILL QUICKLY GO AND THEN I'LL WE'LL WRAP UP WITH YOU BOTH BEFORE WE LEAVE HERE. >> SO PRESIDENT KIM THAT WAS MY SAME QUESTION I HAD LEFT SOME TIME ON MY ORIGINAL THINGS. I WASN'T SURE IF WE'D HAVE A SEPARATE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN OUR VOTE OR NOT. >> IS THIS NOW JUST THE TIME FOR QUESTIONS OR SHOULD WE BE USING OUR TIME TO ALSO EXPLAIN OUR VOTE? >> I THINK YOU YOU SHOULD USE
YOUR THREE MINUTES FOR EVERYTHING. OKAY. CAN I CAN I GET THE BULK OF MY TIME BACK THEN THE REST OF THE REMAINING TIME I HAD HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE LEFT? >> I BELIEVE IT IS ONE MINUTE AND 15 SECONDS I CAN PUT ONE MINUTE ON AND THEN WHEN THAT COMES DOWN I'LL PUT ANOTHER MINUTE AND YOU KNOW, 15 SECONDS. >> SURE. AND LOOK AT THAT. CAN YOU THANK YOU. MY QUESTION SO I DIDN'T CATCH YOUR NAME. I'M SORRY WHO FROM AS A TEACHER. WANG ALICIA WANG WANG THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR FOR SHARING I ,I WILL SAY THIS ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD WE HAVEN'T HAD A WHOLE CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS BUT I IMAGINE THAT THIS IS TRUE THAT THE VALUE OF COMPLEX LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION IN THIS OF USD IS AND IS HERALDED NOT JUST AS A SUCCESS OF OUR DISTRICT COMING FROM CHALLENGING STARTS BUT VERY VERY DEEPLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT IF YOU ARE A CITY IN THE CITY HAVE INVESTED IN SUPPORTING OUR ESPECIALLY A COMPLEX LANGUAGE BUT ALL OF OUR LANGUAGE PROGRAMS AND I OF USD IN FACT I RECALLED WHEN
CONVERSATIONS AROUND SCHOOL CLOSURE WERE TAKING PLACE THERE WAS AN EXPLICIT AND AND INVESTMENT IN SETTING THOSE PROGRAM SOCIETIES AND PROTECTING THOSE SERVICES AS THAT CONVERSATION WAS ONGOING. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE AND BY NO MEANS IS ANY OF THIS NECESSARILY A CALL ON THE QUALITY OF OF LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION AND THE OUTCOMES THAT IT COMES WITH? I THINK WHEN WE FIRST SAT DOWN I SAID PRETTY DIRECTLY HOW INCREDIBLE IT IS TO SEE STUDENTS AND THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS COME FROM COMPLEX LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION. IT IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE AND OUR JOB AS A BOARD HERE AND WHETHER WE WANT TO DO THIS OR NOT THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF A CHARTER SCHOOL IS TO INCLUDE AND TO HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT'S IN THE CHARTER AND SO TO THAT END I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CONTENT OF THE CHARTER AND TAKE INTO PERSPECTIVE THE GUIDANCE
AND PERSPECTIVE OF OUR OF OUR STAFF. WHICH LEADS ME TO MY ONE QUESTION HERE UNDER MEDICAL STUDENT OUTCOMES WHILE SOME STUDENTS TARGETED PERFORMANCE TARGETS ARE INCLUDED, MANY ARE OVERLY AMBITIOUS WITHOUT A PLAN TO ACHIEVE THEM OR EVIDENCE OF FEASIBILITY. I'M CURIOUS IN STAFF WHAT IS SUFFICIENT FOR THAT? WHAT WOULD NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN IN ORDER FOR IT TO DEMONSTRATE A PLAN TO ACHIEVE THAT LEVEL OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT? DO WE NEED TO INCLUDE THINGS LIKE CURRICULUM ITSELF? WHAT WHAT EXACTLY WOULD IT BE? I THINK I HAVE IDEAS BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAD NOTES FROM THAT PRESIDENT KIM WHICH WHICH SECTION ARE YOU LOOKING AT SPECIFICALLY OR LOOKING AT ELEMENT B UNDER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM? UM PAGE NINE OF THE UPDATED VERSION OF THE STAFF REPORT SORRY, SORRY. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR THIS WASN'T MEANT TO BE A GOTCHA QUESTION. IT WAS JUST MORE OF YOU KNOW IT NOTES THAT 90% ARE SCORING WITHIN THE 75TH PERCENTILE ON CUSP WHICH IS AN WHICH UNDERSTANDABLY IS AN INCREDIBLY
HIGH PERCENTAGE. I THINK MY QUESTION FOR STAFF IS WHAT CONSTITUTES A REASONABLE RESPONSE TO DEMONSTRATING A PLAN TO MEET THAT OUTCOME? WHAT I IMAGINE THE RESPONSE TO BE JUST BASED ON MY TEACHING EXPERIENCE IS THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING AROUND COACHING AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TIER ONE, TIER TWO INSTRUCTION AND PERHAPS EVEN TIER THREE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORTS. IS THAT THE KIND OF INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE NEEDING TO SEE IN THAT? >> I THINK THOSE ARE ALL EXTREMELY VALUABLE ELEMENTS TO INCLUDE IN THIS ONE I'M HESITANT TO I'M HESITANT TO TO SPEAK ON THIS QUESTION JUST BECAUSE I'M RELYING ON THE EXPERTS WHO GAVE ME THIS AND SO I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO. >> I'M SORRY. OKAY. WELL THEN I'LL JUST SPEAK FROM MY OWN PERSPECTIVE. I THINK ARTICULATING A CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK SPECIAL FEATURES AND AN INSTRUCTIONAL
MODEL THAT MOSTLY LEANS ON PERCENTAGE OF MANDARIN INSTRUCTION TO ENGLISH INSTRUCTION IS ACTUALLY NOT AN INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL. IT IS A LANGUAGE IMMERSION MODEL. BUT I THINK THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR STAFF IS OR SORRY PETITIONERS IS IS AROUND JUST WHAT HOW YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT OF YOUR SCHOOL BECAUSE I'M STRUGGLING JUST CONNECTING THE DOTS HERE BETWEEN WHAT'S BEEN OUTLINED HERE WITH THE GOAL THAT YOU HAVE OF 90% AND AND WHETHER YOU HAVE A PLAN AROUND THAT. >> YEAH SO THE PLAN IS TO WORK WITH EDUCATION LEADERS WHICH WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING IN SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY AND OTHER MANDARIN IMMERSION LEADERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE REACHED OUT IN SUPPORT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TO DEVELOP A CURRICULUM. SO MR. ARMSTRONG AND MR. MARTINEZ CAN SPEAK MORE CLEARLY ON IT AS PART OF A CHARTER PETITION IS NOT NECESSARILY TO DRAFT THE ENTIRE CURRICULUM AS PART OF THE CHARTER PETITION.
SO WE'RE COMING HERE WITH THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SCHOOL THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DELIVER ON AND THE CURRICULUM AROUND IT WILL BE WORKING WITH LEADERS WITHIN THE CITY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO DELIVER DELIVER THAT CURRICULUM AS PART OF OUR BOARD. WE ALSO HAVE DR. LEE MARGARET LEE HERE WHO HAS SPENT OVER 40 YEARS IN THE DISTRICT AS A TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR AND SHE CAN SPEAK TO HER EXPERIENCE AS A LEADER WITHIN THE MANDARIN IMMERSION TASK FORCE ORIGINALLY IN THE WORK THAT WAS DONE. SO DR. LEE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT? THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT MARIA AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND TIME I SPEAK SINCE 40 YEARS AGO AND THE FIRST TIME WAS ABOUT CLOSING OF THE HIGH SCHOOL. SO I SPOKE AND THIS TIME I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY WISHING THIS TO THIS BOARD WOULD APPROVE THIS PETITION AND IT IS FOR A PUBLIC CHARTER MANDARIN IMMERSION
SCHOOL AND WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT WILL IT BE SUCCESSFUL AND I CAN ASSURE YOU YES IT WILL BE BECAUSE IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH THE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT I GRADUATED FROM WHAT FROM ONE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO HIGH SCHOOLS AND THEN I BECAME A TEACHER AND I RETIRED FROM THE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO FOR 38.5 YEARS I LEARNED EVERYTHING FROM THE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. OKAY FROM THE STATE FRAMEWORK FROM THE DISTRICT GUIDELINES. I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM THE DISTRICT WORKSHOPS AND THEN IMPLEMENT IN VARIOUS SITES. SO WHEN YOU SEE IT I AM REALLY DEMONSTRATE READING WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM THE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO IF I DON'T LOOK GOOD, THE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF SAN FRANCISCO DOESN'T LOOK GOOD. I AM A NATIVE CHINESE HOWEVER I LEARN MY SECOND LANGUAGE ACTUALLY IS NOT ENGLISH IS SPANISH.
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? YEAH BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN LEARNING ANOTHER LANGUAGE WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT. THEN I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MANDARIN AND REALLY CHANGED MY LIFE ESPECIALLY WHEN I TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD NOT JUST IN CHINA. OKAY? SO THAT'S WHY I WANT TO BRING IT BACK HOME. I WANT US TO DEVELOP THOSE PROFICIENCY AND SKILLS SO WHEN IT COMES TO GUIDELINES, CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS, THE WORKSHOP GETTING TEACHERS I REPRESENT I REPRESENT A UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IN RECRUITING TEACHERS, ASSESS THEM IN CANTONESE AND MANDARIN. SO THOSE TEACHERS THAT ARE TEACHING TODAY IN VARIOUS SCHOOLS SOME HAVE BECOME A ADMINISTRATORS. I ASSESS THEM BECAUSE OF MY SIGNATURE. THEY GOT THEIR POSITIONS AND THEY'RE DOING SO WELL. SO THERE ARE GOOD BECAUSE WE
ARE GOOD AND NOW I REPRESENT THE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO GO TO ANOTHER PROJECT AND THAT IS DRAGON GATE ACADEMY. YES, I NOTICED THAT IT MIGHT AFFECT THE FINANCES OF THE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BUT THAT DOES NOT STOP US TO CREATE ANOTHER PROGRAM WHICH REALLY BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY. WE AS A TEAM SHOULD THINK OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO GETTING FUNDING TO COVER THE DEFICIT AND YOU KNOW IS HE IS THAT YOU CAN ASK FOR MONEY BUT ANYWAY SO I REALLY WANT TO SAY PLEASE SUPPORT THIS AND I WILL BE SIDE BY SIDE WATCHING THEM GUIDING THEM, HELPING THEM MY TEACHERS AND PARENTS TAUGHT ME WHEN THERE'S A NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY WE NEED TO GO AND HELP THEM AND SPEAK UP FOR THEM BECAUSE SOME DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH VERY WELL AND TONIGHT I'M HERE. I THINK I HAVE DONE MY JOB SO TOMORROW MORNING THE DECISION OF THIS BOARD WILL BE IN THE NEWSPAPER NOT ONLY 800,000 PEOPLE WILL BE READING YOUR
DECISION. THEY MIGHT QUESTION WHY IS SO YES OR NO. SO THINK ABOUT IT ARE YOU VOTING ARE YOU MAKING THAT DECISION BECAUSE OF MONEY, LACK OF FUNDING WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT MONEY OR OUR CHILDREN ? SO PLEASE VOTE ACCORDINGLY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE I BRING UP THE ORIGINAL QUESTION WHICH I THINK WAS AND APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND EXPERIENCE BUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS MORE TO THE INSTRUCTION MODEL WHAT I THINK WHAT I HEARD WAS YOU'RE BUILDING YOUR OWN CURRICULUM. I DIDN'T SAY THAT WE BE BUILDING OUR OWN CURRICULUM. I WOULD SAY THAT'S AN OPTION. THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD OUR OWN CURRICULUM. WE'VE HAD MEMBERS OF LEADERSHIP WITHIN SAN FRANCISCO STATE THAT HAVE REACHED OUT TO US WITH THE INTEREST FROM THE HIGHER EDUCATION OR I SHOULD SAY FROM THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WITHIN SAN FRANCISCO STATE THAT HAVE MENTIONED THAT THEY WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN HELPING. THERE'S ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE CURRICULUM THAT SAN FRANCISCO AS IF YOU A CITY IS USING AS WELL AND PURCHASE CURRICULUM THAT MAY BE MORE WIDELY USED WITHIN THE DISTRICT. SO WE HAVE FLEXIBILITY THERE. I THINK YOU SO I THINK WITH COMMISSIONER RAY YOU HAD A MINUTE 15 LEFT AND THEN YES. OH AND IT'S 9:00. SO I WANT TO THANK OUR STUDENT DELEGATES SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. >> I DON'T KNOW IF I DID FLEXIBILITY ON THAT. I THOUGHT I HAD MORE LIKE A MINUTE 30 BUT SURE, IT MAY NOT TAKE ME THAT LONG. WE'LL SEE. I'LL TAKE THE 54 GO FOR IT. SHOULD I WAIT FOR FOR MR. STEELE TO JUST A MINUTE AND 30S PLEASE CAN I ASK THE QUESTION NOW YOU CAN PICK AND STAY. OH I MEAN YOU ARE OPTIONALLY WELCOME TO STAY PAST 9:00 IF YOU WOULD LIKE. >> HOW LONG?
WE HAVE A MINUTE AND 30S HERE AND MAYBE TWO MINUTES AND 12 SECONDS THERE AND THEN WE WILL DO OUR VOTE YES. OKAY, LET'S MAKE IT QUICK. YES, MR. STEELE, COULD YOU PUT ON A MINUTE 30 FOR ME PLEASE? I CAN ONLY DO MINUTES AT A TIME SO BUT I'LL I'LL ADD IT ON SO I MAKE SURE YOU GET THROUGH IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. FAMILIES HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR AK8 MANDARIN IMMERSION PROGRAM FOR MANY YEARS AND IT IS CLEAR TO ME FROM OUR LENGTHY WAIT LIST EACH YEAR THAT WE HAVE NOT ADEQUATELY MET THE STRONG DEMAND FOR MANDARIN IMMERSION. >> I RAN FOR OFFICE IN LARGE PART TO UPLIFT FAMILY AND COMMUNITY VOICE AND I'VE RAISED THE NEED AND THE DESIRE FOR K TO EIGHT MANDARIN IMMERSION IN US OF USD FOUR MONTHS. AS A PARENT I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW FRUSTRATING IT IS WHEN THE DISTRICT DOESN'T RESPOND TO WHAT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WANT
. YOU LITERALLY HERE HAVE TO WIN THE LOTTERY TO GET ONE OF OUR VERY LIMITED SPOTS AND THAT SEEMS ESPECIALLY UNFAIR WHEN THE ONLY OTHER AVENUE FOR MANDARIN IMMERSION IN S.F. IS AN EXPENSIVE PRIVATE SCHOOL WHICH MOST FAMILIES CAN'T AFFORD. SO I CAN WELL UNDERSTAND WHY FAMILIES HAVE REACHED THE POINT OF SUBMITTING A CHARTER PETITION UNDER THE LAW THOUGH AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE RAISED CONTINUALLY THROUGHOUT MY TIME AT US UP USD FOLLOWING THE LAW AND OUR RULES AND POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WE DO HAVE TO CONSIDER SPECIFIC FACTORS INCLUDING THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL STATE WHICH IS VERY PRECARIOUS RIGHT NOW GIVEN OUR NEGATIVE CERTIFICATION. THERE'S A PRESUMPTION THAT THE DISTRICT CAN'T HANDLE THE FINANCIAL IMPACT AND THERE ISN'T EVIDENCE IN THE CHARTER PETITION TO REBUT THAT PRESUMPTION. I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE IMPACT ON THE DISTRICT'S ENROLLMENTS STABILITY SYSTEMWIDE PLANNING AND STAFFING GIVEN THE SITUATION WE'RE IN. SO DUE TO THOSE CONCERNS I WILL VOTE NO ON THE PETITION. THERE'S ALSO A VOTE ON THE STAFF REPORT BUT I. I CAN'T VOTE FOR THE STAFF REPORT IN ITS ENTIRETY SINCE MY VOTE IS BASED ON PART OF THE
REPORT. I'M JUST REALLY SADDENED BY THE DISTRICT'S FAILURE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK FOR EXPANSION OF MANDARIN IMMERSION WITHIN US OF USD. I REALLY HOPE THAT THE COMMUNITY INCLUDING ALL OF YOU WHO SUPPORT DRAGON SKATE WILL BE WILLING TO CONTINUE COLLABORATING WITH US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WRAY. COMMISSIONER FISHER YOU HAVE TO TWO MINUTES. YES I WOULD DO IT IN TWO. SO MY QUESTION IS FOR MR. MARTINEZ AND MR. ARMENTROUT AS I UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE FIRST NEW CHARTER SCHOOL PETITION THAT'S COME TO US SINCE THE PASSAGE OF HB 1505 IN 2019. SO I'M HOPING YOU CAN VERY BRIEFLY EXPLAIN HOW OUR OBLIGATIONS HAVE CHANGED IN IN THE CHARTER SCHOOL PETITION PROCESS SINCE THEN. THAT'S ONE AND TO THE PETITIONERS I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN THE PETITION ABOUT SPECIAL DAY CLASSES. DO YOU PLAN ON OFFERING SPECIAL DAY CLASSES AS PART OF YOUR LRT
CONTINUUM SIR AND I'M I'M GOING TO HAND OFF REALLY QUICK TO MR. ARMENTROUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. YES, THE LAW HAS BEEN CHANGED AND UPDATED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE NEW YOU KNOW, FISCAL STATUS OF THE DISTRICT. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT THE DISTRICT HAS APPROVED CHARTER SCHOOLS AND STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED THE PASSAGE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS. I THINK I CAN KIND OF BRING IT FULL CIRCLE. THIS IS THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF VERY WELL ELOQUENTLY STATED GOOD INTENTIONS BY EVERYBODY AROUND THE TABLE AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S AT ALL BEING DISPUTED. I THINK WHAT'S BEING KIND OF BROUGHT TOGETHER IS SO THEN THIS PETITION AND STAFF ARE SAYING WITH THEIR EXPERTISE NOT AT THIS TIME FOR A LOT OF REASONS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE FISCAL REASONS AND I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THESE ARE ALL INDEPENDENT REASONS TO SAY NO WHICH ARE BUILT INTO OUR STAFF REPORT.
MR. ARMSTRONG HAS ANYTHING THAT A MR. FISHER JUST TO SPEAK BRIEFLY TO AB 1505 WHICH PASSED IN 2019 JUST REALLY VERY QUICKLY WHAT IT DID WAS ADDED IN 47605 SECTION C SEVEN AND SECTION C EIGHT SO THE THE LANGUAGE THAT SPEAKS TO THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY WHICH IS CRITERION NUMBER SEVEN AND THE ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHICH IS THE NEGATIVE CERTIFICATION PRESUMPTION OF DENIAL UNDER C8A CRITERION NUMBER EIGHT THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION AND LIKE MANY OF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE POINTED OUT ,THERE IS A STRONG NEED FOR MORE LANGUAGE PROGRAMS WITHIN AND MORE SEATS IN OUR LANGUAGE PROGRAMS WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND ADVOCACY AROUND PROGRAMS IS NOT NEW TO SAN FRANCISCO TO ALLOW CONSENT DECREE. YOU KNOW LARRY, THERE'S SO MANY WE COULD LIST OFF THE GAZILLIONS OF ADVOCACY THAT HAVE STARTED HERE THAT HOPEFULLY WE'RE TEACHING AND ETHNIC STUDIES. BUT I ALSO JUST AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DIDN'T MENTION IS THAT I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY SO
I DON'T WANT TO INTERPRET ED CODE BUT THE WORD SHALL NOT SHOULD BUT SHALL IN THAT PART OF THE AD CODE IS WHAT REALLY STRIKES ME TO OUR OBLIGATIONS HERE AND IS IS PART OF WHAT WHAT STICKS OUT TO STANDS OUT TO ME IN MY OBLIGATIONS AS A COMMISSIONER. >> THANK YOU. THE PETITIONERS DIDN'T ANSWER QUESTION ABOUT THE L3 CONTINUUM AND SPECIAL DAY CLASSES. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND? YEAH SO WE WE HAVEN'T ACCOUNTED FOR THAT IN THE CHARTER PETITION AND HADN'T BUDGET FOR IT. DO YOU PLAN ON OFFERING THE FULL CONTINUUM OF SERVICES AND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING IN THERE ABOUT WHAT SELBY YOU'LL JOIN EITHER SO I BELIEVE IT'S MENTIONED IN THERE THAT WE WILL BE WE LOOKED AT EL DORADO WE CONSIDER EL DORADO BUT WE WOULD ALSO LOOK TO PARTNER WITH THE DISTRICT HERE AND LEVERAGE ALL THE RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO YOU TO PARTNER WITH US BECAUSE WE ARE JUST ONE COMMUNITY. WE ARE A PUBLIC SCHOOL SO I DIDN'T WANT TO NECESSARILY LOOK TO ELDORADO TO PARTNER WITH BUT WE DIDN'T WE DID INCLUDE
SPECIAL DAY SCHOOL AS PART OF THE CHARTER PETITION BUT WE'LL WILL MEET WILL SEEK TO MEET THE GUIDELINES THAT IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE AREAS AND COMMISSIONER NORTON BEFORE ME WHO SAT ON THE BOARD WHEN MANY OF OUR OTHER SCHOOL BOARD OR OTHER OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS PETITIONS CAME BEFORE US FOR THE FIRST TIME POINTED OUT EVERY SINGLE TIME NOT ONE OF OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS HERE IN THE CITY OFFER SPECIAL DAY CLASSES WHICH IS ANOTHER INEQUITY NOT SPECIAL DAY CLASSES ANYWAY I THOUGHT I KEPT IT BUT OKAY I WOULDN'T KNOW BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PART OF OUR SOPA SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY OF THAT MUST BE FOR THEM. THAT MUST BE WHY THANK YOU. I WILL AS WE MOVE TO A ROLL CALL VOTE AS AN EMPLOYEE OF A CHARTER NETWORK MYSELF AS A TEACHER LEADER ADMINISTRATOR FOR 11 YEARS THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO SUBMITTING A CHARTER PETITION IS ENORMOUS AND SO FOR THAT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, ENERGY AND YOUR AND YOUR PERSISTENCE AND STICKING WITH US THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR YOUR
REPORT. I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME AND THE COALITION OF FOLKS INTERNALLY HAVE COME TOGETHER TO OFFER THEIR PERSPECTIVES AT THIS TIME WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE. OH, WE HAVEN'T MOVED OUR OH, THAT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER ARTICLE. LET'S SEE. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO THANK YOU . THAT'S WHO I WAS LIKE LOOKING FOR MY SCRIPT. WELL, THERE ALSO WASN'T A LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT AS WELL AT THE BEGINNING SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO THAT. THANK YOU. YEAH, THIS IS A WORKSHOP MEETING. SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT PROTOCOLS FOR AGENDAS FOR WORKSHOP MEETINGS. THANK YOU. OKAY. MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSAL. IS THAT THE CORRECT LANGUAGE? I SECOND THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT. IS THAT THE CORRECT? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S RIGHT. I JUST MADE A MOTION TO TO ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSALS SINCE IT'S WRITTEN AS A RESOLUTION I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO FRAME IT FOR THE STAFF. >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TWOFOLD ONE THAT THE BOARD ADOPT THE
STAFF REPORT FINDINGS OF FACT AS THEIR OWN AND TWO THAT THE BOARD DENY THE CHARTER RIGHT. BUT THOSE ARE WRITTEN IN A RESOLUTION SO THAT'S WHY IS IT PROPER FOR ME TO SAY I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDED PROPOSAL, THE RESOLUTION THERE THAT DOES THOSE TWO THINGS YOU MAY DO SO YES. OKAY. BECAUSE IT HAS A BUNCH OF WAREHOUSES AS WELL. IT DOESN'T JUST DO THOSE TWO THINGS. SO IF YES, I APOLOGIZE IF YOUR INTENT IS TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION WHICH INCLUDES THAT ACTION, THOSE TWO ACTIONS, THEN YES AND I REWARD THAT I THINK IT SHOULD BE THAT WE ADOPT SUPERINTENDENTS PROPOSAL 258 DASH 26 SP ONE WHICH HAS BOTH OF THOSE IN THERE. >> IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S WHAT I MEANT, YEAH. >> YEAH THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING FOR THE WORDING. I APOLOGIZE. I'M MISUNDERSTOOD. >> IF YOU WERE LOOKING FOR THE ACTION THEN AS I WAS SAYING I WAS MOVE THAT WE ADOPT SABRINA'S PROPOSAL TO WHATEVER SHE JUST HAD TO 520 6P1 WHICH INCLUDES A BUNCH OF WHEREAS CLAUSES AND THEN A RESOLVE CLAUSE THE TWO PARTS OF WHICH ARE TO ADOPT THE FINDINGS OF FACT ANALYSIS FOUND IN THE STAFF REPORT AS THEIR OWN AS
OUR OWN AND THEN TO TO DENY THE PETITION SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH BY LAW. >> YES SO AND I SECOND THE MOTION I THINK YOU CAN ASK A CLARIFICATION QUESTION I LITERALLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND I THOUGHT THERE WERE TWO VOTES SO WHAT HE MOTION FOR WAS THE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION BY THE SUPERINTENDENT. THAT'S IN THE ATTACHMENTS. SO THIS IS COMBINING BOTH VOTES . DO YOU HAVE THIS DOCUMENT THAT ONE I CAN LOOK AT IT BUT BECAUSE IT'S ALL RIGHT I WAS NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE CONFUSING. SO BY TAKING THIS PROPOSAL FOR BASICALLY ADOPTING THESE TWO IT'S ON THERE NOW. OKAY THEN I WANT TO VOTE NO ONE . OH SO THIS PRICE PER HOUR YOU NEED TO VOTE SEPARATELY. THAT WAS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN. YES. AND MY UNDERSTANDING FROM BOTH FROM THE INFORMATION WE PROVIDED BEFORE WAS THAT THERE
WAS TWO VOTES ONE ON WHETHER TO DENY THE PETITION AND ONE ON WHETHER TO ADOPT THE STAFF FINDINGS. OKAY. THAT WAS WHAT WAS EXPLAINED PREVIOUSLY. HENCE MY QUESTION ACCORDING ACCORDING TO WHAT BEING MOVED IS A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION WHICH COMBINES THOSE TWO ACTIONS. SO RIGHT NOW I'M SORRY I WASN'T TRYING TO I REALLY I DIDN'T I JUST SAW THAT POSTED THERE AND SO THAT'S WHY I MADE THE MOTION THAT WAY. SO IF THERE WAS SOME OTHER PLAN YOU KNOW, I'M NOT TRYING TO INTERFERE WITH NO, IT'S FINE. I ONLY DID THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE POSTER HERE IS THAT YEAH. >> SO COMMISSIONER RAY, YOU'RE REQUESTING TO TO VOTE TWO SEPARATE TIMES? YES, I'M VOTING TO I'M MOVING IF I NEED TO DO THAT TO VOTE ON EACH OF THOSE QUESTIONS SEPARATELY. ARE YOU MAKING A MOTION TO AMEND THEM? IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? >> IF THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO DO, YES. I WANT TO FOLLOW WHATEVER THE
PROPER PROCEDURE IS TO DO THIS. >> OKAY. SO I THINK JUST TO FOR AN ABUNDANCE OF CLARITY RIGHT. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER I THINK IF YOU'RE WILLING TO RESCIND YOUR MOTION COMMISSIONER RAY YOU CAN INTRODUCE YOUR MOTION TO VOTE ON THEM SEPARATELY IN VOTE AND INTRODUCE YOUR MOTION TO THE FIRST ONE AND IF THERE'S A SECOND ON THE FLOOR THEN WE SECOND AND THEN WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. MY ONLY QUESTION TO LEGAL COUNSEL WOULD BE IS THERE ANY REASON WE NEED THE WHEREAS CLAUSES TO BE VOTED ON SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THE RESOLUTION JUST INCLUDES A BUNCH OF OTHER LANGUAGE THAT'S NOT JUST THE TWO ACTIONS THE WHEREAS CLAUSES LIKE IN ANY RESOLUTION ARE JUST KIND OF SETTING UP THE IDEA AND THE CONCEPT AT THE END OF THE DAY WHAT MATTERS IS WHETHER OR NOT A THE REPORT IS ADOPTED AS THE BOARD'S OWN AS FINDINGS OF FACT AND B WHETHER OR NOT THE BOARD APPROVES OR DENIES THE CHARTER PETITION. IF I DIDN'T SAY I'M HAPPY TO WITHDRAW MY MOTION TO SO THAT YOU COULD I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO SPLIT THE VOTE ON THE TWO QUESTIONS OF WHETHER TO APPROVE
OR DENY THE PETITION AND WHETHER TO ADOPT THE STAFF REPORT. I THINK YOU WOULD JUST MOTION TO DO ONE OF THOSE THINGS SO OKAY SO I WOULD MOTION TO VOTE FIRST ON WHETHER TO APPROVE OR DENY THE PETITION. SO I GUESS I WOULD SAY I WILL VOTE ON A MOTION TO I WOULD I WOULD SAY FIRST TO BE TO ADOPT THE FINDINGS OF FACT AND ANALYSIS FOUND IN THE STAFF REPORT AS YOUR OWN NAME. I KNOW IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME WHAT ORDER IT GOES IN. I JUST WANT TO SPLIT THE QUESTION BECAUSE I HAD UNDERSTOOD WE WERE HAVING TWO VOTES. YEAH I SO CAN I MAKE HIM A I'M A MOTION TO ADOPT THE FINDINGS OF FACT AND ANALYSIS FOUND IN THE STAFF REPORT AS THEIR OWN SECOND ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE. MS. LORNA CORRECT. AND STAFF CORRECT. MS. MANN YES. MS. CRUZ YES. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER YES. COMMISSIONER FISHER YES.
COMMISSIONER GUPTA YES. VICE PRESIDENT HEALING YES. COMMISSIONER RAY NO. COMMISSIONER WISEMAN BOARD YES. PRESIDENT KIM YES. THAT SIX EYES THANK YOU. AND THEN WELL ANYONE CAN I MOTION TO DENY THE PETITION SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH BY THE LAW SECOND ROLL PLEASE IN FRONT OF THIS MAN? YES. OH YES. DID YOU SAY I DIDN'T HEAR WHAT YOU SAID? YES. YES. OKAY. THIS COURSE YES. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. YES. COMMISSIONER FISHER? YES. COMMISSIONER GUPTA? YES. VICE PRESIDENT ONLY YES. COMMISSIONER RAY YES. COMMISSIONER WISEMAN WORK YES. AND PRESIDENT KIM YES THAT SEVEN I THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. I NOW CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING AT 9:22 P.M. EXCUSE ME AND THANK YOU TO SIN DELEGATES
FOR STICKING AROUND A LITTLE BIT LONGER FOR THIS PRESIDENT KIM YES. >> DO YOU WANT ME TO MOTION TO IT? WELL NEVER MIND. WE'RE ONLY AT 922. YES. CORRECT. SORRY I HEARD YOU SAY NINE 52 SO APOLOGIES . OKAY. YEAH. IF YOU LIKE IF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN PLEASE FIND THEIR WAY TO THEIR SEATS, WHAT IS OKAY IS MR. STEELE I OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ARE WE READY? OH, I'M SORRY. I NEVER TOLD MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS I'M SO I'M GOING TO START SAYING NO, NO, NO, NO. IT'S OKAY. OKAY. MOVING TO ITEM F ACTION ITEMS, HUH? >> OH, MEAN IF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN PLEASE TAKE THEIR CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE PLEASE SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MEETING. THANK YOU. SOUNDS LIKE OKAY.
YEAH. ITEM F ACTION ITEMS AT A REGULAR MEETING ON JULY 29, 2025 THE BOARD BY A VOTE OF FIVE TWO TOOK ACTION TO PURCHASE AN ETHNIC STUDIES PILOT CURRICULUM. HOWEVER, THERE WERE QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT THE PROCEDURES THAT LED TO THE OUTCOME OF THAT VOTE TO ENSURE THE BOARD HAS COMPLETE CLARITY ON THE PROCEDURES AND ACTIONS TAKEN. I AM REINTRODUCING THIS ITEM FOR A REVOTE. THERE WILL BE NO PRESENTATION FROM STAFF OR THE SUPERINTENDENT. HOWEVER, COMMISSIONERS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCUSSION BEFORE WE TAKE ACTION AGAIN. ITEM F1258-26 ESP TO REVOTE REGARDING PURCHASE OF ETHNIC STUDIES PILOT CURRICULUM. CAN I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND PLEASE? I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT 258 DASH 26 SB TWO. SECOND GREAT I'LL OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION. >> ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? >> COMMISSIONER GUPTA SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE FIRST THAT THERE ARE MANY STRONG FEELINGS ON
ETHNIC STUDIES. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS HAS TAKEN MUCH DISTRICT STAFF AND BOARD LEADERSHIP TIME AND THAT IS TIME AWAY. THE OPPORTUNITY COST OF THAT IS DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE BUDGET FRONTLINE IMPLEMENTATION, THE FORMATION OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND PROGRAM EVALUATION COMMITTEES AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OUR STUDENT OUTCOME GOALS AND THAT ULTIMATELY IS WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON. IN THE LAST VOTE I VOTED AGAINST THE MOTION AS A COLLEAGUE HAD ANOTHER MOTION SHE SOUGHT TO INTRODUCE AND I SOUGHT TO HEAR IT OUT. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE CANNOT DO A FULL AUDIT OF THE CURRICULUM THIS YEAR AND BRING IT BACK THE FOLLOWING YEAR WITH RIGOROUS TRAINING FOR IMPLEMENTATION. HOWEVER, TO VOTE AGAINST APPROVAL OF A CURRICULUM AT THE LAST MOMENT WOULD BE VOTING FOR OUR FRESHMAN TO HAVE A GAPING HOLE IN THEIR SCHEDULE. I PERSONALLY AM PLEASED THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WHILE AS AN S.F. MOST PARENT MYSELF WE HAD A FAIRLY NORMAL OPENING WITH EXCITED STUDENTS COMING BACK TO SCHOOL THIS YEAR NO KIDS STARTING THEIR FIRST DAY THROUGH A SCREEN NO MPOWER FIASCO, NO EMPTY SPED CLASSROOMS JUST A NORMAL STARS
. >> SO I WANT TO SAY I MOSTLY MOSTLY MOSTLY I APPRECIATE THE WORK DONE BY OUR STAFF TO FIND AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION AND ON A SKELETON CREW DUE TO SUMMER BREAK IN THE MASSIVE VACANCIES AFTER EARLY RETIREMENTS AND FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS NOW I LOOK FORWARD TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE DISTRICT TEAM MAKING CLEAR THE CRITERIA BY WHICH THE THIS PILOT WILL BE BASED INCLUDING ONE HOW THE CURRICULUM DOES IN MEETING THE STATE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE WILL SOON HAVE TO WATKINSON OPERATIONS ARE BEING TAKEN TO ACCOUNT AS WE THINK OF THE ONE VERSUS TWO SEMESTER CURRICULUM AND THREE ON A RELATED NOTE, HOW DO WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS STUDENT AGENCY, AN ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY REQUIREMENT COMING FROM THE STATE AND THE OPPORTUNITY COST TO OTHER COURSEWORK OUR STUDENTS COULD BE DOING IN FURTHERING OUR STUDENT OUTCOME GOALS. FINALLY LAYING OUT THE CRITERIA WILL HELP PROVIDE AN UNBIASED ASSESSMENT WHEN THE PILOT IS COMPLETE SO THE BOARD AND DISTRICT LEADERSHIP CAN MAKE A DECISION IN COMPLIANCE
WITH STATE REQUIREMENTS AND FOCUSED ON WHAT REALLY MATTERS. ULTIMATELY OUR STUDENTS AND STUDENT OUTCOMES. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GUPTA ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ? COMMISSIONER RAY THANK YOU PRESIDENT KIM. AS I EXPRESSED DURING OUR LAST MEETING OUR MEETING LAST MONTH ON THE ETHNIC STUDIES TOPIC. I SUPPORT ETHNIC STUDIES MULTICOLOR ORAL EDUCATION AND LEARNING ABOUT EACH OTHER'S HISTORY AND PERSPECTIVES IS A WONDERFUL AND ENRICHING EXPERIENCE AND ONE THAT SHOULD HELP TO UNIFY US. YET AS THINGS STAND, OUR HANDLING OF ETHNIC STUDIES HAS CREATED TREMENDOUS DIVISION FOR OUR DISTRICT TO OFFER THE BEST ETHNIC STUDIES COURSE THAT WE CAN. WE NEED TO GO THROUGH A REAL PROCESS OF CURRICULUM REVIEW AND ADOPTION AS REQUIRED BY OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN THE LAW WHICH WE HAVE NOT DONE. WE'VE HAD THE TIME TO DO THIS BUT SADLY WE HAVEN'T FULFILLED ALL OF OUR OBLIGATIONS. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW OUR OWN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. WE NEED TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE FROM DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES AND WE NEED TO DO SO RESPECTFULLY. I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
JUST EXPRESS MY HOW TROUBLED I FEEL BY SOME OF THE NAME CALLING AND ACCUSATIONS THAT WE'VE WITNESSED INCLUDING TONIGHT LEVIED AGAINST MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE SPEAKING IN GOOD FAITH BUT REALLY, REALLY SADDENS ME. I ALSO SPECIFICALLY WANT TO OBJECT TO THE OR EXPRESS MY DISAGREEMENT WITH THE BLANKET ASSERTION OF CONFIDENTIALITY. AND ATTORNEY CLIENT PRIVILEGE THAT WAS SET TO ALL QUESTIONS RELATED TO ETHNIC STUDIES. THE SAME WAS DONE FOR DRAGONS GATE ACADEMY. BUT SINCE I'M TALKING ABOUT ETHNIC STUDIES I'M RAISING IT HERE. THIS INCLUDED QUESTIONS THAT SEEM AS INNOCUOUS AND PURELY FACTUAL OR PROCEDURAL AS WHETHER OR NOT THE PRESENTATION WAS THE SAME ONE FROM THE JULY 29TH MEETING AND HOW AND BY WHOM THE DESIGNEE WOULD BE SELECTED. YOU KNOW IF IT WASN'T THE SUPERINTENDENT. THESE ARE NOT MATTERS THAT I FEEL SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
AND HAVING SUCH A BLANKET ASSERTION IT DOESN'T DO GOOD THINGS FOR TRANSPARENCY AND FOR TRUST IN OUR DISTRICT. SO THE VOTE ON THIS CURRICULUM IS NOT A VOTE ON WHETHER TO HAVE ETHNIC STUDIES IN US OF USD. IT'S ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW THERE'S DISAGREEMENT. OBVIOUSLY BASED JUST ON THE COMMENTS WE HEARD TONIGHT OVER WHETHER THE DISTRICT SHOULD MANDATE ETHNIC STUDIES AND IF SO WHETHER IT SHOULD DO SO FOR 1 OR 2 SEMESTERS. THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE WAS ALSO NOT BEFORE US TONIGHT. I BELIEVE STRONGLY IN REPRESENTING DEMOCRACY, THE RULE OF LAW AND MODELING OUR BEHAVIOR SETTING HIGH STANDARDS THE SAME WAY THAT WE ASK FOR STUDENTS. SO FOR THE REASONS I EXPRESSED LAST WEEK EXCUSE ME LAST MONTH AND TODAY I AM GOING TO VOTE NO ON THE ADOPTION OF THIS NEW CURRICULUM. I WANT TO END WITH SOMETHING ONE OF THE COMMENTING PARENTS SAID. THEY SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE'RE GETTING THIS WRONG. I REALLY WANT US TO GET THIS RIGHT.
THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? SEE NONE. ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE LET OFF COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER. YES. COMMISSIONER FISCHER. YES. COMMISSIONER GUPTA. YES. VICE PRESIDENT HEALEY. YES. COMMISSIONER RAY. NO. COMMISSIONER WISEMAN WORK. YES. PRESIDENT KEMP. YES. THAT SIX EYES. THANK YOU. MY GOSH. I WAS SO HOPEFUL. >> ITEM 225-263 APPROVAL OF PEPCID WAIVERS. CAN I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND, PLEASE? >> SO MOVED. SECONDED. COLONIES OR DESIGNEE TO. I TURNED OVER AND YOU WERE JUST SITTING THERE READY? MR.. THANKS. I'M EXCITED TO HAVE A ROUTINE AND BORING ITEM TONIGHT. THIS I HAVE FOR THE BOARD'S PRESENTATION. I HAVE 16 PROFESSIONAL INTERN PERMITS AND TWO WAIVERS TO ALLOW THESE TEACHERS TO BE CREDENTIALED TO TEACH IN THE
CLASSROOM. THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE BOARD? SPOKESPERSON HEALING. >> IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE TK VACANCIES AT MDC IN PART DUE TO THE LACK OF AN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EARLY CHILDHOOD CREDENTIAL FOR A TEACHER WHO'S PREVIOUSLY TAUGHT K AT MDC. AND I DON'T SEE ANY WAIVERS FOR ANY T K TEACHERS AT MDC. HOW CAN WE MOST EXPEDITIOUSLY RESOLVE THAT ISSUE AND IS THERE A REASON WHY THOSE FOLKS CANNOT BE WAIVED IN IN THIS MANNER? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THIS IS THE YEAR THAT THE COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING HAS DECIDED TO ACTUALLY ENFORCE THE TCA MANDATE. THERE ARE NO WAIVERS OR PERMITS FOR WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TCA THIS YEAR. TEACHERS NEED A MULTIPLE SUBJECT CREDENTIAL AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION UNITS. >> I MAY MISUNDERSTAND BUT MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT LAUSD AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WAIVE FOLKS IN FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED WORK EXPERIENCE IN EARLY EDUCATION PERHAPS THROUGH AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR MECHANISM IS BUT IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT THE BOARD CAN DO TO HELP RESOLVE THIS OR THERE ARE QUALIFIED TEACHERS WHO SIMPLY LACK THE CREDENTIAL, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT AND UPDATE FROM DISTRICT STAFF ON THAT. >> SURE. YEAH WE CAN WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING MORE INFORMATION BACK. WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER ITEM LIKE THIS ON THE NINTH MEETING BUT OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WERE SORT OF GRANDFATHERED INTO THE T K ELIGIBILITY WERE PEOPLE WHO HAD TAUGHT T K BEFORE 2012. SO WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL OF THE WAYS TO GET AROUND THE WAIVERS. WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS YEAR . THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER FISHER IT'S
EXCITING TO SEE SO MANY SPED FOLKS LISTED HERE. I SEE A LOT OF MILD MODERATE CREDENTIALS SO YAY. LAST I HEARD THOUGH WE STILL HAD 43 HEAD TEACHER VACANCIES SO ARE THOSE. IS THAT NUMBER ACCOUNTED FOR HERE OR WILL THESE JUST DETRACT FROM THAT? AND YOU SAY WE HAVE FOLKS COMING NEXT WEEK SO I'M HOPING A LOT OF THOSE ARE SPED AND WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR CLASSROOMS FILLED WITH CREDENTIALED FOLKS. YEAH, I DON'T HAVE A REPORT TONIGHT. I DO HAVE A REPORT ON THE NINTH ABOUT STAFFING AND SO I'D BE GLAD TO BRING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW MANY VACANCIES. BUT THESE ARE THESE ARE TEACHERS WHO ARE TEACHING IN THE CLASSROOM AND ENROLLING IN A PROGRAM AT THE SAME TIME. SO REALLY TAKING ON A BIG TASK OF GETTING THEIR EDUCATION AND TEACHING AT THE SAME TIME. BUT YES, THEY WILL REDUCE ANY VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION WHICH IS A POSITIVE THING. THANK YOU AND THANKS TO YOUR TEAM FOR THE WORK. THANKS.
IF THERE ARE ACTIONS THAT THE BOARD CAN TAKE IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING IF THERE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED FOR EXAMPLE TO BE HIRED BUT WOULD NEED A BOARD RESOLUTION TO BE ALLOWED TO START TEACHING, I WOULD APPRECIATE AN UPDATE FROM STAFF TO SEE IF WE COULD PUT TOGETHER A SPECIAL MEETING SO THAT STUDENTS DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TWO WEEKS TO HAVE TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS JUST BECAUSE THAT'S HOW OUR BOARD SCHEDULE WORKS. YEAH, I'D BE HAPPY TO TO GET A LEGAL OPINION ON THAT AND YEAH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY . SEE NO OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. MR. ALEXANDER. YES. COMMISSIONER FISCHER. YES. COMMISSIONER GUPTA. YES. VICE PRESIDENT HEALEY. YES. COMMISSIONER RAY. YES. COMMISSIONER WISEMAN WORK. YES. PRESIDENT KEMP. YES. NICE. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT KIM HAS IS DEALING RECUSAL FROM THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. DAVID'S EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO WHICH IS A REGULAR CONTRACTOR WITH S.F. USED IN MANY CONTRACTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> SUPERINTENDENT SU, DO YOU HAVE ANY MODIFICATION TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? I DO NOT. THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? I WILL MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AND I WILL HAPPILY SECOND THE ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE. COMMISSIONER ALEXANDER? YES. COMMISSIONER FISCHER. YES, COMMISSIONER GUPTA. YES. VICE PRESIDENT HEALEY. YES. COMMISSIONER RAY. YES. COMMISSIONER WISEMAN WARD. YES. PRESIDENT KIM ABSTAIN AT SIX EYES. THANK YOU. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS LINKED HERE ARE THE STAFF RESPONSES. COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS AGENDA ITEM. ADJOURNMENT I ADDRESS THIS MEETING AT 9:39 P.M.
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