When our club collected over 5,000 petition signatures in a week demanding school board member Allison Collins to resign for her remarks against Asians and Pacific Islanders, we knew residents wanted change at the school board. Their lack of focus on opening schools and support for teachers to return to classrooms struck a nerve with worried parents.
Last night, San Francisco voters showed the country that we demand results from our public school leadership.
With all eyes on San Francisco, we reminded the country that we prioritize our young people’s education above all else. This win belongs to the grassroots movement of parents, immigrant families, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to beat back entrenched political forces. But the biggest winner yesterday wasn’t the API community or the volunteers – it was San Francisco’s students, who deserve a functioning school board that is laser focused on supporting them now and into the future.
Next, Mayor Breed will appoint three replacement board members in mid-March 2022. We urge the Mayor to appoint competent, hardworking people who are invested in the community to lead the school district during its challenges around COVID, a budget crisis, and the search for a new Superintendent.
To everyone who signed a petition, spoke to friends and neighbors, or just mailed in your ballot, you deserve a gold star for completing the assignment. Thank you!