The San Francisco Board of Education meeting on July 4, 2025, featured passionate testimonies from parents and community members advocating for the preservation of the Filipino language program at Bessie Carmichael Filipino Education Center. The primary focus of the meeting was the proposed consolidation of the fourth and fifth-grade classes within the program, which many attendees argued would undermine the educational and cultural support provided to Filipino students.

Maya Masaka, an eighth grader at Bessie Carmichael, opened the public comments by sharing her personal experiences and the importance of the program in helping her peers from the Philippines adjust to life in the United States. She emphasized that limiting enrollment would deprive future students of the opportunity to learn about their culture and language, and combining classes would place undue stress on teachers and students alike.

Ruby Taralba, a middle school parent, echoed these sentiments, highlighting a history of top-down decisions that have weakened Filipino language studies without community input. She pointed out that the consolidation violates the district's commitment to meaningful consultation with affected stakeholders. Other parents, including Joyce Espanyol and Jay Espedido, expressed their disappointment over the lack of transparency and community involvement in the decision-making process.

Eva Naredo, a long-time advocate for the program, articulated her frustration with the district's ongoing efforts to diminish the Filipino language program, which is one of only two such programs in the United States. She called for greater respect for community voices and the importance of maintaining cultural education for Filipino students.

Several speakers, including educators and community leaders, stressed the need for the program to expand rather than contract, arguing that it plays a crucial role in the identity formation of Filipino youth. They urged the Board of Education to reconsider the consolidation and to prioritize the needs of immigrant families.

The meeting concluded with a strong call for the Board to uphold its commitment to supporting the Filipino language pathway at Bessie Carmichael, emphasizing that the future of the community's cultural heritage depends on the decisions made today. The Board's response to these concerns remains to be seen, as the community awaits further developments regarding the program's future.