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Mayor leads back-to-school Vision Zero push; city officials and community groups vow support for DACA holders
Summary
At a back-to-school event tied to Vision Zero, Mayor Ed Lee, SFPD Chief William Scott and partners urged drivers to slow in school zones and outlined enforcement plans; later city leaders and immigrant-rights groups responded to the federal rescind of DACA, with DACA recipients and advocates speaking at the event.
San Francisco Sept. 13, 2017 Mayor Ed Lee and city partners used a back-to-school event Wednesday to highlight Vision Zero school-safety efforts and to express support for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients after a federal announcement rescinding the program.
At Everett Middle School, Mayor Lee emphasized slower driving near schools and thanked partners including the San Francisco Police Department, San Francisco Unified School District and the California Highway Patrol. Chief William Scott outlined enforcement steps in the Vision Zero campaign, noting a 57 percent year-to-date drop in traffic-related fatalities and a 68 percent increase in speeding citations in the prior six months; the department plans high-visibility enforcement and coordination with the SFMTA and CHP.
"Remember to slow down," Chief Scott said, repeating the mayor's request that drivers obey 15-mph school zone limits. Director Tomas Aragon, San Francisco's health officer, framed Vision Zero as a values-driven public-health initiative and encouraged drivers and families to prioritize safety.
The event also addressed the federal decision to rescind DACA. Mayor Lee and several local officials said they would press Congress to act humanely and described San Francisco's local supports for DACA students. The mayor introduced multiple DACA recipients who described the program's role in enabling education and community participation. A DACA recipient identified as Diana said the program allowed her to attend and graduate from UC Santa Cruz and to pursue a career; Alicia, another DACA recipient, said she will continue to fight for protections and said the city's programs provide resources for legal assistance and civic engagement.
San Francisco officials announced local supports including DreamSF fellows, citizenship workshops and partnerships with community organizations and the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs.
The press conference combined traffic-safety enforcement plans, school-safety education and public commitments to immigrant communities; it was not a Police Commission action item but ran adjacent to the commission meeting coverage for the day.
