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Parents and students urge SF school board to halt closures and question hires; demands for transparency grow
Summary
Hundreds of San Francisco residents—students, parents and community organizers—urged the board to stop proposed school closures (notably Spring Valley and Yick Wo), criticized recent leadership decisions and severance payouts, and demanded transparent community-driven processes for superintendent selection and staffing.
Dozens of parents, students and community organizers used the Board of Education public-comment period to press the district to pause any school closures, press for greater transparency in hiring and budget decisions, and call for accountability over recent leadership moves.
Students opened public comments with short pleas. ‘‘Please don't close my school,’’ third-grader Leah Grace Tan told the board, joined by other young speakers who said Spring Valley is their neighborhood school. Parents described increased transportation costs, raised concerns about after‑school fees that would burden low-income families, and warned that moving special-day classes could leave students without necessary facilities.
Community organizers highlighted what they described as rushed decisions and a lack of meaningful community engagement. Kazani Finau, an organizer with 5 Elements, said permanent school closures would “tremendously” harm families and asked the board to prioritize education over politics. Laura Kennedy, a Yick Wo parent, said her school’s kindergarten wait list was full and questioned why enrollment demand was not factored into closure decisions.
Several callers criticized a recent severance package for former superintendent Matt Wayne, calling the payment unjustified while the district faces deficits. Juana, speaking for 5 Elements, said the board approved “Wayne a $500,000-plus send off” and argued those funds could have been spent on staff or student services.
Callers also raised personnel concerns unrelated to closures. Multiple public speakers alleged that Josephine Zao (also transcribed as Zhao) was unsuitable as a black-family liaison because of past statements they characterized as racist or transphobic; speakers demanded reassignment. The board did not announce personnel action on that hire during the meeting.
Speakers representing special education and school-site councils urged clearer accounting. A commenter who identified themselves as representing special education said SPED did not overbudget by $60 million and urged the superintendent to consult SPED leaders when restoring positions. Rex Ridgeway urged parents to engage school-site councils to obtain readiness and implementation grants.
The public comment segment ended before action items on the agenda. After hearing community concerns, board members acknowledged the need for more engagement; several said they supported immediate leadership stability while promising oversight. The meeting moved on to votes on the city–district loan for a superintendent, the credential waiver and a deputy superintendent contract, which the board approved later the same night.
