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SFUSD board commends tech team’s pandemic work as unions and parents warn of layoffs
Summary
The Board of Education formally commended SFUSD’s Department of Technology for distributing devices and hotspots during COVID-19, while union leaders and parents urged the board to prioritize keeping DOT staff and avoid contracting out amid related budget pressures.
San Francisco Unified School District commissioners on Tuesday publicly commended the Department of Technology for its emergency work to keep students connected during the COVID-19 school closures, while several union leaders and parent advocates urged the board to protect district employees facing potential layoffs.
The board approved a resolution recognizing DOT’s “extraordinary efforts” in mobilizing device distribution and support for distance learning. Superintendent Vincent Matthews told the board the district had “distributed more than 12,400 Chromebooks and more than 3,500 hotspots” and that DOT ran centralized pick‑up events and home deliveries to reach families.
“We are so proud of the work that we have done,” Melissa Dodd, chief technology officer, said after the board read the resolution. “All of DOT is serving SFUSD above and beyond as the district navigates the uncertain times of this pandemic.”
Public comment that followed was overwhelmingly positive about DOT’s work but repeatedly raised a sharp contrast: employees and union representatives said staff who delivered those services are now being threatened with layoffs or outsourcing. Jan Jin, president of Local 21 ProTech (SEG 827–860), thanked the board for honoring DOT employees but warned that “there are conflicting messages” when members are simultaneously being notified of potential layoffs. “We cannot afford to have any layoffs to central or school on‑site staff,” Jin said.
Several UESF and SEIU speakers echoed that concern, asking the board to hold off on approving agreements that appeared to fund outside contractors while district employees face job cuts. At least one union representative asked the board to defer contractor approvals and provide the board with a contractor list and budget detail before votes. Deputy communications staff said many of the contracts on the consent calendar are grant‑funded and tied to specific program deliverables and not intended to replace SEIU positions.
Board members said they appreciated both the public praise for DOT and the staff‑retention concerns. Commissioner Collins asked staff for more clarity on which contracts are time‑sensitive and whether delaying votes would jeopardize services; CFO and staff advised the board to approve a small subset of items with immediate deadlines while deferring others so the board could review additional documentation.
What’s next: The board voted to commend DOT and asked staff to return clearer budget and contracting information about KALW and other contested items at the next meeting. Several commissioners said they would press for preserving frontline staff as the district works to close a looming budget shortfall.
