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Parents and advocates press SFUSD for counselors, stronger mental‑health services and special‑education supports
Summary
Public commenters at the Oct. 23 board meeting urged SFUSD to prioritize counselors over police, expand wellness and mental‑health supports, speed special‑education placements and provide clearer IEP processes. Coleman Advocates and multiple parents raised concerns about disproportionate discipline for students of color.
Community members used public comment at the Oct. 23 Board meeting to press district leaders on student discipline, mental‑health services and special education.
Kevin Bogus, political director at Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, underscored a national Week of Action theme: "counselors, not cops," and urged the board to fully implement the district’s safe and supportive schools policies, saying families still report push‑out and disproportionate discipline for students of color.
Parents asked the district to strengthen wellness centers and hire more therapists and psychologists. "We need to improve our wellness center. We need to hire therapists and psychologists because many of our students are coming to school with some problems that we are not able to help," Nicole Cruz said during public comment.
Advocates for special education highlighted difficulties navigating IEP placements and delays in placement. Mildred Coffee of Parents Making a Change said parents often do not understand IEP content or the placement process and urged the district for better supports and faster placements.
Several speakers also called for the district to report which schools provide anti‑racist professional development, celebrate Black History Month, and include diverse authors in English curricula as part of making schools culturally safe and supportive.
One public speaker made a scientific claim about autism studies that was not substantiated during the meeting; the board did not adjudicate the scientific accuracy of that remark during public comment.
