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Board approves blue‑ribbon process to review school names; advocates urge community input
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Education voted to create a superintendent‑appointed blue‑ribbon panel (ratified by the board) to review SFUSD school names and recommend renamings by June 2020, after public testimony from Native, First Nations and other community advocates urging change.
The San Francisco Board of Education voted May 22 to establish a blue‑ribbon panel to review the names of district schools and recommend possible renamings by June 2020.
The resolution (introduced by Commissioners Sanchez, Cook and Haney) asks the superintendent to appoint a panel whose membership the board will ratify and to report recommendations through the superintendent. Supporters at public comment — including Paloma Flores (who directs the district’s Indian education program) and other Native and First Nations representatives — urged adoption and said names and imagery at some schools remain harmful to students. “It is about time,” Paloma Flores told the board, urging a process that centers students’ sense of belonging.
Board members said they intended a deliberate, methodical process that includes student involvement, community outreach and opportunities to elevate best practices. Commissioners emphasized that the effort should not be rushed and that a renaming process can be an educational opportunity. Several board members pointed out that similar panels have been convened elsewhere, and noted that community involvement and student participation are priorities.
On roll call the resolution passed with an affirmative vote recorded for the members present (the board recorded seven yes votes). Next steps identified in the meeting record include superintendent selection and board ratification of panel membership, and staff guidance to ensure the panel’s work is completed within the stated timeframe.
The board and public framed the vote as part of a broader effort to align school names with district values and improve representation of students and communities in school identities.
