Parents press SFUSD over Visitation Valley safety, notification and staffing concerns

A group of parents from Visitation Valley Elementary told the San Francisco Unified School District board they were worried about student safety, staff turnover and communication from the school principal.

Parents described separate incidents that raised alarm: one parent said her daughter returned from school crying after repeated bullying and that the principal told them "my daughter was lying," and another recounted a child who was struck and sustained a mouth injury where the parent said the school did not notify them until pickup time. Multiple speakers also described an incident in which a student brought a chopping knife to school and, later, scissors during recess; on the second occasion the police were called and the student was handcuffed, which parents said had a "psychological impact to all the students." (Parents requested an investigation into both incident response and communication practices.)

Speakers asked the district to provide clearer parent notification protocols and to investigate claims about the principal's handling of complaints, and several parents said they feared declining test scores and low staff morale following the departure of long-serving teachers.

District response: Superintendent Carranza asked Assistant Superintendent Margaret Chu, who supervises Visitation Valley, to meet with parents immediately after the meeting so staff could document concerns and follow up. The board thanked parents for coming and noted the district would collect details through the meeting with administrators.

Why it matters: Parents cited student safety and communications lapses, both of which are central to district responsibilities. The parents requested district investigation and follow-up; the superintendent offered staff-level engagement and documentation at the meeting.