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Parents tell SFUSD board a New Traditions teacher has left children 'afraid,' request removal
Summary
At the Sept. 11 San Francisco Board of Education meeting, multiple parents from New Traditions Elementary alleged that a recently hired teacher in the 3–4 split class uses punitive lists, discourages students from telling parents, and fails to provide instruction; the superintendent offered staff follow-up rather than immediate board action.
Multiple parents of students at New Traditions Elementary told the San Francisco Board of Education on Sept. 11 that a recently hired teacher in the school’s combined third–fourth-grade class has created a classroom environment they described as chaotic, punitive and emotionally harmful.
Johanna Hague, whose daughter is in fourth grade, said her child “burst into tears” on the drive to school and told her, “I’m not learning anything, and I’m afraid I’m going to flunk fourth grade.” Kristen Bumgarner, whose daughter is in the split class, said she found the teacher unresponsive to parental questions at back-to-school night and reported that her daughter had “no homework” and described the classroom as “horrible” and “chaotic.”
Parents gave multiple examples they said support their concerns: a public “good/bad” list used to single out students; assignments returned incomplete and uncorrected; classroom discussions the parents said referenced violent topics; and at least one parent alleged school pickup confusion in which a teacher did not know a child’s whereabouts. Josh Vermette said his son reported being told by the teacher that parents “go away and don’t come back,” and that the teacher told students not to tell parents “because it makes him feel bad.” Several parents said they had decided to transfer or remove their children from the class because of the pattern of problems.
Superintendent Carranza thanked parents for coming and offered an operational response: he asked the assistant superintendent who supervises New Traditions and the district’s chief of human resources to meet with the parents after the meeting to gather details so staff could investigate and follow up. The board did not take any formal disciplinary action or vote during the meeting.
What happens next: district staff were asked to meet with the parents to collect information and promised follow-up; parents requested removal of the teacher but the board did not vote on personnel action at the meeting.
