Parents and teachers from Harvey Milk school demand fair principal selection and restoration of programs

A large group from Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy made extended public comment at the May 8 SFUSD board meeting, urging immediate district attention to school leadership, restoration of programs and a fair selection process for a permanent principal.

A parent who identified herself during public comment described alleged mistreatment of special‑education students, including one allegation that the interim principal withheld a child’s medication and that IEP documentation had gone missing. The parent said dozens of families had signed petitions requesting the interim principal’s removal and restoration of a parent‑liaison and after‑school program.

Teachers and parent leaders, including the Friends of Harvey Milk (the school’s nonprofit fundraising and CBO body), said the interim principal had eroded trust, disrupted communication and undermined school programs. A teacher who said she had worked at the school 12 years and many parents and staff provided testimony that they had not received follow‑up from the district after previous complaints and asked the board to appoint a contact person and facilitate a transparent interview and selection process.

Board members acknowledged the concerns during the meeting; staff and board members later noted they would follow up with the school site. The comments were part of a broader sequence of public comment that included multiple schools and staffing controversies across the district, but Harvey Milk’s speakers specifically requested facilitation, mediation and a public, open principal selection process.