San Francisco school board requires clearer implementation and monitoring of family diversity curriculum

The San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education on Oct. 24 unanimously approved a resolution to reaffirm the district's K–8 family diversity curriculum and to require broader implementation and documentation across elementary and middle schools.

The resolution, authored by Commissioners Dan Kelly, Sarah Lipson and Miguel Sanchez and read into the record by Dr. Dan Kelly, directs the superintendent to ensure that approved family diversity lessons and supporting materials are available at every school, that approved family diversity lessons are taught annually by every K–8 teacher, and that site administrators verify delivery at least once per semester. The board also asked the superintendent to maintain documentation of delivery in the same way the district documents instruction for HIV/AIDS, violence prevention and drug abuse prevention curricula. The resolution calls for a district community task force to review materials and implementation and to report to the board in February 2007 so an implementation plan is in place for the 2007–08 school year.

Dr. Kelly read the resolution and offered limited wording changes intended to clarify intent, including replacing a struck number in the draft with the phrase "a specified number of approved family diversity lessons." "Some of the lessons are outdated and need to be changed or upgraded," he said, while stressing the amendments were not intended to change the resolution's spirit.

Parents and community members who signed up to speak supported the requirement. Joe Marigliano, a parent with children at Lilienthal Elementary, said the measure advances student "health and safety" by helping students practice respect, conflict management and advocacy skills. "By passing this resolution, the board is proactively taking additional responsibility for the safety of all of its students," Marigliano said. Amy Fisher, program director of Our Family Coalition, described families' concern about classroom omission of LGBT families and urged board support so children "feel safe, welcome and included."

Board members who discussed the item asked for practical follow-up. Commissioner Wins requested a cost analysis or implementation plan for the proposed task force and any material purchases, noting the likely expense will be in staff time. Dr. Kelly said he expects the task force's implementation plan to include a more detailed cost projection to be considered by the board when the task force reports.

Commissioner Marr thanked parents and community groups for bringing the item forward and said updating the curriculum "has been long overdue." The roll call vote was unanimous.

Next steps: the resolution requests the superintendent ensure material availability and teacher delivery, convene the district community task force and return to the board with a report in February 2007 that will inform the board's vote on the implementation plan.