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Students and parents protest Burton High cuts; board seeks follow-up on staffing decisions
Summary
Students and parents from Burton High School told the Board that sudden teacher consolidations led to lost programs and crowded classes; the superintendent said allocations were made from spring projections and district staff are working to redesign master schedules and reassign teachers where possible.
Several students and parents told the San Francisco Board of Education on Oct. 10 that sudden teacher consolidations at Philip and Stella Burton High School have harmed student programs and left classes crowded.
An unidentified Burton student said the school lost 10 teachers and is short about 254 students this year, and urged the Board to 'send more students there' and restore electives that motivate students. Parent Wanda Bailey described attending a parent night one day and finding teachers gone the next, saying she was 'confused' about how cuts were determined and worried Burton could close if the three nearby high-school programs continue to compete for enrollment.
Student Queena (spelled 'Queena Chen' in the public sign-in) said class sizes are now 45 to 50 in some classrooms and asked the Board to 'reconsider consolidating the teachers' and to adjust how the district calculates per-school costs. Teacher and substitute-applicant Scott Schneider told the board he supported veteran Burton teachers in a public protest; he said the district's human-resources director later told him he had acted 'irresponsibly' and would not be called for substitute assignments, and he asked the Board whether that personnel response was appropriate.
Superintendent Chan said spring projections — prepared with principals and assistant superintendents — drive teacher allocations and that predicting actual enrollment can be difficult. She acknowledged the situation is 'very painful,' said the district has been redesigning master schedules to align with the budget, and stated that of the 18 teacher allocations slated for consolidation, the district had worked to ensure 'not one of them lost their jobs' by reassigning staff. The superintendent also said the district would provide support to schools and follow up on late survey submissions.
Commissioners asked for a short written report on the consolidations' impact at Burton (programs removed and how decisions were made) and requested staff investigate the allegation raised by Schneider about alleged employment retribution. Board staff confirmed they would provide written follow-ups.
