The Grassroots Fight to Save San Francisco Public Schools
On Sept. 18 and 24, students, parents, and educators rallied at the SFUSD headquarters ahead of the Board of Education meeting to demand SFUSD pause school closures and engage Black and Brown communities properly. (Photo: Joseph Smooke, People Power Media)
October 2, 2024
COMMUNITY DEMANDS that SFUSD Pause school closures
Students, parents, educators, and advocates are demanding that the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) stop the proposed closures of public schools across the city. Coleman Advocates for Children & Youth, the Small Schools Coalition, along with the Race & Equity in all Planning Coalition (REP-SF), are advocating to protect small schools that predominantly serve students of color, demanding deeper investments to improve schools and increase enrollment, rather than closing or merging schools.
“Parents and students were not involved in this decision at all. If they were, then the focus would be on how to make our schools better, instead of closing them,” says Blanca Catalan, a parent and organizer at Parents Making a Change (PMAC), a program of Coleman Advocates. “We should be focusing on improving the schools we have – not closing them. We want to have a different conversation with a completely different starting point.”
Community members staged rallies and press conferences on September 18 and 24, 2024 outside of the SFUSD Headquarters at 555 Franklin St in San Francisco to bring visibility to their fight to keep the schools open.
“The school year just started, and instead of worrying about studying for my next test or what clubs I’m going to join, I’m stressed about the possibility of my school closing and how this will harm me and my peers,”
“The school year just started, and instead of worrying about studying for my next test or what clubs I’m going to join, I’m stressed about the possibility of my school closing and how this will harm me and my peers,” says Neveah Nathan, a student at June Jordan School for Equity.
“SFUSD’s communication makes it seem like the decisions have already been made to close schools – which has caused students and teachers to leave. SFUSD is creating the conditions and justification for schools to close by preemptively causing enrollment to decline and resources for students to be diverted away. They are creating the conditions for this runaway train because they are the ones steering it,” says Reina Tello, a parent and member of the Small Schools Coalition, as well as a Community Organizer with PODER, a member organization of the REP-SF coalition.
“We know that Black and Brown students are the ones that will suffer the most if their schools are closed because this has historically been the case. We are fighting to save small schools and protect our students of color, especially in the southeast part of the city, in neighborhoods like the Excelsior, Ingleside, Bayview, and the Outer Mission,” says Mirna Vasquez, a parent and PMAC Lead Organizer at Coleman Advocates.
“We know that Black and Brown students are the ones that will suffer the most if their schools are closed because this has historically been the case.”
Community members are fighting to keep schools open, especially small schools like June Jordan School for Equity, whose students are predominantly from immigrant and working-class communities of color. The population of June Jordan has declined from 250 to 178 because many families have left due to the uncertainty of school closures. The goal of the Small Schools Coalition is to ensure that no decision about small school changes gets made without a central group of representatives giving feedback, which has not yet happened.
Brandie Bowen-Bremond, Policy Director at Coleman Advocates, speaks at the student rally to demand SFUSD pause school closures on Sept. 24, 2024. (Photo: Joseph Smooke, People Power Media)
no decisions about us, without us!
SFUSD's plan to close some public schools, called the Resource Alignment Initiative, harms students and families and negatively impacts students’ education. Students and parents want the School Board to know that our communities won't stop until their voices are heard and considered during this process.
SFUSD’s Superintendent, Dr. Matt Wayne, was expected to release the list of proposed school closures, mergers, and co-locations in September, but he postponed this announcement until October. Despite this delay, the School Board is still scheduled to vote on the school closures this December. By insisting on this timeline, SFUSD is continuing to create harm and more panic for students, families, and teachers – and exacerbating the problem of under-enrollment.
“With the Board of Education and the Mayor’s announcement after their emergency meeting, the situation remains the same. They are still proposing to close schools, and they have no avenue for true community input. We are continuing our push for a PAUSE to school closures. We demand they engage our Black and Brown communities properly. NO DECISIONS ABOUT US, WITHOUT US!”
“In addition to causing inequitable harms, school closures will not result in any financial benefit for the District. Even if SFUSD closes schools, the District will still be in a financial crisis,” says Chris Ballard, Executive Director of Coleman Advocates. “Instead, the District should focus on increasing enrollment by increasing the quality of education and realigning resources within the Central Office.”
On Sunday, Sept. 22, the Board of Education held an emergency meeting to evaluate the leadership of Superintendent Wayne. The closed-door meeting was preceded by emotional public comment from parents, students, and educators voicing frustrations about the Superintendent’s leadership and the proposed school closures. They urged the School Board to center students, families, and educators in every decision, as they will be the most impacted.
Community advocates emphasized that school closures would have the smallest impact on closing the gap in the SFUSD budget. Following the emergency meeting, Mayor Breed announced a School Stabilization Team composed of city leaders to provide support for the City’s public schools.
“With the Board of Education and the Mayor’s announcement after their emergency meeting, the situation remains the same. They are still proposing to close schools, and they have no avenue for true community input. We are continuing our push for a PAUSE to school closures. We demand they engage our Black and Brown communities properly. NO DECISIONS ABOUT US, WITHOUT US!” says Chris Ballard, Executive Director of Coleman Advocates.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is also weighing in on the issue. They unanimously passed a resolution, introduced by Supervisor Connie Chan, to reevaluate Superintendent Wayne’s plan for the closures, urging SFUSD to “work with the California Department of Education on fiscal solvency, including an audit of existing budget systems, developing an in-depth benefit and cost saving analysis, exploring options before considering school closures or mergers, and supporting upcoming revenue measures.” The resolution mentions the $40 million SFUSD wasted on new payroll systems and other fiscally irresponsible actions.
STUDENT & PARENT VOICES: HANDS OFF OUR SCHOOLS
Students and parents made their voices heard during the two rallies at the SFUSD headquarters on Sept. 18 and Sept. 24. They also mobilized for public comment at the Board of Education meeting on Sept. 24 to bring their concerns directly to the School Board. (Photos: Joseph Smooke, People Power Media)
“People don’t want to go to schools that could potentially close at the end of this school year. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy: SFUSD is manufacturing the conditions and justifications to close our schools.”
This is what the community had to say at the rallies:
“This whole process is making me anxious. The thought of having to go to a bigger school instead of my small school scares me. I won’t be able to get as much help as I do in my small school. I choose to be here. Why will I change to a bigger school when that does not work for me?” says Neveah Nathan, YMAC member and student at June Jordan High School.
“Closing/merging schools is nonsense. I go to a big school, and this will affect me personally because if they do close/merge schools, many kids would be sent to my high school, which would lead to more crowded classrooms. The teachers are not able to help each kid individually, which would lead to more students failing and being unmotivated to continue,” says Julissa Galdamez, YMAC member and student at Burton High School.
“Even though SFUSD has not yet released a list of proposed school closures, enrollments are still dropping. People don’t want to go to schools that could potentially close at the end of this school year. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy: SFUSD is manufacturing the conditions and justifications to close our schools,” says Roberto Guzman, parent of three students and PMAC member.
“The lack of transparency during this rushed process is frankly offensive. SFUSD must listen to the community, the students, and the families of those most impacted by their decisions. Give us a real seat at the table. Show us a supportive and equitable plan with our needs reflected!” says Gaelan Spor, a parent and member of the Small Schools Coalition. “Our communities have experienced inequitable school closures in the past – never again. This is a public school district, not a corporation. Our students need teachers, not middle managers. Close this budget without closing schools!”
BRINGING THE FIGHT TO THE PUBLIC
Several news outlets reported on the September 18 and 24 rallies. Watch the KPIX and KRON4 TV coverage below. More coverage of the press conference and rally to stop SFUSD's proposed school closures featured in: SF Examiner, Bay City News (Patch & Local News Matters), KTVU FOX 2 News, and Hecho en California (KIQI 1010 AM).
mismatch between sf planning goals & sfusd proposed school closures
On Aug. 5, the REP-SF coalition and Coleman Advocates submitted a letter to the SF Planning Department questioning how the City can be calling to close public schools, while at the same time doing everything to dramatically increase San Francisco’s population.
“The City is planning for a massive population increase to bring in 150,000 new people. This underscores the need to increase enrollment. It doesn’t make sense to close our schools. Where will everyone’s kids go to school? Increasing housing means increasing – not decreasing – our public school resources,” says Dyan Ruiz, member of the REP-SF coalition.
“Equity means access to high-quality public schools close to home, in our neighborhoods and communities. Any plans to make historically marginalized students and families travel farther to school to access high-quality public schools is an injustice,” says Jeantelle Laberinto of the REP-SF coalition.
“Equity means access to high-quality public schools close to home, in our neighborhoods and communities. Any plans to make historically marginalized students and families travel farther to school to access high-quality public schools is an injustice.”
national studies on the severe negative impact of school closures
National studies have shown that school closures do not have a positive impact on school district budgets, yet they do cause severe trauma to students, families, and entire communities. Students and families suffer from stress and anxiety from losing their school community and sense of belonging, which often causes students to distrust their school district.
Studies have found that school closures have severe negative impacts on students’ academic performance, attendance, extracurricular participation, safety, relationships, and parent involvement. SFUSD has been rolling out this plan without taking into consideration these negative impacts.
Negative impact on student’s test scores the year preceding closure or immediately after (Tieken & Auldridge-Reveles, 2019).
Greater distance may lead to a decrease in attendance (Kirshner, 2019).
School closure can cause and reinforce spatial injustice. Closures are classed, affecting poor and of color students and communities (Tieken & Auldridge-Reveles, 2019).
Transferred students experience a decrease in extracurricular participation (Tieken & Auldridge-Reveles, 2019).
Children experienced a sense of loss when forced to transfer. Sense of belonging in school was diminished (Kirshner, 2019).
The most prevalent challenge of students is to form new relationships and manage the old ones disrupted by the closure (Kirshner, 2019).
Concerns about safety when students leave their familiar neighborhoods (Kirshner, 2019).
Parents tend to be less involved with the new school (Tieken & Auldridge-Reveles, 2019).
Student rally at SFUSD headquarters ahead of public comment at Board of Education meeting on Sept. 24, 2024. (Photo: Joseph Smooke, People Power Media)
