School Board Candidates Lam and Coleman Respond to PPS-SF Questionnaire. Election is Next Tuesday!
PPS-SF reached out to all three San Francisco Board of Education candidates with a series of questions. Two candidates, Jenny Lam and Robert Coleman, responded to our questions. Their answers are below, in the order in which we received responses from the candidates.
Image from a recent Board of Education meeting.
1. What concrete, actionable ideas do you have about how to maintain high academic standards within an equity agenda?
Jenny Lam
SFUSD has learned a lot in recent years about how to best support strong outcomes for our neediest students, while maintaining high academic standards for all learners. Here’s just one example: research suggests that continued prioritization of two-way dual immersion programs is a strategic investment in English Learners’ success. This is a personal issue for me, as I was an English Learner myself.
A recent study by Stanford researchers of SFUSD’s pathway programs for English learners found that, while students in English immersion programs perform better in the short term, over the long term students in classrooms taught in two languages not only catch up to their English immersion counterparts, but they eventually surpass them, both academically and linguistically.
Given these strong outcomes, I will continue to prioritize investment in two-way immersion programs in order to better serve the district’s EL students. For these programs to be successful, we also need to ensure an adequate supply of qualified bilingual teachers to teach in these programs. SFUSD’s teacher residency program and Classified Staff Teacher Training program is an important source of well-prepared bilingual teachers. Investing in two-way dual immersion programs and preparing more bilingual educators not only benefits English Learners, but all of our students getting ready to enter a globalized economy.
Robert Coleman
First, as a trained Stanford MBA with budget and financial oversight experience, I've called for a new independent financial audit with the goal of better equity results, student achievement, and teacher recruitment and retention. My only challenger, who is simultaneously a mayoral Board of Ed appointee and mayoral staffperson, has adopted my position (the third candidate on the ballot withdrew from campaigning and now supports my election).
Second, I've called for a comprehensive "creativity inventory" with the same equity and achievement goals in mind. For many years I've conducted free literacy programs empowering all students through writing poetry, making music, and creating art, asking only for no-cost support for an extremely successful project, and the board's notice could not be roused. My impression is that careerist political priorities for early-stage political aspirants seem to be a poor fit for the job, leading to "I learned a lot on the job" recovery statements like those after the world-famous $850,000 art mural vote at Washington High, cuts at MLK Middle School, and other controversies.
Third, as an experienced public interest attorney, I've called for a professional public mediation on the "political" aspects of the board's work to guarantee independent decision making and the elimination of any appearances (even if arguably benign) of influences from other powerful city departments and the mayor's office. Healthy city agency relationships and our shared equity-focused goals are best served by such greater breadth of scope, context, maturity, and managerial strategy.
Votes taken by the board have too often been emblematic of inconsistency and unreliability, with serious consequences undermining the very goals we all share. By contrast, I wish to help the board succeed in its work. Politically-appealing statements should be consistent with actual performance -- and my deep roots in the progressive community, most notably at the Tenants Union, have led me to want to help actualize that improvement in real performance for the genuine benefit of all students.
I would be honored by your support so that I can help the board achieve its most constructive intentions, appropriately directing its funds, resources, and opportunities.
2. If elected, how will you seek input from families and students, especially those whose voices are less often heard at formal meetings and input sessions?
Jenny Lam
One crucial success for community voice was when San Francisco became the first city in California to allow noncitizens to vote for School Board elections in 2018. I tri-chaired Prop N Non-Citizen Voting in School Board Elections in 2016, and continued to fight until our win in 2018. As a result, 59 out of 65 registered noncitizen voters voted. This is the highest voter turnout of any demographic. With the partnership of Chinese for Affirmative Action, I have worked with several founding coalition organizational members including the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), La Raza Community Resource Center through SFILEN, and the San Francisco Immigrant and Legal Education Network to provide these potential voters with legal and supportive services.
Having strong autonomous parent-family groups like African American family councils, English Learner Advisory Committees, effective parent liaisons, Parent-Teacher Organizations/Associations, and School Site Councils are all critical to ensuring that decisions over school priorities and resources are as democratic and inclusive as possible. As a commissioner, I have also begun by seeking feedback from these groups as well as students in foster care, LGBTQ students, and families with special needs students, Building on what I learn in these conversations, I am working with other Commissioners to create policy that strengthens our accountability to these families.
Robert Coleman
Proactive community outreach needs to happen in the neighborhoods, not by waiting for the community to come to the board. I've heard politicians say it's up to parents to get involved, then not take real action to support and encourage them when they do. I envisage a better scenario where all parents have an excellent experience at all points of involvement, with meetings conducted in a fully courteous and inclusive manner.
3. What one investment would you make to improve school climate in SFUSD?
Jenny Lam
One of my three main priorities (Invest in Caring Communities) will have the impact of improving school climate in SFUSD classrooms. I propose increasing before and after school programming to give students more opportunities to connect & express themselves.
My first resolution, Healing in Our Hands, seeks to expand mental health services for students including a peer to peer coaching model. Further the policy calls for young people to be central to the design of the curriculum and programs.
I am working to ensure that the district supports community schools with more access to counselors, nurses and social workers so students and families get the support they need. I also support the development of a youth mentorship program for career exploration & service learning.
Robert Coleman
Arts and creativity will drive overall improvements in every other area, yet they are currently egregiously undersupported, which is unnecessary and easily remedied.
4. What is your plan for maintaining and increasing enrollment in SFUSD schools?
Jenny Lam
Two of my three main priorities (Prioritizing Student Learning and Building Pathways to Excellence) will have the impact of maintaining and increasing enrollment in SFUSD schools.
Prioritizing Student Learning is key, since we know that families greatly value quality academics when choosing a school. My strategy includes providing early literacy interventions so every student can read at grade level, as well as strengthening student learning foundations in the Arts, Math, Science and Technology. I will also work to enable teachers to innovate to provide engaging, collaborative and inspiring instruction for all students.
Building Pathways to Excellence will expand unique offerings in SFUSD schools, thereby maintaining and increasing enrollment. For example, I propose to expand language learning opportunities and access to all students in SFUSD schools. I will work to ensure that all of our students graduate with life skills and job readiness to prepare them for the future. My vision is that SFUSD will prepare every student to access and thrive in higher education.
Robert Coleman
See #3, arts expansion integrating creativity in all subjects, plus diverse cultural connections drawing together families and communities in a more appealing manner. I will focus on enhancing public schools as opposed to giving any advantage to the aggressors of the charter schools/privatization threats, and I offer much more experienced commitment and legal follow-through on these protections, hopefully inspiring the entirety of the well-intended and similarly-inclined board.
5. Are you or have you ever been a parent or guardian of an SFUSD student?
Jenny Lam
Yes, both of my children currently attend SFUSD schools -- one in high school and one in middle school.
Robert Coleman
Y
6. Have you ever eaten an SFUSD school meal?
Jenny Lam
I had tried Revolution Foods meal years ago when they first started at the District and my daughter was in elementary school. Unfortunately, I haven’t since joining the Board of Education.
I support SFUSD’s contract with Revolution Foods, and I will continue to compel District staff to work with Revolution Foods towards stronger monitoring, evaluation, and transparency.
Further, I fully support the District’s expansion of its own central, scratch-cooking kitchens. Students and families have been asking to return to school kitchens for decades. As a supporter of healthy lifestyles and this venture, I will continue to be a champion.
Robert Coleman
Y
7. Are you fluent in a language other than English?
Jenny Lam
No, but I [have] basic proficiency in Cantonese. Cantonese was my first language.
Robert Coleman
Y