Embattled board members double down

In a critical year for SF schools they are still not getting it

Last week, we floated a theory about District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who is facing a recall attempt.

We said that, with the petition-drive looming, and general concern about crime in the city, Boudin has begun to highlight crime-fighting measures. He has appeared with and complimented Police Chief Bill Scott and emphasized that he wants to make San Francisco “safe.”

Seems like a good move. He’s making an effort to say that he gets it, and that he knows the DA’s primary job is criminal prosecution.

So a lot of us were wondering if something similar might happen with the recall-challenged members of the San Francisco School Board: Alison Collins, Gabriela Lopez and Faauuga Moliga.

After all the petition drive is definitely real. The Recall the School Board SF group is saying it has over 60,500 signatures for recalling Lopez and over 60,600 for recalling Collins. (51,325 needed to put on the ballot.)

And now, SF schools are just starting what has to be the most fraught and anxious school year — maybe ever. So this would be a good time for the elected members to pull together a back-to-the-classroom plan that would make returning to school safe and successful.

Nope.

At a Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic club appearance, covered by The Examiner, Lopez and Collins were back to portraying themselves as victims, beset by critics who can’t handle their advocacy for people of color.

Collins said what they were trying to do is “share power with communities that are traditionally marginalized.”

Lopez lamented that those unhappy with the school board “recognize this is an opportunity to bring down someone who is me.”

And as much as I would love to dive into a discussion of racial politics — because those are never contentious or divisive, that’s not the point.

The recall groups don’t want to fire you because of your racial politics.

They want to fire you because you aren’t doing your job.

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Sure, there have probably been years when the San Francisco Unified School District was humming along pretty well. And in those years, a panel on equality among ethnic groups in public school would probably be a worthwhile exercise.

This isn’t that year.

We are probably only beginning to realize the effect the pandemic has had on our schools, our kids, parents and teachers. Nobody has been through anything like this. And for it to go on and on, keeping kids out of school for a full year, has been wrenching.

The New York Times editorial “The School Kids Are Not Alright,” cites studies that suggest ripple effect of the pandemic on students “may undermine their chances of attending college and ultimately finding a fulfilling job.”

It’s right there. A clear and present danger. This is why a school board is elected, to identify a problem and present a best-case solution.

Is that what they are doing?

Well, it’s not what happened last year. As the Recall the SF School Board says, “SF is the ONLY top 25 city not to bring middle and high school kids back (at the end of) last year.”

And, if you’d like to incorporate racial concern, both the recall group and the NY Times story emphasize that students of color have been much more disadvantaged than white students.

This school year has to work. Students have to be in class. Families need the time when kids are in school. Nation-wide, returning to school may be the biggest game-changer of the pandemic.

That’s the job. That’s what the school board is supposed to accomplish.

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So are the board members laser-focused on making sure the schools are open and safe? Hard to say.

They weren’t last year, when they were off tilting at windmills and cancel culturing Abraham Lincoln. Collins’ ludicrous $87 million law suit against the district and other board members was thrown out of court as the vanity project it was.

Collins, however, has doubled down. She heard the critics, she said at last week’s appearance, and they convinced her she is right.

“When I see certain people getting upset,” she said, “I know I am doing the right thing.”

In that case, mission accomplished. Your plan is working to perfection.

Wealthy donors have stepped up to contribute to the petition drive. Parents’ groups are energized. (And never underestimate energized parents.) And the list of San Francisco movers and shakers who have called for her resignation is stunning.

It not just moderates like Mayor London Breed, State Assemblyman David Chiu and State Senator Scott Weiner. There are also passionate progressives Hillary Ronen, David Campos, Aaron Peskin and Matt Haney. That’s formidable.

I like the chances that a recall election is going to happen, at least for Collins and Lopez. As we said, their individual petitions are well over the 51,000+ needed for a recall. At this point the advocates are just padding their total, hoping to get to 70,000. Because you always have to toss out some fakers like “Ben Dover,” or “Nosmo King” (No smoking.)

And if it goes to an election, I really don’t like their chances. As we’ve often said, the reason people with extreme views get elected is that voters don’t know who they are.

They know who they are now.

In other news, I wrote my usual sports column for the Press Democrat. This one is about the A’s and Giants and the ballpark divide. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/sports/nevius-bay-bridge-series-a-stark-contrast-in-teams-fortunes/

Contact C.W. Nevius at cwnevius@gmail.com. Suggestions and compliments gladly accepted. Criticism not so much. Twitter: @cwnevius