[00:00] Speaker 1: School district for February 3rd, 2026 is now called to order at 5:09pm roll call, please. Commissioner ray. Commissioner alexander.
[00:16] Speaker 2: Here.
[00:17] Speaker 1: Vice president huling. President kim. Here. Commissioner weissman.
[00:25] Speaker 3: Here.
[00:26] Speaker 1: Commissioner gupta. Here. Commissioner fisher?
[00:30] Speaker 3: Here.
[00:39] Speaker 4: In accordance with government code section 54953B.
[00:43] Speaker 1: One or more commissioners may participate in a public meeting via teleconference or video conference. Tonight, Commissioner Weissman Ward will be participating remotely. The address from which the Commissioner will be Participating teleconference is 555 Nathan Abbott Way Mills Legal Clinic, Room N141, Stanford, CA 94305. Moving to Item B. Public Comment hello and welcome to members of the public to this special meeting of the Board of Education of the San Francisco Unified School District. Please know that tonight public comment is limited to the agenda items only or item only. Each participant may speak for up to one minute. Start staff will thank the participant at the one minute mark. At one minute and five seconds, I've asked Mr. Trullo to please turn off the mic in transition to the next speaker. I ask members of the public to please respect that one minute limit so we can hear from as many speakers as possible. I encourage speakers who are speaking on the same topic to collaborate and combine their comments so that the board can hear all viewpoints during our limited time. Please also note that the Board accepts written public comments via email to to boardofficefusd.edu. we will hear first from students in person, then members of the general public in person. Regardless of whether in person public comment is complete, we will save 15 minutes for remote public comment, taking commenters in the same order as in person. It is 5:11 right now. Let's say we will conclude by 6:15.
[02:05] Speaker 4: So by 6:00 clock we will turn.
[02:07] Speaker 1: To public comment online.
[02:10] Speaker 4: To members of the public.
[02:10] Speaker 1: You'll see on the right signs that outline expectations for public comment and meeting conduct. We ask that all members of the public model the kind of tone, language and behavior that we hope to see from our young people, respecting different viewpoints.
[02:22] Speaker 4: And allowing for all members of the public to participate.
[02:24] Speaker 1: As a reminder, Board rules in California law do not allow us to respond to comments or attempt to answer questions during the public comment time. If appropriate, the Superintendent will ask that.
[02:34] Speaker 4: Staff follow up with speakers.
[02:39] Speaker 1: Thank you, President Kim. We don't have student speakers at this moment, so we'll move to members of the public. Kenya Hailwood, please line up as I call your name and Roberto Guzman.
[02:54] Speaker 5: Good evening, Superintendent and the board.
[02:57] Speaker 4: SFUSD has been in negotiations with UESF for 11 months. Now, that in of itself would be an affront. But over these months, we've watched you.
[03:04] Speaker 3: The board, give double digit raises to.
[03:06] Speaker 4: The superintendent as well as our administrators while offering at UESF a less than.
[03:11] Speaker 2: Cola 2% pay cut.
[03:13] Speaker 4: The focus is on PR spin instead of putting together an offer and ensuring.
[03:17] Speaker 2: Our educators can focus on the well.
[03:19] Speaker 4: Being and education of our students. We don't want to strike.
[03:22] Speaker 2: We want to continue showing up for.
[03:24] Speaker 4: Our students and their families. But we cannot do that if we cannot afford for our basic needs to be covered. We cannot afford the skyrocketing, skyrocketing cost of health care. And if our students and families are too afraid to come to school or have nowhere to turn when they are in crisis, we are fighting for our students. Stop playing political games.
[03:42] Speaker 2: The district has the power to keep our schools open. Use it. Good evening. My name is Roberto Guzman Rivera and I have two, three kids. Sfusd. It's not reason to consider to close schools even if it's a strike. We have the after school programs. They can't help us out. It is time to close the deal. What is wrong with sfusd?
[04:07] Speaker 4: Teachers being able to afford to live.
[04:09] Speaker 2: In the very communities they teach in? What's wrong with finally allocating enough resources to special education?
[04:16] Speaker 4: It is time to stop pulling students.
[04:19] Speaker 2: With different special needs into one classroom with one teacher when our students with disabilities deserve real support. This is ISOs.
[04:28] Speaker 1: What's wrong with protecting our families if.
[04:30] Speaker 6: I show up our schools?
[04:32] Speaker 2: What's wrong with protecting our students, families, experience and homelessness? SFDOZ is time.
[04:38] Speaker 7: This is a deal you can no longer refuse.
[04:41] Speaker 2: Our teachers deserve this. Our kids deserve this. Our families deserve this.
[04:47] Speaker 8: Stop playing with our children's lives.
[04:49] Speaker 4: Thank you.
[04:55] Speaker 1: That concludes in person. Public comment. Oh.
[05:09] Speaker 3: Good evening, everyone. I'm Rachel Jones. I am the Youth Justice Director for Coleman Youth Advocates for Youth and Families. I'm here today to not just say, but really look you guys in the eye and say it is time.
[05:27] Speaker 2: It's time to stop all this adult.
[05:29] Speaker 3: Ratification, this adult political game that we're playing at the sacrifice of children. We're sacrificing our children. We're sacrificing the same children that could not go to school during COVID that could not have the proper resources because of our budget crisis. These are the same children that we continue to neglect. These are the same children that we will be picking up off the streets because of violence if we do not close these deals. As our parent advocate just said. We have to close this deal. This is not a negotiated.
[06:01] Speaker 5: This is not arbitrary.
[06:03] Speaker 3: This is a mandate. This is your job. This is why us city workers pay you guys. It is not up to the CBOs to dictate the workloads of the teachers that you guys cannot pay. We've already been deducted our rates. We're already working with pennies we do not have. We do not have the bandwidth to secure the schools and the times that are needed for these teachers. We do not have those capabilities. But yet we're going to be faced with doing all that the teachers are supposed to be doing.
[06:41] Speaker 1: Thank you for your comments.
[06:42] Speaker 3: There is no money for them. We cannot ask people to work for no money. We cannot.
[06:47] Speaker 9: We won't.
[06:48] Speaker 3: And we'll stand with the union, will stand with the parents, and will stand with the students every day, all day, until this is rectified.
[06:56] Speaker 4: Thank you.
[07:02] Speaker 1: We will now hear from students who are on Zoom. If you are a student and would like to speak, please raise your hand. If you are a student. President. Kim. I don't see any students. We'll move to adults. If you're a member of the public on Zoom that would like to speak, please raise your hand. We'll start with Chris Clouse. Chris, please unmute.
[07:31] Speaker 3: I'm Chris Clouse, the sped department head at Washington High School. I am so tired of receiving spin emails from the district when I have given up so many hours of my personal life just since March of 2025 to be on the bargaining team putting together thoughtful proposals to address real problems and have solutions for our students. And I have given up time with my now almost 18 month old son.
[08:12] Speaker 4: I have given up time that I.
[08:14] Speaker 3: Used to dedicate of my personal time to doing work off hours and off contract to keep up with the exorbitant workload of being a special education teacher, which has only increased. And the district proposes to take away my department head prep when I do not even have the time to do all of the department head duties that I have on my plate.
[08:40] Speaker 1: Thank you for your comment. That concludes your time. Well, now here from Gina. Gina's iPhone. Go ahead, Gina.
[08:53] Speaker 4: Hi. Hi. Good evening everyone.
[08:56] Speaker 3: So, I'm a teacher librarian here in.
[08:58] Speaker 4: The district, which means that I'm deeply.
[09:02] Speaker 3: Invested in the topic of misinformation.
[09:05] Speaker 4: Today I want to speak to the.
[09:07] Speaker 3: Appalling misinformation and spin being put out by the superintendent and the district as a whole. I want to know how you can in good conscience send out emails blatantly misrepresenting what is actually happening at the bargaining table. These proposals that you're touting are not proposals. They're ideas. They haven't been put in writing. And you're using your ability to communicate with the whole community to misrepresent our union, our members and the things that we are looking for. Please do better and consider the way that this goes directly against the guardrail.
[09:45] Speaker 4: Is it Guardrail 4 that talks about transparency?
[09:47] Speaker 3: Whichever one that says that you are required to be transparent with your community.
[09:56] Speaker 1: Thank you. We'll go to Sarah. Go ahead and unmute.
[10:08] Speaker 3: Hi, I'm a parent of a sixth grader in the district and commissioners, thanks for hearing my comments.
[10:17] Speaker 4: I know you're here today because the.
[10:19] Speaker 3: Superintendent is asking for your approval for.
[10:23] Speaker 4: Permissions to do a whole list of.
[10:26] Speaker 3: Things in case there is a strike in the district.
[10:30] Speaker 4: And I just want to make it.
[10:32] Speaker 3: Really clear the superintendent doesn't need those permissions. The superintendent and her people need to get to the table and bargain and agree to what what families and educators and school staff know that this district is capable of agreeing to.
[10:48] Speaker 4: Like the previous commenter, I've been getting email after email from Maria sue claiming making all kinds of claims, not giving full information but giving PR spin.
[10:59] Speaker 3: The most recent issue was her claim that schools would have to that it.
[11:05] Speaker 4: Would cost the district a ton of money to have closed schools when all.
[11:10] Speaker 3: The workers from UESF and SEIU and.
[11:14] Speaker 4: The administrators union go on strike. And that's patently not necessarily true.
[11:19] Speaker 1: Thank you for your time. That concludes thank you for your comment. That concludes your time.
[11:23] Speaker 4: Use your power to keep this strike happening.
[11:27] Speaker 1: We'll go to Anna Abiles. Please go ahead and unmute.
[11:33] Speaker 4: Hi, good afternoon. My name is Anna Avilez. I am a parent advocate for 10 years and I am demanding this board to stop this strike from happening. You have the power to give our our educators what they need to provide the resources to help our student success. Stop giving up on our children. The children that you're cutting budgets are specifically our sped students. Our students that are newcomers and our multilingual students. Stop selecting on us. We have an opportunity to be successful if you really believe in us. And giving a teacher what the minimum what they're asking for. You live in San Francisco. You know how much is to live here and trying to really stop that from happening. This doesn't even speak how much you care. What are your values? What do you stand for? You have this job. You're sitting in there listening to us. Please listen to our families. Stop giving up on our children. You just had SFI asking to stop cutting their teachers budget and now you're trying to close the whole schools. Do not close schools. It's not time for that. Give our students their education they deserve.
[12:41] Speaker 1: Thank you for your comment. That concludes your time. Well, now hear from Sarita Lavigne. Go ahead, Sarita or Sarita.
[12:54] Speaker 4: Hello and thank you for hosting this meeting. I am a member of the bargaining team and for the last 10 months the district has taken every proposal from UESF and crossed it out without any kind of real negotiation. Now the district is blatantly lying to the public about this 48 hour waiting period, which is not a legal requirement.
[13:18] Speaker 3: And the idea of a 10 day.
[13:19] Speaker 4: Cool off period, not to mention the various other inaccuracies in the emails that are being sent out. This is not good faith bargaining whatsoever.
[13:28] Speaker 3: And additionally, you're attempting to run education.
[13:32] Speaker 4: Like a business rather than a human right. Shame on you for taking money out.
[13:37] Speaker 3: Of the classrooms of students with disabilities. Shame on you for telling our workers.
[13:43] Speaker 4: That we do not have enough value.
[13:46] Speaker 3: To get what we deserve.
[13:48] Speaker 4: And shame on you for continuing to take the needs of our immigrant students.
[13:54] Speaker 3: Our unhoused students and our students with disabilities as for granted.
[14:00] Speaker 4: There's no accountability and you absolutely have.
[14:04] Speaker 3: The power to do what is right. Shame on you if you choose not to do what is right.
[14:09] Speaker 1: Thank you for your comments. Your time is up. We'll now hear from Tom. Tom, go ahead and unmute.
[14:20] Speaker 5: Hi.
[14:20] Speaker 2: Yes, my name is Tom.
[14:23] Speaker 1: And so is my wife.
[14:25] Speaker 2: We're both special education teachers. So I've been getting a lot of.
[14:28] Speaker 3: Emails as, as a parent and what.
[14:30] Speaker 2: What'S really weird is like the PR spin, but it's like, you know, how.
[14:34] Speaker 4: Do we combat that?
[14:35] Speaker 2: Because the superintendent says you have my commitment. If that is true and think about this, why are is her team not rushing to the table to try to negotiate with uesf? I haven't heard that they are. I haven't seen that. So what commitment is it? Is it just words?
[14:53] Speaker 3: Because that only goes so far. You need to speak with your actions. Commitment.
[14:58] Speaker 4: All these hollow words only mean something.
[15:00] Speaker 3: If you're actually going to follow through.
[15:03] Speaker 2: Please go to the table.
[15:07] Speaker 3: Thank you.
[15:10] Speaker 1: Thank you. We'll now hear from Ms. Dalo. Ms. Dalo, go ahead and unmute.
[15:16] Speaker 3: Hi.
[15:17] Speaker 4: I'm a 26 year veteran of San.
[15:19] Speaker 3: Francisco Unified teaching K12 at E.R. taylor School.
[15:25] Speaker 4: It was a very short time ago that I was asked to learn how.
[15:29] Speaker 3: To teach children on Zoom.
[15:32] Speaker 4: Those children are now in fifth grade and sixth grade.
[15:37] Speaker 3: I'm really sad that I have to watch what's happening right now. You know, we were expected to teach.
[15:45] Speaker 4: On Zoom in a world that was closed down.
[15:47] Speaker 3: We were expected to be on call 24 7.
[15:51] Speaker 4: My students, all students, I mean, all.
[15:53] Speaker 3: Classrooms have special education needs in them.
[15:57] Speaker 4: And we're just not serving those children. You know, my cost of living has.
[16:02] Speaker 3: Gone up in San Francisco.
[16:03] Speaker 4: My wages have not met that.
[16:05] Speaker 5: My healthcare benefits have gone up.
[16:07] Speaker 4: I get so much of my paycheck taken out and then my workload has gone up because I have so many children with special ed needs that don't have the services met in the classroom.
[16:20] Speaker 3: The groups for for intervention are up.
[16:23] Speaker 4: To eight children right now, and that is children that are six years old, five years old. This is un.
[16:29] Speaker 1: Thank you for your comment. That concludes your time. We'll now hear from Marina. Marina, go ahead and unmute.
[16:42] Speaker 3: Good evening. I'm a parent of SFUSD students and.
[16:45] Speaker 4: I want to start by saying that I support our educators receiving fair wages and benefits. They do essential work with our children and with society. That said, I'm concerned about how we got here.
[16:56] Speaker 3: When negotiations reach the point of a strike, it's the students and families who are bearing a lot of this burden.
[17:02] Speaker 4: I'm especially worried about the administrators union sympathy strike. I understand the desire for solidarity, but I hope that all of the unions and the district will explore solutions that keep some level of critical services running.
[17:15] Speaker 3: Even if that means putting administrators temporarily back into classrooms the way it was done during the pandemic.
[17:21] Speaker 4: Extending the school year creates its own hardships for families. I'm asking all of you organized stakeholders.
[17:27] Speaker 3: At the table, the district, the board.
[17:29] Speaker 4: Unions and state overseers, to keep working towards a resolution to the short term.
[17:34] Speaker 3: Crisis that we're in and the longer.
[17:36] Speaker 4: Term structural problems that have put too much of the social safety net burden.
[17:41] Speaker 3: On our school schools.
[17:42] Speaker 4: Thank you for your time.
[17:51] Speaker 1: Thank you. We'll now hear from Christina Ostal. Christina, go ahead and unmute.
[17:58] Speaker 3: Thank you. My name is Christina Osland and I am the parent of a third grader at George Peabody Elementary School. SFUSD has framed this resolution as preparedness, but the text goes much further, and if I'm being honest, it's rather egregious. It allows the superintendent to declare an emergency based not only on a strike, but on a perceived threat of one. And it grants sweeping authority without clear limits or timely board oversight. That is not routine planning. That's preemptive executive overreach we're told this is about student safety, yet the resolution includes no explicit protections for special education services, IEP compliance, undocumented students, or credentialed instruction.
[18:45] Speaker 4: Keeping buildings open without safeguards is not.
[18:48] Speaker 3: Safety, and it's insulting to the parents and students who depend on real educational support. The resolution also authorizes documenting strike participation.
[18:58] Speaker 4: Denying sick leave, withholding pay and health.
[19:01] Speaker 3: Benefits, and disciplining educators up to dismissal, even if lawful.
[19:07] Speaker 1: Thank you for your comment.
[19:07] Speaker 3: That concludes your time in effect and deeply insulting to the teachers who serve our children.
[19:13] Speaker 1: We'll now hear from Taryn Bali Taran Bali. Go ahead and unmute.
[19:22] Speaker 4: Good evening.
[19:23] Speaker 3: My name is Taryn. I work at Presidio Middle School. I'm the orchestra teacher there and I'm also a member of the bargaining team. I'm going to echo a lot of the sentiments that my colleagues already expressed. Please stop sending lies and misinformations to our families and students. All of your emails have included half truths. You say you have the stability package for us. We've never gotten it in writing. You fail to mention that you are proposing these so called raises, but we have to get rid of all these other things that we already have.
[20:00] Speaker 4: You asked us to ask us to.
[20:02] Speaker 3: Give up retiree benefits which we won in our contract and we're just not going to give up things in order to get an insulting 2% raise. Do your job and come to us with a real proposal and we're more than happy to sit at the bargaining table with you and figure this out so we do not have to go on strike. But right now you are forcing us to take action in order to create safe and stable schools for our students.
[20:32] Speaker 1: Thank you. We'll now hear from Rachel's iPhone. Rachel, go ahead and Sorry, I apologize. We'll go to Hava Haba. Go ahead. Okay, then we'll go to. Okay then we'll go to Eli Horan. Go ahead Eli.
[21:00] Speaker 4: Hello, my name is Eli Halloran and I'm a teacher in sfusd. This is my first year teaching for this district that I have ever taught in a fully staffed school if you don't count all the positions that the.
[21:11] Speaker 3: District slashed from my school.
[21:13] Speaker 4: This was made possible by our last contract that want us significant gains and make recruitment and retention easier.
[21:21] Speaker 3: That work can easily be undone by inflation and by rising health care costs.
[21:25] Speaker 4: If we do not continue to have.
[21:27] Speaker 3: Contracts that meet those needs by giving raises that keep up with or outpace.
[21:33] Speaker 4: Inflation and costs of living increases and healthcare benefits that keep up with the state of healthcare insurance costs in our country today. Please come to the table with the real deal.
[21:43] Speaker 3: Thank you.
[21:48] Speaker 1: Thank you. Now we'll go to Hava Hava. Go ahead and unmute.
[21:54] Speaker 3: Hi. Thank you. Yes, please go back to the table to avert the strike. But for me, this is not about the strike, especially in special education. This is about sustainability. Systemic challenges that have been that our special education educators have been facing for far too long. They are literally overworked and undervalued. For two years they have been calling for this district to address the workload model so it's sustainable, so they can stay and educate our kids.
[22:33] Speaker 5: And at the 11th hour, we have a pilot.
[22:39] Speaker 3: I'm begging you. We need, all of us need. I'm sorry, I'm so incredibly exhausted. Please go back to the table and address their concerns. It's simply not sustainable. And if you do go for a strike, please understand that right now families literally do not know what to do. There's not been any planning.
[23:13] Speaker 1: Thank you for your comment. That concludes your time.
[23:17] Speaker 3: Thank you.
[23:21] Speaker 1: Sorry, something's wrong with zoom. Things are moving. Rachel's phone. Go ahead and unmute Rachel.
[23:29] Speaker 3: Thank you. Thank you for letting me speak. I ran from school to get here after the last minute announcement of this meeting and unfortunately I was a few minutes late. So I'm giving this statement from the lobby and I think that's just emblematic of this systemic red tape bureaucracy that we educators have to navigate every day in the attempt to give an education to the students of San Francisco. And I do not want to strike. My wife, who is also a teacher in the district and an immigrant from a country that is very much in.
[24:10] Speaker 4: The news these days, does not want to strike.
[24:12] Speaker 3: And the threatening language in this so called emergency order is really distressing for someone who's just trying to teach students. Also the fact that it was started with two statements about the requirements for safety and our students inalienable rights for a secure and safe campus, while part of your proposal includes cutting security staff, is mind boggling to me. So as everyone has already said, just.
[24:44] Speaker 4: Why focus your time, resources and efforts of on this publicity spin versus actually.
[24:51] Speaker 3: Negotiating in good faith with our hardworking educators? Because.
[24:55] Speaker 1: Thank you for your comment. That concludes your time.
[24:57] Speaker 3: You're welcome.
[24:59] Speaker 1: We'll now hear from Cheryl Stokes. Cheryl, go ahead and unmute. Cheryl? Cheryl, can you hear us?
[25:14] Speaker 5: Hi, my name is. Hi, I'm Cheryl. I'm the mother of a sixth grader. I'm in San Francisco Unified School District. My other kiddos will be in TK and kindergarten next year. And I just want to say our teachers are extremely essential to the stability and growth and the emotional well being of our students. And when educators are struggling to have their basic needs met, it directly impacts the learning environment that our children depend on. My 6th grader has experienced this directly and it just seems very misaligned with the city's recent initiatives that emphasize strengthening families and supporting working communities to invest in the future of San Francisco. Supporting educators through Fair Rages is a direct investment in our children, in our schools and the long term health of our city. And I respectfully urge leadership to prioritize collaborative solutions that reflect the value educators bring to our kids lives. Our students deserve consistency, stability and our teachers who feel supported and respected and able to remain in the profession that they are passionate about. I strongly urge you to meet these basic needs.
[26:34] Speaker 1: Thank you for your comments. That concludes your time. We'll now hear from Tanaya. Lafor Tanaya, go ahead and unmute.
[26:46] Speaker 4: Hi.
[26:47] Speaker 3: Thank you for letting me speak. My name is tanaya of a 9th grader at Lowell and I found the email that was sent out today by the district really disturbing. The tone was so aggressive and so disrespectful towards our educators who work so hard for our kids. I was a new monitor at Lowell, sorry at Dolores Huerta when my child was in fifth grade. And the staff worked so hard with so much love and so much commitment.
[27:14] Speaker 2: For the students and the only thing.
[27:16] Speaker 3: That they needed was more resources. The community supports educators and it is really.
[27:22] Speaker 4: Thank you.
[27:26] Speaker 1: Thank you. We'll now hear from Susan Solomon. Susan Solomon, go ahead and unmute. Oh no. So President Kim, do you want to make the announcement? Hi. Sorry, I had let Marin know. You're welcome to go to the podium after this round is done. And we have until 6:15 for public comment. So folks, in person. Yeah. Okay. Good evening.
[28:03] Speaker 4: My name is Susan Solomon and I.
[28:05] Speaker 5: Am a proud retired UESF member, former president of uesf.
[28:13] Speaker 3: I was prepared to read to you Ode to a Scab by Jack London and now I can't find it on my phone. But the point is, please do not put people who need a job in.
[28:28] Speaker 2: The position of stealing somebody else's job. His comment on Ode to a Scab.
[28:36] Speaker 3: Ends with solidarity wins. This district has excellent educators who work.
[28:43] Speaker 2: So hard every day to educate the.
[28:45] Speaker 3: Students here and are eager to continue to do so.
[28:50] Speaker 2: Please give them the tools that they.
[28:52] Speaker 4: Are asking for that they are demanding.
[28:54] Speaker 3: Please do not let this come to a strike.
[28:57] Speaker 2: Use the resources where Our priorities are and settle with UESF now.
[29:03] Speaker 4: Thank you.
[29:11] Speaker 1: Please line up as I call your name. Alanteo and Arsu Babajora. Sorry, Alan. Hello.
[29:52] Speaker 4: Okay, perfect.
[29:53] Speaker 3: Hello. Good evening.
[29:54] Speaker 4: My name is Alan Tello and I'm a senior at June Jordan School for Equity. I'm so frustrated that we have to be here tonight. This meeting to vote on a resolution.
[30:02] Speaker 3: To negotiate in bad faith with no.
[30:04] Speaker 4: Prior notice to families and students is just plain wrong.
[30:08] Speaker 3: I want to get some things clear.
[30:09] Speaker 10: You have money.
[30:10] Speaker 4: In the first iteration of this resolution, it says that you were going to pay subs. $600 a day while the teachers strike. The narrative that you don't have money is ridiculous. If you have money to pay our subs in place of our teachers. Sorry, this is not a teacher strike. This is an educator strike. UESF is comprised of teachers, counselors, social workers, tt nurses, paras, school social psychologists and subs.
[30:44] Speaker 3: And way more people, way more positions.
[30:48] Speaker 4: This involves so many more people and positions than just teachers. Please go back to the negotiations with our teachers. I don't think any of our teachers want to strike.
[31:00] Speaker 5: But we will.
[31:01] Speaker 4: And we will support our teachers in getting a fair contract and the things that they are asking for. Thank you.
[31:26] Speaker 1: Please line up as I call your name. Ray Natello and Monica Mendoza.
[31:37] Speaker 3: I wish I could say good evening, but it's not a very good evening. My name is Reina Theo and I'm here because I read the email that.
[31:44] Speaker 5: Came out from Dr. Sue's office today.
[31:48] Speaker 3: And I was only able to skim over this resolution and it really feels like a gag order to our educators and educators.
[31:55] Speaker 5: Not teachers, but teachers and everything that Alan mentioned.
[31:59] Speaker 3: It's. It's the whole school. It's what serves the whole child. We have money in reserves that are intended for these kinds of moments. What are we saving the money for if it's not to ensure that our.
[32:11] Speaker 5: Kids have educators in the classroom that.
[32:14] Speaker 3: Have support system, counselors, social workers, T10s, paras like everything that they need. You have enough reserves in the reserves right now to be able to have plenty of time. Eight years, up to eight years.
[32:28] Speaker 4: To be able to figure out a.
[32:30] Speaker 3: Long standing solution that'll get us back to where we need to be. And the only way we can avoid this strike is for all of you to come and negotiate in good faith.
[32:40] Speaker 4: The USF has proposed a very reasonable contract.
[32:43] Speaker 3: They're not asking for too much more. Please don't cut any of those benefits. Those are dire. Like yes, it is a dire need.
[32:52] Speaker 5: To have all of their benefits and their pay.
[32:54] Speaker 3: And I think it's a disservice to our students. Please, in good faith accept that contract.
[33:00] Speaker 4: And avoid this strike because otherwise the.
[33:02] Speaker 3: Community will stand with our educators. Thank you.
[33:09] Speaker 1: Monica Mendoza.
[33:13] Speaker 3: Hello, my name is Monica Mendoza. I am a member of UESF.
[33:17] Speaker 4: I am a 5th grade educator at Dolores Huerta Elementary School. This is my 10th year year teaching in SFUSD.
[33:24] Speaker 3: Each year it gets more and more expensive living here in San Francisco.
[33:29] Speaker 4: And each year it becomes harder and harder to continue to come back.
[33:33] Speaker 3: I know that we were sent out.
[33:34] Speaker 4: Our intent to return notices in January, but especially with this current situation with bargaining and negotiations, it's making it more.
[33:42] Speaker 3: And more difficult for educators to stay.
[33:45] Speaker 4: Long term and exchanging full coverage benefits by by negating our lifetime benefits for pension.
[33:53] Speaker 3: Then what's the motivation for long term sustainability?
[33:58] Speaker 4: For our educators to continue to be.
[34:00] Speaker 3: Here for me to stay for another 10 years?
[34:02] Speaker 4: For anyone else to continue to work here as a lifelong educator in this district.
[34:10] Speaker 3: It's just so unfair that the health.
[34:12] Speaker 4: Care coverages are costing about 1,500 for two plus dependents. Thank you.
[34:21] Speaker 1: Arsu. Are you ready?
[34:26] Speaker 3: Hello, my name is Arzu. I'm a sophomore at Jun Jordan School for Equity and I support our teachers.
[34:31] Speaker 4: And staff in this strike and will not back down until our teachers and staff get fair conducts. Please go back to the table to negotiate in good faith. Thank you.
[34:44] Speaker 1: Please line up as I call your name. Amber Ulrich. Sarah. Amber, I think. Adriana Castillo.
[34:56] Speaker 3: Good evening. My name is Amber Ulrich. I am a 7th grade science teacher at MLK. I arrived late to this meeting because while you're up here proposing to cut one of the counselors from my school, I was helping students make memorial necklaces for one of our former students who was killed this week weekend in gun violence. I spend more of my time teaching seventh graders how to do six times two than I do teaching them how to actually balance a chemical formula. I should not have to spend as much of my time as I do working on basic first, second, third grade skills. My seventh grade math teacher shouldn't have had to stop the district curriculum to go back and do all of the times tables because our kids don't have those basic skills. Because for years and years and years you have not prioritized giving the resources needed and the time needed. You cannot read without your ABCs and you can't do math without your 1, 2, 3s and you can't do anything without either of those. Hi, my name is Sarah Amonoff member of uesf.
[36:05] Speaker 4: You know, USF has proposed a reasonable contract. I just want to let you guys.
[36:09] Speaker 3: Know I'm a real human with a real face here. I have $10,000 less on my tax.
[36:16] Speaker 5: Return because you hired 1000 new subs.
[36:20] Speaker 3: And my health insurance is at risk of losing. Everyone deserves health insurance.
[36:25] Speaker 5: I miss my students.
[36:26] Speaker 3: I don't know why you guys don't have secretaries putting in jobs anymore.
[36:31] Speaker 4: I knew these students for years and worked with them.
[36:34] Speaker 3: And you're right. We need teachers. I'm not looking at my phone.
[36:39] Speaker 4: The new subs are looking at their phone.
[36:41] Speaker 5: I'm actually watching kids and losing money and jobs because I'm watching kids and.
[36:46] Speaker 3: Not my phone with red rover. I'm a real human being. Also, you're not giving me my sick leave and my mom is in the hospital in New York and I have no money to go see her to.
[36:58] Speaker 5: Get it in March.
[37:00] Speaker 2: Months later.
[37:01] Speaker 4: Are you kidding me?
[37:03] Speaker 3: Thank you.
[37:09] Speaker 4: Not.
[37:09] Speaker 3: Good evening. As my fellow folks have said already, I actually come to you as an SFUSD alumni, and I'm an immigrant. And one of the proposals from our wonderful UESF educators and faculty is to just codify sanctuary policies into the district. I am living proof. I'm a city worker. I'm a living proof of going through our education system. My entire education system was here. And it's because of my teachers, not because of people who sit in a room like this. They like to cut budgets and then just try to take power away from the people who are with their students, uplifting them every day. I had to go through reading courses because I came as an English language learner. And it's those people who are sitting there who need their health care. By the way, I'm injured right now, and I ran out of my job to come here to speak at this meeting because of how wrong all of this is. As so many people have said prior to me, pay our teachers, Give them health care. This is ridiculous. You know what world we live in.
[38:22] Speaker 1: President Kim, that concludes public comment. Thank you. Thank you to members of the public for being here this evening. Moving to item C. Resolution authorizing the superintendent shake necessary actions to maintain district operations and ensure student safety in the event of a strike. Can I have a motion and a second?
[38:49] Speaker 3: So moved. Second.
[38:53] Speaker 1: It has been properly moved and seconded that the board approve this item. I ask Dr. Hsu to bring the item forward.
[39:00] Speaker 5: Thank you, President Kim. And before I bring the item forward, I just want to reiterate that I Do not want a strike. I agree with everyone. I want us to come back to the table to continue the conversation. I need our UE teachers union to come back and sit with me and sit with our team to really just hammer out this contract. I know we can do it. I know we can do it because we all care about our students. We want the best for our students. And I fully acknowledge that. In order for us to do that, we need to balance the needs of our staff and their ability to live in the city, their ability to ensure that their families have health coverage, and their abilities to make sure that there is stability in our district. Because with stability, we will be able to make sure that we will have teachers year after year in our schools because we know that's what is important for our students to succeed and be successful. So I don't want to have a strike. I don't particularly want to even engage in this conversation, But I am responsible for the 50,000 students that is under our care, and we need to make sure that we plan and prepare appropriately. Again, I want us to continue the conversation that we started on Friday. Let's continue the conversation. And I know we can get to a resolution, but we have to be realistic. We need to make sure that there are certain things that have to be taken care of. Many of our speakers already talked about it. We need to make sure that we have programs in place to serve, to take care of our children with special disabilities. We need to make sure that our most vulnerable students have care and access in the event that our schools are not safe to open. This is why I am asking, asking for this emergency authorization with the hope that I will never have to use it. With the hope that we will get to a resolution that meets our teachers, our educators needs while we continue to stabilize the district for years to come. In this resolution, it speaks about the need for us to pivot quickly if there is a massive shortage of staff in our schools. It allows me to negotiate with contractors so that they can remain open to serve, particularly our children with special needs. It allows me to negotiate MOUs and change service hours. It allows me to ask and deploy staff to provide emergency services when needed. Again, I have no desire to enact this resolution. But in order for us to be prepared, we need to be able to do this. I understand this is not an easy vote. This is not an easy conversation because we all care about the same thing. But this is, unfortunately, a step in preparation for something that may impact our schools. But I commit to the board and to all of our families, that I will do everything I can to make sure that we come back to the table, our teachers come back to the table, and let's continue to talk because we know our students deserve to be in the classroom being educated by our amazing teachers. So with that, I have updated the resolution from when it was initially posted. I've heard lots of concerns from commissioners, and everyone should have the updated resolution in front of you. I believe we've made copies for the public of the updated resolution in the back. And I am open to engaging in the discussion.
[43:56] Speaker 1: Commissioners.
[44:07] Speaker 2: Commissioner Wray.
[44:09] Speaker 3: Sure. Just a quick question. Do we need to make any form of motions before we open to discussion, or can we go straight to discussion?
[44:16] Speaker 1: We can go straight to discussion. Yeah. The item's been introduced already.
[44:20] Speaker 4: Okay, thank you.
[44:23] Speaker 3: I have a couple of questions. I may have others, but there are a couple of main ones I would like to start with. And I think my. We have Superintendent Hsu here to answer. I don't know if they're. So if you have any further, let me just basically ask. So you've introduced this resolution to us. I would like to know, both for myself as a board member and for the understanding of the public, what would be the impact if we did not have this resolution or if the resolution failed for whatever reason? Like, essentially, why is this needed? Can you explain what authority this gives you that you wouldn't otherwise have, that you need my first question? Thank you.
[45:19] Speaker 5: Thank you, Commissioner, for that question. As you can imagine, in an emergency situation, there are lots of decisions that have to be made quickly. And so there would be very limited time to convene the board, to then brief the board and then have those decisions made. Honestly, unless everyone is going to come into our eoc, our emergency operations center, and be available, it is not operationally efficient nor reasonable.
[45:58] Speaker 3: Okay, so am I understanding this is mainly like an operational and timing matter as opposed to this resolution giving you authority you wouldn't otherwise have without a resolution?
[46:15] Speaker 5: Well, so, yes, for operational efficiencies and speediness of decision, this resolution will allow me to have that. It also will allow me to have conversations with contractors that this board has already agreed and approved, either their contract or their mou. It allows me the ability to negotiate with contractors. So, for example, if we have a nonprofit agency that currently provides services only in the after school hours, that this board has approved the MoU for that particular nonprofit agency, we can go. I now will. If the board approves this authorization of authority, then I would be able to go and renegotiate with the nonprofit agency for expanded services, maybe extending into the school day or into longer terms, longer hours. So that's one example. Another example would be, currently we have a contract with a food vendor. So if, for example, we do not have enough staff to help us with food delivery or food services, I would be able to then negotiate with our food vendor to perhaps add that as an additional service as part of their contract so that our students will continue to have meals and food delivery or food in the event that we do not have sufficient staff to provide the deliveries of those meals. It also allows me to redeploy staff, staff in certain roles. So during an emergency, I get again, if I am approved with this authorization, I will be able to redeploy staff that is maybe currently in our curriculum and instruction division and have them now be a part of the emergency operations center or support us in the the joint information center. So it's redeploying staff and asking them to take on a different role, to pause their current responsibility and take on this new emergency role.
[48:32] Speaker 3: Would this also allow you to bring in new vendors or folks that we don't already have contracts or mous with.
[48:44] Speaker 5: This? I don't believe that was a concern that we heard from some commissioners about allowing us to contract with new staff, new potential staff to be substitutes. And we have heard that concern and we've taken that language out. Sorry, Counsel.
[49:11] Speaker 2: Thank you, Commissioner Wray. And specifically in that area, it also speaks to subsequent ratification by the board. So to whatever extent that if there was anything new, the board would be able to get subsequent ratification. I think to the superintendent's point and to your point, operational speed is of the essence.
[49:31] Speaker 3: I'd like to follow up on the the point you just mentioned about substitute employees. I recognize there are many difficult, very challenging issues here. Our first responsibility is to our students, to their learning and their safety in the school environment. With many of our students, including some of our focal populations, there may be significant concerns, concerns along those lines. Does because I see that there is language that has been deleted on page four about various contracts and substitute employees and so forth. Is the deletion of that language going to impair our ability to provide appropriate instruction and safety for students, or do we have other means of ensuring that?
[50:31] Speaker 5: I've decided to remove that language in terms of hiring additional employees at this per day rate, which was mentioned by some of our public speakers here, because we do not want to bring in unknown people into our schools. And so we believe that we will do Our best. I will do my best to make sure that we have existing current partners to provide services to support our students. And at which time, if we cannot, then unfortunately, then I will come back to the board and ask for authorization to perhaps revisit this contract or this authorization again. I really, really am hoping that I do not need to activate or use this authority because we will be in conversations with our labor partners.
[51:39] Speaker 3: Thank you for your response. I think I have one more question at the moment, and that relates to.
[51:46] Speaker 2: On page two, there's a reference to.
[51:48] Speaker 3: The superintendent reporting to the board all such actions taken in accordance with this resolution. Can you explain for me and for.
[51:58] Speaker 4: The public.
[52:01] Speaker 3: How and when that would occur?
[52:07] Speaker 5: Yes. So I will still need to report back to the board all of my actions. I don't get to unilaterally do anything without the board's awareness. This is to allow me to move quickly. And council, if you can help me with when would be. Is it at the next board meeting? I would be able to provide any updates to maybe temporary contract changes or temporary MOU changes at the next board meeting for the board to ratify that.
[52:41] Speaker 2: Thank you, Superintendent. Yeah, I think the intent is to report back as quickly as possible. You know, of course, we are operating without perfect knowledge of what we're confronting and what the timing is or the length is. There's a very different posture between, you know, 12 day action versus something much longer. So I think the intent is to keep the. The board as apprised as possible and in whatever format that we can in a timely manner. I suspect that the board will be assembled for other reasons as well as we go through. And, you know, in the event it all starts with the conditional, in the event that we're in this situation, then we're kind of in a different posture.
[53:26] Speaker 3: Sorry. Reserve the balance of my time. Thank you.
[53:37] Speaker 1: Gupta.
[53:42] Speaker 2: So thank you for that introduction, Superintendent Hsu. And likewise, I really hope we never have to enact this.
[53:53] Speaker 5: That being said, I am certainly, and.
[53:55] Speaker 2: I'm sure I'm not alone amongst parents in some of the PTSD from COVID where it did not seem the board at that time did not have a plan or authorize the superintendent to make a plan. And I certainly want to make sure our district is as prepared as possible.
[54:11] Speaker 5: To be able to deal with any.
[54:13] Speaker 2: Contingency should it arise with the first hope that we get to an agreement. First and foremost.
[54:22] Speaker 1: I did want to follow up on.
[54:23] Speaker 2: Super.
[54:24] Speaker 5: Sorry.
[54:24] Speaker 2: On Commissioner Wray's question, the two examples you used and this is just more for clarity. The two examples you used seem like they would be squarely already in the duties of the superintendent as they dealt with staff, both in terms of and contractors. You mentioned food vendors and then redeploying staff staff. That does seem the purview of the superintendent already. So I just want to, you know, maybe there is there an example that you might be able to share that would be able to speak to either a power or something that you would normally need our approval for that now because of a fast moving situation, again, should this occur now require you to take action without it being brought to the board for approval.
[55:22] Speaker 5: Actually, the board approves all contracts. And so in order for me to change the contract, I would need to bring the new contract to the board for approval of the changes to the contract. So in the examples I just shared, I would need to then bring the contract, the new contract for change of scope, change of hours, change of roles, change of duties back to the board. So just to be clear about that, and this is why having the authority for expediency is really important because again, if we have to act, and again if we are notified within the required 48 hours of any type of action, then we would have to act really, really fast. And so that is why I again am asking for this. Another thing is to authorize me to go and negotiate with the state. So there are certain provisions at the state that requires us to have instructions. So for example, we have a number of preschool sites and we are legally mandated to to keep those preschool sites open. And if we don't, we will be fined and severely fined actually. And so it allows me to go to the state and explain what is happening and either ask for a waiver of those fines or to at least reduce some of those fines. I would love to also have the authority to go up to the state.
[57:01] Speaker 3: To.
[57:03] Speaker 5: Ask the state for approval for our instructional packets to be used to have those instructional packets to count towards instruction. Because again, when we don't, we don't have instruction, we cannot get any funding for that day. And the loss of funds per day of not having instruction is significant. It ranges from $7 million all the way up to $10 million per day.
[57:34] Speaker 1: Thank you for that clarification.
[57:36] Speaker 2: So it is both the ability to negotiate with the state to hopefully be able to keep some of the funding that we would otherwise lose, as well as even in the consent agenda that the board normally approves, that is not just new contracts, but even shifting some of the contracts.
[57:53] Speaker 5: This would allow you to do so as needed.
[57:55] Speaker 2: Spur of the moment, to be able to best serve our students.
[57:57] Speaker 5: That's correct.
[57:58] Speaker 2: Okay.
[57:58] Speaker 1: All right.
[58:00] Speaker 2: I will similarly reserve the rest of my time, but stop with questions currently. Thank you.
[58:06] Speaker 1: 50 seconds just to name. Just trying to keep track here. Commissioner Miesman Ward.
[58:15] Speaker 3: Thank you. I'm bummed that we're in this space and having this conversation, but also, I don't know that I would say I'm feeling hopeful, but I'm really. I believe very much in our educators. And, Dr. Sue, I believe in you in terms of if folks can get back to the proverbial table or the actual table, that there may be a way to avoid a strike, which I think is everyone's goal. That being said, I had a few questions, some specific to things that have come up and just looking for factual clarifications, and a few relating to the actual resolutions. So starting with the resolution, there is language that describes restriction on negotiations, discussions with students, and centralizing information release. And I just wanted to understand, like, what does that look like? I appreciate that individual board members should not be engaged in bargaining conversations, but I wanted to learn a little bit more about the reason for that language, which is on page six. Sorry, not page six. Sorry. I'm looking for it right now. Maybe someone else has it right in front of them, but I believe it's.
[59:36] Speaker 2: At the top of page six.
[59:37] Speaker 3: Yeah. No discussion of negotiation and would like to understand a little bit more about why and what the value and or purpose of that particular be it further resolved clause is. So that's my first question.
[59:55] Speaker 5: Well, number one, again, these are standard clauses for such resolutions. So that's one. And number two, we just want to make sure that our students or our educators continue to follow the curriculum that we have. And we ask that our educators continue to deliver the curriculum and that this is. The labor conversations have no place in the classroom.
[60:37] Speaker 3: Okay. I guess just to push a little bit, I could see, for example, if it's a social studies class, this being an opportunity to talk about this is what a strike is. This is what labor negotiations are. So is this to say that there can't be any of that or that's specifics as it relates to what's happening in the district is what you're aiming to limit.
[61:06] Speaker 5: I will start and then I can hand it over to general counsel. But this is really about not using our public spaces for labor activities. So we just want to continue to say and stress that our. Our schools, our classrooms are not used for labor activities. Council do you want to add more to that?
[61:32] Speaker 2: Thank you, Superintendent. So consistent with board policy 4019.25, there's already policy and law that is put in place that says, you know, political points of view are not part of this classroom discussion. So clearly this point in time is going to be energetic for a lot of people.
[61:53] Speaker 1: People are going to want to talk.
[61:55] Speaker 2: About their personal circumstances. I think the spirit of this language is to talk about the prohibition against personally talking about how we are all experiencing, from different points of view, this moment in time with children right now. Your point is well taken that historically this isn't the first labor issue that this country or this state or even this school district has gone through. There's a difference between talking about it in the framework with how the state has allowed for curriculum to be put forth in front of kids versus, frankly, somebody coming forward and issuing a point of view that is not adopted by this board. And there is kind of that tenuous balance that. Right. We have other subjects that come before this board because this board is the body where that kind of curriculum comes forward. The community relies on the board to vet those things, and we don't. And the law doesn't necessarily allow for other individuals to unilaterally decide what topics are to be discussed in front of kids of a variety of ages and without the guardrails that this board is accustomed to putting into place.
[63:16] Speaker 3: Okay. So just for my own clarification and for clarification for the public, it's council's opinion that this language does not further restrict what would normally be permitted in a classroom. And First Amendment rights and just generally conversations. This doesn't do any. Anything further than what is already what the limits already are.
[63:43] Speaker 5: That's correct.
[63:44] Speaker 2: That is correct. Time, place and manner, all. I mean, the years of court precedent, all of that frankly outweighs any resolution that this board could pass anyway. So the law. And this is more of a reflection of all of where that space speaks to.
[64:02] Speaker 3: Thank you. The other I wanted, Commissioner Ray raised the emergency substitute part of the substitute employment, independent contractor language. And I think if I understood, had some concerns with what was crossed out, I will. Actually, I have a different perspective, which is. I am happy to see those deletions. I think before Superintendent sue, you were to ask or to employ anybody that would involve crossing a picket line. I think we would need to have another conversation. And so I am. I am relieved to see that it could not necess. Could not be a unilateral decision in that moment. And instead it would need to come back to us as a board. So I actually appreciate that that language was, was stricken. I also appreciate that the change from concerted refusal to work to strike. And while it may just be semantics, I think that change a little bit maybe tries to take the temperature down and hopefully allow us to come at this from some common ground as opposed to as adversaries in a hostile environment. My other question was a clarification and President Kim, do I still have a, a little bit of time left? I don't see a clock on my end, so.
[65:25] Speaker 4: Oh, oh, I realized you can't see the clock. Please go ahead all the time in the world. Yeah, you don't have all the time in the world, but please go ahead.
[65:33] Speaker 1: And answer your, maybe a final question for now.
[65:35] Speaker 3: Okay. My final question is there's been some questions, Dr. Hsu, I think in some email correspondence and just now sort of some, a statement that we could lose between 7 and 10 million a day that students aren't in classrooms. And then there was, I think, I know that we're not supposed to respond to public comment, but there was a question about, well, if teachers aren't getting paid for those days, how has that loss happened? I just wanted to clarify. I understand that any days of instruction that do not occur because of the strike, those would be added on because we need to get our 180 days and that teachers, educators would in fact be paid for the days that they are then back in the classroom with our students, is that right?
[66:26] Speaker 5: That's correct. We would need to at the end of the year figure out a way, and this is part of the negotiation with the state to fulfill Our legally required 180 days of instruction and whether that's additional days at the end of the day school year or additional days at other parts or other times throughout the school year. And so when those additional days are added on, then we would then pay our teachers during those time.
[66:58] Speaker 3: So if a strike was let's hopefully zero days, but let's say it was four days and those individuals were not didn't receive compensation for those four days of the strike, whenever those days were added on, that compensation would be received as part of those add ons, correct?
[67:17] Speaker 5: Yes. So the teachers who would then have to pay work for those additional days, they will of course be compensated for it. But what the 7 million to $10 million number includes all the fines that the district will incur because it's, it's a violation of state law to educate our students. And if we are not educating our students. We do get fined for not having instruction. Every day that we are stating that we would have instruction.
[67:54] Speaker 3: Thank you.
[67:56] Speaker 1: I also see Labor Council Brown in the audience. If you have anything to add to this, you are welcome to join us.
[68:09] Speaker 3: Thank you. President Kim.
[68:11] Speaker 4: If I may just take a minute to answer Commissioner Wiseman Ward's query and.
[68:16] Speaker 3: It was also asked by Commissioner Fisher.
[68:19] Speaker 4: The student speech piece is really important because it's not about limiting student speech. It is about if you have an employee who has now been redesignated back into the classroom, who's overseeing and looking, you know, in a classroom full of students who's not normally assigned to those kids, they should not be talking to those kids about the status of labor negotiations. They should not be.
[68:46] Speaker 3: Talking about whether.
[68:48] Speaker 4: Or not the district is right, whether or not the union is right. So it is to prevent conversations happening in classroom from people who are not authorized to speak on behalf of the district and really try to sway the minds of the students. So this is not about students not being able to speak. This is not about teachers not being able to have instructional time with their students. This is more about having people who may be assigned to the classroom simply because there is no certificated employee. And you, you are now repurposing or repurposing the duties of perhaps a central.
[69:22] Speaker 3: Office person to be at the school site, not discuss labor related issues with.
[69:29] Speaker 4: Students during instructional time. I think that is what is being prohibited. It is not about limiting student speech.
[69:36] Speaker 3: Not limiting instructional conduct. It is just not introducing people who are not at the table to talk about what's happening at the table with.
[69:51] Speaker 4: Students during instructional time.
[69:53] Speaker 3: I think that's the purpose.
[69:56] Speaker 1: Thank you, Ms. Brown. Actually, while I have you here, I just want to confirm. So as has been stated by I think the commissioner so far, I mean it is in everyone's best interest to get to a settlement as soon as.
[70:13] Speaker 4: Possible and to entirely avoid enacting this.
[70:16] Speaker 1: In the first place. I'm curious when is the soonest possible opportunity in which negotiations can begin again.
[70:22] Speaker 4: So that we do not have to enact this.
[70:28] Speaker 3: So this is a operational plan.
[70:32] Speaker 4: There is nothing that's. The parties are waiting for the fact finding report to be issued by the fact finder and the parties.
[70:41] Speaker 2: I mean the district will reach out.
[70:44] Speaker 4: To UESF as soon as we get a fact finding report to figure out if the fact finding reports recommendation could.
[70:52] Speaker 3: Be the basis for a reasonable settlement between the parties.
[70:57] Speaker 4: This is merely an operational blueprint to to not be caught flat footed without a plan. It is not giving the superintendent any extraordinary powers, if you will.
[71:10] Speaker 5: Can I just say I would love to come back to the table by Thursday. Fact finding report comes out on Wednesday and would love to get back to the table on Thursday.
[71:22] Speaker 1: Thank you. Are there any comments or questions from commissioners?
[71:25] Speaker 2: Commissioner Alexander? Yeah, I just. Thanks. I just want to make a couple of comments. I really appreciate the work Superintendent Hsu has done on this and really definitely understand the need for rapid response in the event of a strike. And all that makes sense to me. I think my concern is more about the timing of this and the message that it sends our educators. You know, just voted overwhelming to go overwhelmingly to go on strike the first time in nearly 50 years. So there's not something they did lightly. And I think rather than having this conversation, we really need to be having a conversation about how to make a deal and avoid the strike. And so I feel like by talking about how to do the strike, it kind of sends this message that we think it's inevitable. And I don't think it's inevitable. I don't think anyone here thinks it's inevitable. But I'm concerned about the message. I'm concerned that the fact that the board has not really had a real public conversation about our $429 million fund balance that's been built up through budget surpluses over the last five years. I'm concerned that it seems like we're taking the position that we can't use that fund balance for raises because it's, quote, one time money. But I think that argument has not really resonated because folks can do math and understand that you can take a $400 million fund balance and spread it out over multiple years and invest right. And it doesn't mean that teacher salaries or educator salaries are the only thing to invest in. There's other investments that we might need to make. But I just feel like that's a conversation that the board ought to be having so that we know how much we can invest in raises rather than taking this position that we have no money because it's not really resonating with our educators or with the public. So I think the conversation ought to be, how much of that massive fund balance can we responsibly spend in order to attract and retain the best possible educators to serve our students. How much do we want to invest in other areas to improve student outcomes? And how much do we really need in a reserve? And I think all those questions, I mean, we did have the reserve conversation in December, but I think the fund balance is larger than that. And I think by keeping that fund balance off limits, it actually creates a situation where we're sort of forcing the educators to strike because we're saying we're not going to actually have a real conversation with you. We're just going to make this claim. And so I think we're pushing them to a point of strike when we ought to be really at the table trying to figure out how to make a deal. So that's my concern about this, about the message that this sends. I think if we're really serious, we ought to have that other conversation first and then get back to the table. And then if we need to have this conversation, let's have it this weekend when we really know we can't make a deal.
[74:28] Speaker 3: I want to start, first of all, just by appreciating that huge amount of work that our staff has done over the past two weeks. In particular, we have a lot of folks who were not at the diocese or not in this room who didn't sleep all weekend because they were busy putting together all of the work that led to this and all the back.
[74:52] Speaker 4: And forth and answering our questions.
[74:53] Speaker 3: Like, there's been so much work, our teachers have done so much strike prep. Like, everyone is working day in, day.
[75:01] Speaker 4: Out right now, and none of it.
[75:03] Speaker 3: Is related to student outcomes. I think that's my biggest frustration with all of this. I'm also not willing, I would agree with what Commissioner Alexander said in the like, I'm not willing to agree to the premise that we need to prep for a strike because we're there. I. And based on all of my conversations that I've had with families, with staff.
[75:29] Speaker 4: Community members, everyone wants us to do.
[75:32] Speaker 3: Everything necessary to avert a strike, whatever it takes. And that's. I heard that from union leadership today, too. They want us to work this out. And I don't like the signal it sends when we vote on yes on.
[75:50] Speaker 4: This resolution before we even have the.
[75:51] Speaker 3: Fact of finding report.
[75:55] Speaker 4: I think that gives us.
[75:58] Speaker 3: I think we need to push as hard as we possibly can.
[76:01] Speaker 4: Maybe we need to be back voting on this resolution in a couple days. And I know that makes it a lot harder for everyone to pivot if we get to that point.
[76:08] Speaker 3: But I still have way too many questions about a lot of what's in here, the volunteers clause. I have a whole lot of, you know, of what are we asking there?
[76:17] Speaker 4: Are we asking, asking our volunteers and our CBO partners to come in and be unpaid educators.
[76:25] Speaker 3: And put them in untenable situations when it comes to, you know, providing health care needs for students who have as much right to be in spaces that we stand up as anyone else, otherwise we're discriminating against those students as well. There's still just too many student safety.
[76:44] Speaker 4: Unknowns here for me to be able.
[76:46] Speaker 3: To comfortably say yes on this. And also to follow up on Commissioner Alexander's point. In order for us to get to a positive certification with the state, we need to have three years multi year.
[76:59] Speaker 4: Projections that shows by the end of.
[77:01] Speaker 3: Those three years we have, we will have a balanced budget. We have enough money in the bank, not necessarily balanced budget, but by the end of those three years we will have money in the bank.
[77:12] Speaker 4: If we already have $400 million to.
[77:16] Speaker 3: I think one of the public commenters mentioned eight years.
[77:20] Speaker 4: If we took $50 million, and this.
[77:23] Speaker 3: Is, I'm not, I'm not bargaining outside of our, I'm just following that through line of eight years that a public commenter mentioned. If we, if we took eight years to spend down that 400 plus, that would be an extra $50 million that.
[77:38] Speaker 4: We could take and plan for while we were also doing other planning.
[77:44] Speaker 3: And also if we're talking about this strike is going to cost us 7 to 10 million dollars per day, also.
[77:49] Speaker 4: Avoiding tens of millions of dollars worth of fines. At the same time, this is about to me focusing on what's best for.
[77:57] Speaker 3: Our students, what's best for our educators, and all of that is keeping everyone in the classrooms. So thank you, thank you to all.
[78:07] Speaker 4: The work that's been done to get us here.
[78:08] Speaker 3: Though I know this vote, me voting no on this feels hugely disrespectful to staff and that is absolutely not the intent.
[78:15] Speaker 4: I cannot tell everyone how grateful I.
[78:18] Speaker 3: Am for all the work. And so I hope this is not seen as a reflection on anyone and their hard work.
[78:25] Speaker 1: Are there any other questions that would change the outcome of our vote?
[78:30] Speaker 4: Commissioner Wray, I'm also using up the.
[78:33] Speaker 3: Balance of my 24 seconds from before.
[78:35] Speaker 1: Which I have 23 seconds.
[78:38] Speaker 3: I'm wondering if you could speak to the point that was raised about why you are requesting this now rather than later. And I just want to say I certainly like I imagine everybody want everything to work out so that we do not have to have. There is not a strike. Student outcomes and needs are and should be at the center of this for everybody. I also believe that that requires that we prepare for any eventuality that could occur. And I'm concerned about failing to prepare, meaning that we cause even more harm that could otherwise be mitigated or avoided.
[79:20] Speaker 4: But I would like to hear the.
[79:20] Speaker 3: Superintendent'S response on why she is coming to us now. Thank you.
[79:26] Speaker 5: Actually, Commissioner Wray, that is exactly the reason why. We have heard about, we've heard lots of different rumors of just different dates and all of these things. What we do know is that tomorrow there is a fact finding report and our, our labor partners have 48 hours to let us know if they plan to strike. If that is the case, then I need to Prepare. We have 50,000 students that we need to make sure that there is a response to families. There's reassurances of what are the next steps. All of those things takes a lot of time. We cannot pivot on a dime. It is really, really hard. We have over 120 schools that we would need to communicate with. We have many, many children with very high needs that we would need to work with. We have lots of different vulnerable children and focal population students that we would need to help them make a plan for. I cannot responsibly do that within 48 hours. I just can't. And I cannot, with a straight face go to a family. And there's too many what ifs. I just can't. I need the time to be able to plan, to make sure that we have the things in place again to never, ever have to institute this. But we still need to make sure we are talking about 50,000 students.
[81:09] Speaker 1: Commissioner Gupta, did you have.
[81:12] Speaker 2: So, you know, I want to make sure and just clarify facts here because I feel like in order for us to get to a solution, you know, it's like I want to make sure.
[81:23] Speaker 5: All the information being put out there is accurate.
[81:26] Speaker 2: And I don't know if this is. I don't know if I see Deputy Superintendent Mount Benitez or if he was here or if he is.
[81:32] Speaker 5: But, you know, I've been curious about.
[81:37] Speaker 2: The whole 400 plus million in fund balance. And I realize, I think it comes from the audit report that talks about a 420 million plus fund balance of which though only 102 million is unrestricted. So that's, that's the part that I want to focus on because this, I don't feel like it's being honest with our public and with no misintention or ill intention. But just to be clear here, in terms of, if we spend that $102 million reserve, as I understand, we walk off a fiscal cliff, which then gets us to a point where we then potentially face receivership so, again, if there's a solution around this, of course we should absolutely explore this, but I want.
[82:25] Speaker 5: To do so with full facts on the table.
[82:32] Speaker 1: I think my question will still stand. If there are questions that are clarifying on your vote for this resolution, please ask those now.
[82:43] Speaker 4: Hello, student delegate Mon. Hi, can you hear me?
[82:49] Speaker 1: Yes, we can.
[82:50] Speaker 3: Okay, perfect.
[82:51] Speaker 4: Thank you. I'm joining from Zoom tonight. Good evening, everyone. My name is Shun. I'm the student delegate representing the students here, and I just wanted to come and ask a couple questions and also provide a student perspective because I think it's been mentioned a lot tonight about student outcomes. And all this happening definitely affects students inside the classroom and like, what we learn and et cetera. So I just wanted to share my $0.02 along with some questions, starting with student perspectives. I think in the past couple of weeks, since the news has got around about a possible strike, a lot of students have been confused and wondering a bunch of things from everywhere, from everything from their classes to their teachers, if they show up to school, if the strike happens or not. And I was just wondering, what does that look like? What is students being informed look like? And who is the point of contact or. I'm trying my best here, trying to answer the questions of my peers, but I feel like it should be more than just me who is relaying the information to students. I know a lot of seniors are concerned with graduation because the thing with the 180 instructional days and if schools were to shut down and if there's school days added at the end of the school year, would the graduation day be moved? Would we have to come to school after graduation? There's a bunch of questions that are floating around about that. In addition to that, like, everything from, like, that has to do with academics. Like, what does school look like for us? Like, how do we learn? A bunch of us, I think Advanced placement AP classes are a huge thing in a lot of high schools specifically. And a lot of us are wondering what is going to happen with our AP exams, because the AP exam schedule is kind of like a national schedule. And we're wondering the exam prep and things like that. And then even for middle schoolers and elementary schoolers, I imagine that this whole situation is a lot more confusing for them. And so I'm just wondering the information and the communication part of that. And yeah, like, anything that any of the commissioner, superintendent, or anyone else there would like to share about, like, how students are basically like, a part of this equation and how we should be, like, what we should know moving forward.
[85:28] Speaker 5: Thank you, student delegate municipality. As always, very thoughtful, very insightful and very student centered questions. Again, I'm going to say this. I really, really, I mean, literally, just based on what our student just said, we need to get back to the table. We need to continue the conversation. We need to settle the deal. We need to get to a deal where we meet the needs of our educators while making sure that we continue the stability and financial vitality of our school district for many years to come. I commit to all of our students here that I will do my best to come back to the table. There was a question earlier of how soon can you come back to the table? We can come back to the table as soon as Thursday. The report comes out on Wednesday. We'll take a day to read it. We'll come back to the table on Thursday. Let's do it. Let's come back to the table and let's make sure that we center our students and what they need and just make sure that we do what's right for our students. In terms of your questions about how do we get information out to students, particularly our high school students, what I believe we should do is make sure that we include you in all of our daily communications so that you also have the information about what's going on and you get to see all the facts as well. And that just know that again, I am working really hard to make sure that we have our, our labor partners come back to the table so we do not have to close schools and shut down schools because that would be a huge disruption not only for students, but for families.
[87:27] Speaker 4: Yeah. Thank you so much for answering my questions and addressing that. I would love to be included in the daily communications and just be caught up on all of this. And just to follow up, Mike, I have to ish questions. I was reading the resolution and the PDF and I was just wondering, like, what is the circumstances of emergency situations in which schools will be closed? I understand that, like, if there's not enough teachers or staff there to essentially supervise and chaperone the students in the school, then it's obviously unsafe. But like, what does the emergency situation look like and at what point would schools be closed down and how will students be informed of that? Like, what would happen if, like, for example, at Lowell we have over 2,500 students and what would happen if on Monday we all showed up to school and there was no one there?
[88:21] Speaker 5: Yes, and this is why we need to have the ability to plan, because that would be a very Horrible situation.
[88:30] Speaker 3: So.
[88:33] Speaker 5: The question is, how would I come to the determination that I would have to enact this authorization, in particular to closing schools? Closing schools would mean that I would have no staff, no meaningful. No staff to provide instruction. And as many people know, the members of our United Educators of San Francisco union includes not only teachers, but also paraeducators and substitutes, social workers, counselors and nurses. And so that's. And actually several more. Those are a lot of our key support staff, key educators in our schools. And so if we don't have educators in our schools, it would just. There would be no instruction happening. And then in terms of opening the schools, we would need an administrator to open the school. And if we don't have an administrator there to open the school, that would be very hard for us. We would also need to make sure that there's a custodian there to make sure that the school is clean and safe. And if we do not have a custodian in school that day, then we can cannot safely open the school. And if we have students there, we would need to provide food services. And if we do not have student nutrition staff there to provide food services, then we will not be able to open school for that day. So there are a number of factors that I will have to take into consideration before I make the very, very, very difficult decision to close school. It will not be taken lightly because I know the level of disruption that would cause for families and for students. I know our students want to be in the school. They want to go to class, they want to learn. They want to be with their beloved educators and all of the people in our school community. But if we do not have them inside our schools, we will not be able to safely open our schools to serve our students.
[90:56] Speaker 4: Great. Thank you so much for answering my questions. I just wanted to kind of also end with like, I joined roughly around 6pm So I was fortunate enough to hear comments and questions from Commissioner Gupta, Commissioner Wiseman Ward, and Commissioner Fisher. And I just want to say that I agree with what Commissioner Fisher said about how she has a lot of questions that are unanswered and so do I with things, with everything from like, the volunteers that are mentioned in the. In the document to student safety unknowns. And yeah, I think that also kind of explains my vote if I do get one. And yeah, thank you so much again for answering my questions and all the work that everyone has put in.
[91:43] Speaker 1: Thank you. Debate is now closed on the motion to approve this item. Roll call vote, please. Student delegate Mon.
[91:56] Speaker 4: No.
[91:59] Speaker 1: Commissioner Ray.
[92:01] Speaker 3: Yes.
[92:03] Speaker 1: Commissioner Alexander.
[92:04] Speaker 2: No.
[92:07] Speaker 1: President Kim. Yes. Commissioner Weissman. Ward.
[92:11] Speaker 3: Yes.
[92:13] Speaker 1: Commissioner Gupta. Yes. Commissioner Fisher.
[92:17] Speaker 3: No.
[92:20] Speaker 1: 4. Yes. Three nos. Student counted in the three. Thank you. That was our one item for this meeting. This meeting is now adjourned. At 6:41pm.
[92:57] Speaker 3: It.