Lecture Notes: San Francisco Board of Education Candidate Forum

Introduction

• Presenter: Danielle Deibler, League of Women Voters of San Francisco
  • Nonpartisan organization encouraging informed government participation
  • Provides voter resources at lwvsf.org
  • Acknowledged ancestral land of the Ramaytas Ohlone peoples
• Focus: Ranked Choice Voting and upcoming SF election

Ranked Choice Voting Explained

• Appears as a grid on the ballot
• Candidates listed on left, rankings on top
• Fill in ovals from left to right for ranking
• Rules:
  • Cannot give the same rank to more than one candidate
  • Cannot rank the same candidate more than once
  • Write-in candidates allowed, fill in names and ranks

Moderators Introduction

• Saba Rahimi
  • Carleton High School junior, League of Women Voters Youth Council member
  • Passionate about youth activism and entrepreneurship
• Sana Rahimi
  • Carleton High School junior, League of Women Voters Youth Council member
  • Focus on community engagement and advocacy

Forum Structure

• Recorded session available on LWVSF website and SFGov TV
• Ground rules outlined for candidates and audience:
  • Respectful conduct
  • Candidates make opening and closing statements
  • Group division for questions due to large number of candidates
  • Rotating response order within groups

Candidate Opening Statements

• Ann Hsu: Former school board member, school principal; focuses on experience
• Jamie Hewling: SFUSD mom, lawyer; advocates for legal compliance
• John Gerson: Education foundation leader; focus on fiscal crisis
• Maddie Krantz: Recent high school graduate; focuses on teacher pay and student safety
• Min Chang: CEO, public school product; emphasis on financial acumen
• Matt Alexander: Current board president; 20 years as educator
• Parag Gupta: Mercy Housing leader; focus on financial metrics
• Lawrence Lee: SF native, public school graduate; community engagement
• Supriya Ray: Lawyer, writer, SFUSD parent; focus on access and opportunity
• Virginia Chung: Parent, education officer; focus on early education

Key Topics Discussed

School Closures

• Varied opinions:
  • Some see closures as necessary
  • Others emphasize alternative cost-saving measures
  • Concerns about equity and community impact

Religious Holidays

• Need for a fair, legal process to accommodate minority religions
• Discussion on potential solutions like floating holidays

School Safety

• Emphasis on proactive measures and the role of SFPD
• Personal experiences shared by candidates

Honors and AP Courses

• Need to expand offerings to all schools, particularly underserved areas
• Importance of meeting diverse student needs

Representation in Merit-Based Programs

• Support for early education and preparatory programs
• Focus on equitable access and support for underrepresented students

Closing Statements Highlights

• Candidates reiterated their commitment to improving SFUSD
• Experience, advocacy, and vision for the future were central themes
• Encouragement for voter participation on November 5th

Conclusion

• Emphasis on the importance of informed voting and community involvement
• Encouraged visiting LWVSF website for more resources and event details

Note: This summary captures the key points discussed during the candidate forum, organized by the League of Women Voters of San Francisco. For more detailed information, refer to the full session recording available on the LWVSF website.