Examiner Op-ed: S.F. schools valued, but need help

Lorraine Woodruff-Long, the executive director of SF PPS, wrote this excellent op-ed for the Examiner: S.F. schools valued, but need help

If there is one thing the recent strife over school closures proves it is that public schools matter to San Franciscans. This was demonstrated last week by the thousands of parents protesting school closures. Speaker after speaker shared stories about hard-working teachers, parents, and entire communities coming together to help students achieve. They told of the positive impact schools have on children, on neighborhood connections and, for many, on their family’s ability to remain in San Francisco.

These testimonials — and the facts — dispel the myth that our schools are failing. San Francisco is the highest-achieving urban school district in the state. We have many unique school communities and programs that are attracting and keeping families in our city. Yes, we have lots of work to do: Most importantly, the achievement gap between the performance of African-American students and their Asian and Caucasian counterparts is significant and needs to be vigorously and creatively addressed. However, this is successfully happening in numerous schools across our district. There are successes to be replicated.

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That is good news indeed — and not surprising to many of us who send our kids to public schools.

Contrary to the opinions of the oft-heard armchair critics of the school system, the major problems are not the teachers’ union, not the school board, not a top-heavy administration, not uninvolved parents and certainly not the kids, who every day make us all proud. The major underlying problem is that California is 45th in the nation when it comes to per-pupil spending, when our high cost of living is factored in. And the formulas that control SFUSD revenues not only fail to take into account our extraordinary cost of living and aging facilities, but are structurally unfair to our city. Our governor’s recent budget additions are welcome, but still don’t come close to giving public education what is needed to prepare all California children for the future.

Let’s take this opportunity to band together to take constructive steps in San Francisco.

I appeal to the local business community to step up its support through the donation of goods, services and cash, by supporting employee volunteerism and by helping parents get information about and enroll their children in our schools.

I appeal to our community organizations and motivated neighbors to work with us as we continue to enrich our offerings to our students. Let’s work together to make the district more accessible to agencies wishing to help.

I appeal to our city officials to continue to provide additional funding for our public schools, and to coordinate city, state and federal resources for nonacademic needs such as health and social services so that our principals and teachers need only focus their resources and energy on education.

I appeal to my fellow parents: Try the public schools. Talk to public school parents. Come join us in helping create the best school system in the nation. Your child will not only have the benefit of dedicated school personnel, but your school has San Francisco at its doorstep. Students learn not just from the classroom, but from our wonderful museums, arts groups, community based organizations, dedicated and creative volunteers, and partnerships with our outstanding educational institutions. Our family stayed, and we are happy we made the choice to keep San Francisco our home.

Most importantly, let’s aim our collective frustration — so often misguided at the local level — at the state’s woefully inadequate funding and finance structure for public education, the hope of our future.