Candidates for Board of Education

Not all candidates submit a statement of qualifications. A complete list of candidates appears on the sample ballot. Statements are volunteered by the candidates and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency. Statements are published as submitted. Spelling and grammatical errors have not been corrected.

MATT ALEXANDER

My occupation is Educator and Organizer.

My qualifications are:

I have 20+ years experience as a public school teacher and principal in SFUSD. I co-founded and led June Jordan School for Equity, a quality public school with a track record of success with African-American, Latinx, Asian, and Pacific Islander students. As a community organizer with Faith in Action Bay Area, I work with a cross-cultural group of leaders in schools and congregations to fight for immigrant rights and housing justice.

During this pandemic and economic crisis, we must think big and be bold to provide the best public education for the future of our children and our city. My priorities include:

• Closing the digital divide

• Opening schools as soon as safely possible, prioritizing young & special-needs students

• Increasing funding: Reform Prop 13 and pursue additional state and federal funding

• Reallocating budget from central office and administrative costs directly to schools

• Creating more Community Schools with integrated services & social-emotional supports

• Investing in early childhood education

My endorsements include:

United Educators of San Francisco

Service Employees International Union SEIU 1021

Coleman Action Fund for Children

San Francisco Tenants Union

Bernal Heights Democratic Club

San Francisco Board of Education: Mark Sanchez, President; Gabriela Lopez, Vice-President; Alison Collins; Jenny Lam; Faauuga Moliga

San Francisco Board of Supervisors: Norman Yee, President; Sandra Fewer; Matt Haney; Gordon Mar; Dean Preston; Hillary Ronen; Shamann Walton

Jane Kim, Former Supervisor

Tom Ammiano, Former State Assemblymember

David Campos, Chair, SF Democratic Party

BART Board of Directors: Bevan Dufty; Janice Li

Jackie Fielder, Candidate for State Assembly

Jeremiah Jeffries & Karen Zapata, Founders, Teachers 4 Social Justice

www.mattalexandersf.org

Matt Alexander

ANDREW DOUGLAS ALSTON

My occupation is Teacher.

My qualifications are:

I am running for San Francisco School Board because I think this city is the most beautiful, diverse, and progressive in the world, and I believe that our public schools should reflect that. There are important issues affecting our students and their families, and I want to be apart of the solution. Our schools struggle to attract every student and family and have become segregated along racial and socio-economic lines. San Francisco needs a bold plan to integrate schools through modified zoning and free public busing that will ensure that our schools are returned back to their communities. As a public teacher, I believe that our schools are institutions of hope. Let’s pave the path of our children’s futures by making our schools live up to the loftiness of their dreams. Thank you for your vote.

Andrew Douglas Alston

KEVINE BOGGESS

My occupation is Education Policy Director.

My qualifications are:

For over 10 years at Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, I’ve worked to organize and engage hundreds of families, students and educators to transform San Francisco public schools. As Education Policy Director, and a parent who was born and raised in San Francisco, I have seen firsthand the challenges and opportunities in our public schools and understand what’s needed to improve school safety and increase opportunities for all youth.

I am running for the Board of Education to:

• Bring bold and collaborative leadership that will prioritize the health and academic success of students and families, especially during COVID-19;

• Fulfill our commitment to ensuring that every child has a right to a high quality education, regardless of race, income, language, or neighborhood;

• Provide safe and engaging learning environments for all students, including during distance learning; and

• Keep our promise to restore trust in our school district through greater transparency and accountability for district leadership.

Let’s make San Francisco public schools the best in the nation.

My Endorsements:

United Educators of San Francisco

Service Employees International Union-SEIU 1021

Coleman Action Fund for Children

San Francisco Berniecrats

San Francisco Tenants Union

Jeremiah Jeffries and Karen Zapata, Founders of Teachers 4 Social Justice

Tom Ammiano, CA State Assemblyman (Former)

Board of Education Commissioners:

• Mark Sanchez, President

• Gabriela Lopez, Vice-President

• Alison Collins

• Jenny Lam

• Faauuga Moliga

• Stevon Cook

Board of Supervisors:

• Norman Yee, President

• Sandra Lee Fewer

• Aaron Peskin

• Gordon Mar

• Dean Preston

• Matt Haney

• Rafael Mandelman

• Hillary Ronen

• Shamann Walton

Learn more at www.kevineboggess.org

Kevine Boggess

ALIDA FISHER

My occupation is Special Education Advocate.

My qualifications are:

As a former foster parent and transracial adoptive parent of four children, the issues of equity and social justice are very personal to me. I’ve spent the past 15 years advocating relentlessly for improved reading interventions, ability awareness training, and more robust social emotional supports in our schools.

I’m active in SFUSD oversight:

Advocacy Chair and past Chair of SFUSD’s Community Advisory Committee for Special Education

Member, African American Parent Advisory Committee

Member, LCAP Task Force

Member, Equity Studies Task Force

Member, Charter School Oversight Committee

Member, Logistics Committee of Reopening Task Force

PTA, SSC and board member at seven SFUSD schools

I use my position on these committees to address the issues of institutionalized discrimination in our schools.

My priorities:

Provide programs at all schools so all students can be proficient readers by third grade. There are very few skills more important to future success than reading.

Invest in professional development and co-planning time in priority areas such as restorative practices, anti-racism, implicit bias, de-escalation training, and universal design for learning.

Increase budget and decision making accountability and transparency at every level. Budgets are value statements that must reflect the needs of our students.

www.alidafisher.com

Alida Fisher

DR. PAUL KANGAS, JD, PhD

My occupation is Criminal Defense Investigator.

My qualifications are:

Dr. Paul Kangas, JD, PhD

SF can raise teacher pay, to $100K, by putting 1,000 solar panels on each school, ear-marking the money from solar sold onto the grid @ $0.49 kwh, for teachers pay only.

Build 4-plex homes for teachers, with 100 solar panels.

Create a solar economy.

Open all schools now. Scientific studies from Sweden proves no child or teacher in Sweden has died from covid-19.

Sweden achieved ZERO deaths from covid, since 7/24/20.

Teachers & Federal workers need a 30 hour work week, at 40 hours pay.

Black Lives Matter. SF Schools vaccinates 4 times more Black students, who loose the ability to read & write, and are expelled. Ban mandatory vaccines.

In 2015 we had 1 in 50 boys with autism.

By 2030 we will have 1 in 2 boys with autism!
WWW.Highwire.com

I Worked with the Black Panther Party. I graduated for Hastings Law College in 1975 & worked for 44 years in the SF courts.

I raised 3 kids in the SF school system. My straight-A daughter won a full scholarship to UCSC. Without informed consent, she was force vaccinated by UCSC & lost the ability to read & write.

I graduated from Medical School in 2010. I work with
Dr. Joel Wallach at “Talk” 877-912-7529, 1pm daily. #3101.

US Navy 1960-64. I was a guard for President Kennedy. Veteran of the Bay of Pigs invasion.

Vote twice: Write-in Paul Kangas for President, official FEC candidate.

Dr. Paul Kangas

JENNY LAM

My occupation is Education Advisor to San Francisco Mayor.

My qualifications are:

COVID-19 has upended our schools, and our lives. The pandemic has further exposed inequities and opportunity gaps in our City and public schools.

As School Board Commissioner and as Education Advisor to Mayor London Breed, I have been managing decisions and policies throughout the COVID-19 response.

My accomplishments include:

• Allocated funding to remain at school sites.

• Increased the number of school social workers.

• Forged partnerships to increase access to computers and technology.

• Extended additional resources to Black student achievement.

As a parent of two children in public schools, I understand the stress and uncertainty parents are experiencing. I remain committed to ensuring families, students and educators have what they need to implement effective distance learning and reopen schools safely.

For over 20 years, I have fought to improve access to quality education, empowered youth to lead, expanded civil rights for immigrants, and brought technology access to schools.

I’m honored to have the support of:

Mayor London Breed

State Senator Scott Wiener

State Assemblymembers:

David Chiu

Phil Ting

Assessor Carmen Chu

San Francisco Board of Supervisors:

Matt Haney

Rafael Mandelman

Gordon Mar

Hillary Ronen

Ahsha Safai

Catherine Stefani

Shamann Walton

Former Supervisor Jane Kim

Board of Education:

Mark Sanchez, President

Gabriela Lopez, Vice-President

Stevon Cook

Faauuga Moliga

Rachel Norton

Former President, Hydra Mendoza

United Educators of San Francisco

Coleman Action Fund

Latinx Young Democratic Club

Rose Pak Democratic Club

Jenny Lam

GENEVIEVE LAWRENCE

My occupation is Teacher.

My qualifications are:

I am a former Oakland Unified teacher and a current teacher in San Mateo for students with special needs. I have experience increasing teacher effectiveness, improving academic and social/emotional curriculum, and creating a supportive school culture. I am also leading the planning and execution of distance learning and safe in-person learning for my division. I returned to my passion for teaching after working in sales at the Clorox Company where I gained experience managing multi-million dollar budgets, leading project teams, and fulfilling the needs of a diverse set of stakeholders.

My core values as a leader are collaboration and inclusivity. I will uphold these values by looking at issues from many perspectives and with an equity lens and by elevating the voices and needs of students, families, and community members.

My priorities:

• Students: prepared for the future they choose; additional support for underserved students such as ELL, special needs, students of color, low-income, LGBTQ, and others

• Teachers: increased professional support and pay

• Schools: safe, academically rigorous, inclusive, and equity minded; guide effective distance learning practices and safe in-person learning

• Board Leadership: improve communication, transparency, and accountability; fight for additional funding for schools

Genevieve Lawrence

MICHELLE PARKER

My occupation is Parent / Nonprofit Director.

My qualifications are:

I’m a single parent of three San Francisco public school students, and have been a parent leader, advocate and organizer for 15 years. I believe it’s the School Board’s job to create conditions for every student to be successful and that high-quality public education can strengthen communities and our democracy. We cannot let politics get in the way of equity-driven, student-centered decisions.

I have extensive experience in leadership, education policy, governance and oversight. I served as President of the San Francisco PTA, supporting parents in over 60 schools; co-chaired the SFUSD Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, ensuring $32M annually supported quality teaching; currently chair the SFUSD Charter School Oversight Committee; and was president of an arts education nonprofit. I’ve ensured equitable access to afterschool programs, led anti-racism work, helped stakeholders navigate contentious situations, elevated underrepresented voices in decision-making, and helped lead several successful SFUSD ballot measures.

My priorities:

• Insulate students from the economic crisis, align the SFUSD budget with our priorities, identify new local and state funding

• Support students academically, physically, and emotionally through the pandemic

• Accelerate closing our African American achievement gap

• Strengthen our educator workforce

www.michelleparker.org

Endorsements

Mayor London Breed

Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu

Supervisors Catherine Stefani, Rafael Mandelman

Malia Cohen, California Board of Equalization

Senator Scott Wiener

Assemblymembers David Chiu, Phil Ting

BART Board Director Janice Li

Board of Education Commissioner Rachel Norton

Michelle Parker

NICK ROTHMAN

My occupation is Teacher.

My qualifications are:

Hello My name is Nick Rothman, I am an SFUSD parent and Department Chair of San Francisco City College Automotive, Construction and Custodial Departments. My two daughters have enjoyed K - high school within the SFUSD and are both currently in high school. I have managed the CCSF Trade Skills (Auto, Construction and Custodial departments) for about 5 years. I meet dozens of young people each semester and help usher them into the workforce. During my tenure as Department chair my co workers and I have trained and placed hundreds of young men and women in Trade Skill jobs here in San Francisco. I have forged partnerships with Muni, local employers and local unions. I believe in CTE.

Currently CTE and hands on training is under represented on the Board of Education. The guidance and pathway to 4 year college is well represented compared to support leading students to jobs in the trades.

Trade Skill careers are an important, often overlooked way to make a living wage while maintaining family work balance. I invite you to imagine students energized by school work for the first time in their lives. Students formerly challenged to complete school work can become fully engaged while developing hands on skills such as carpentry and auto mechanics. Young learners blossom when given the opportunity to work with their hands. I request your vote to give the pathway to a career in the trades a voice on the Board of Education

Thank you

Nick Rothman

MARK SANCHEZ

My occupation is Public School Teacher, San Francisco Board of Education President.

My qualifications are:

I am a public school teacher and proudly serve as President of the San Francisco Board of Education. I have been honored to serve San Francisco schools for more than 25 years. San Francisco’s students, families and educators are the heart and soul of our public school system, and deserve the resources necessary to make every classroom a dynamic center of teaching, learning and creative expression.

In the age of COVID-19, SFUSD needs leadership that understands the classroom and how to help families make the most of this difficult time. Students and schools desperately need connection, stability, and adequate resources to attain high academic outcomes, be it in person or through distance learning.

My experience and leadership on the Board of Education will help serve our students and families better by:

• Advocating for and attaining Investments in Public Education at the local, state and national level

• Developing a Distance Learning Recovery Plan to address the learning loss during this pandemic

• Building More Affordable Housing for Educators and Families

I’m pleased to include amongst my endorsers:

United Educators of San Francisco

Service Employees International Union (SEIU)1021

Coleman Action Fund

San Francisco Berniecrats

Bernal Heights Democratic Club

San Francisco Board of Education Commissioners:

Gabriela Lopez, Vice-President

Stevon Cook

Jenny Lam

Faauuga Moliga

San Francisco Board of Supervisors:

Norman Yee, President

Gordon Mar

Rafael Mandelman

Hillary Ronen

Shamann Walton

Jane Kim (former Supervisor)

San Francisco City College Trustees:

Shanell Williams, President

Tom Temprano

Chesa Boudin, San Francisco District Attorney

Jeremiah Jeffries & Karen Zapata, Founders, Teachers 4 Social Justice

www.marksanchezsf.org

Mark Sanchez