I apologize for any followers of this blog for being a bit MIA lately. I’ve been busy, and then I got sick 🙁

Nonetheless, I’ve been working with the SF Families Union to support a local SF school in raising visibility for parent concerns. I was surprised to learn at an SF Families Union event last month focused on supporting Black families that there are students in some SF schools that lack the basics needed for students to have a productive learning environment–we’re talking DOORS and WALLS people!

Can you believe it?

I wouldn’t REALLY have believed it myself. Nonetheless, I’m an experienced urban educator (read: there’s some jack-up sh$t out there!) So, I went out to see for my own eyes, and YES… it is true.

Needless to say, Carver families are a force to be reckoned with and Superintendent Carranza and the Board of Ed have promised to fully fund a redesign of their school. (THANK YOU!!!!)  I’m reposting the write-up from the SF Families Union site for your review. In addition, you can learn more about the SF Families Union by going directly to their site. And you can help Carver families as they go through the process of ensuring a quick yet quality redesign for their school by contacting Donna Smith, Carver Parent Liaison at 415-330-1540 or get in touch with the Carver community via the SF Families Union at: sanfranciscofamiliesunion AT gmail.com

Congratulations Carver ES Families!

The SF Families Union members met Carver Families during the Feb. 13th SF Families event at Cobb ES where we spoke about the experience of Black families. What came up was surprising… there two schools in our district without proper doors and walls for instruction. Both of these schools are in the Bay View, a San Francisco neighborhood housing predominantly low-income families of color.

Working in support of the amazing family leadership there, SF Families Union amplified the message that parents, grandparents, students and staff had been saying all for a long time… “Students and teachers need proper classrooms to quality teaching and learning!… We need doors and walls at our school!”

Members of the SF Families Union met with Carver family representatives and staff. We met with local officials (Malia Cohen, SF Supervisor, District 10) and on her recommendation, created petitions. Carver families circulated paper petitions and SF Families Union members posted petitions online and via social media. Together, we were able to gather over 300+ petitions which Carver families presented to the SFUSD School Board last Tuesday!

Watch their amazing testimony at the recent Board of Education meeting last Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at this link.

Thank you Carver families for being such an inspiration for other SF Families. Carver ES is a AMAZING school with AMAZING teachers, kids and families. You deserve to have a school that reflects the GREATNESS of your community!

Congratulations! You’ve won a commitment that Carver classrooms will get walls and doors, and ventilation to create a healthy and safe learning environment! You’re our s/heros!

At the March 22nd Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Richard Carranza promised the Carver community: “Your voices have been heard… It’s going to be close to $1 million. Work is already starting… We are going to update the community as to a timeline of when the construction will start… We’re not waiting for another bond issue. We’re rearranging bond monies to be able to make this happen immediately.”
You’re winning, and the SF Families Union is thankful for your leadership and inspiration.

THANK YOU for…

• Thank you for signing petitions (over 300), writing letters, and making beautiful posters.
• Thank you for coming out to the Board of Education once again, late on a school night. Thank you to the elementary students and families who stayed up past 9:30 pm to speak up for your school!
• Thank you for sharing your anger and hurt.
• Thank you for your grace and composure, for waiting patiently while boring adults do hours of boring meeting stuff before asking for classroom doors and walls, “pretty please.”
• Thank you for sharing your confidence in your students and your expectation that they will thrive.
• Thank you for sharing your school pride.
• Thank you for showing how to come together and put children’s safety and learning first.
• Thank you for showing SFUSD what the “community” in “learning community” really means!

Keep up the great work! The SF Families Union is behind you 100%. We will work with you to keep the pressure on until Carver families open new doors to classrooms with proper walls and ventilation. Thank for inspiring us with your leadership and action!

With joy and admiration,
The SF Families Union