By tf-lawyer.com On October 15, San Francisco Mayor London Breed stepped into the contentious debate over the school district’s closure plan, sharply criticizing Superintendent Matt Wayne and demanding that the district immediately halt its efforts to close schools.
In a statement that day, Breed expressed her frustration and concern over the chaotic situation surrounding the proposed closures and the management practices within the San Francisco Unified School District. “Whatever this school closure proposal aimed to achieve or could potentially achieve has failed,” she stated.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Breed nearly called for Superintendent Wayne’s resignation, revealing that she has lost confidence in his ability to manage the closure plan, although she ultimately refrained from making such a demand.
Wayne did not specifically address Breed’s comments, but later that day sent a letter to the San Francisco Unified School District community. In it, he noted, “In the next two weeks, I will spend time meeting with students, parents, and staff at the 13 schools that meet the criteria for closure or merger to listen to their questions and concerns. I know that nothing can make these conversations easy. However, maintaining the status quo in the San Francisco Unified School District is unacceptable and unsustainable in the face of impending budget cuts.”
Wayne further emphasized, “At this critical moment, we must act with courage and empathy, knowing that today’s decisions will shape the future of our students and the communities we serve.”
His justification for closing schools stems from the district’s ongoing decline in enrollment. Over the past two decades, approximately 14,000 student seats have gone unfilled, resulting in reduced funding from the state of California. While closing schools alone will not fully address the budget deficit, each closure could save the district between $1 million and $2 million.
However, after a series of crises, the district administration has lost the trust and support of many parents and district staff. These crises include ongoing issues with the compensation system for staff, unfilled positions, hiring errors, and thousands of special education students lacking teachers.
Three weeks ago, Breed deployed a rescue team composed of senior city officials to assist the district in analyzing its financial situation and operations. She also allocated $8.5 million to this team to help quell the turmoil.
“I understand that discussions about closing and merging schools are tough and painful, which is why any plans that emerge from this dialogue must be careful, clear, and actionable. But I do not see those possibilities, and I do not believe they will emerge under the current circumstances,” Breed concluded.
