Welcome back to the โMeet the Candidatesโ series for the school board, where we ask each candidate one question every two weeks. They must answer the question in 100 words or fewer. We will link to longer answers.
Eleven candidates are vying for four seats on the cityโs seven-person school board. The election will take place on Nov. 5. Non-citizen parents of children living in the city are permitted to vote in school board elections, and can find information on doing so here.
In September, the San Francisco Unified School District abruptly canceled mandatory antisemitism workshops for educators that would have been run by the American Jewish Committee. The move came after some parents and community groups expressed concerns with the American Jewish Committee; some have called it a โPro-Israel lobbying group.โ
Other community members, however, criticized the decision amid what they called a โmeteoric riseโ in antisemitic incidents in the district. Following their backlash, the SFUSD rescheduled the workshops for next week.
This week, we asked the candidates:
Can you comment on the recent canceling and rescheduling of mandatory antisemitism workshops for SFUSD educators, and on the tasking of the American Jewish Committee with leading those workshops?
Some candidates gestured broadly toward the importance of reducing harassment, discrimination and bullying in SFUSD schools. The ones who spoke directly to the planned workshops, however, by and large support them. Some, however, also emphasized the need for such workshops to incorporate varied perspectives and avoid introducing biases toward other groups.
Jaime Huling
- Job: Deputy city attorney, formerly in San Francisco and now in Oakland
- Age: 42
- Residency: Glen Park; previously Hayes Valley and 13 years in the Mission
- Educational background: Juris doctor degree from Stanford Law School with distinction; bachelor’s in history from Northwestern University with honors, minor in gender studies
- SFUSD experience: Parent of SFUSD Spanish immersion school student; worked with Mission-based nonprofit ScholarMatch to help first-gen, low-income students of color attend college, including SFUSD students
- Languages: English, some Spanish and French
Every kid deserves to feel safe at school, and no student or employee should ever experience discrimination or feel targeted at school because of their religion, ethnicity, race, or other aspects of their identity. Regular training on diversity, equity and inclusion, including training on anti-racism, antisemitism, and anti-Islamophobia is part of any healthy organization culture, and should be welcomed in SFUSD.
On the school board, Iโll continue to model that we can disagree strongly about policy without resorting to stereotyping or discrimination.
Endorsed by: SF Democratic Party, UESF, SF Parent Action, GrowSF … read more here
John Jersin
- Job: Co-founder of education nonprofit Jersin Foundation, previously a LinkedIn executive
- Age: 40
- Residency: Noe Valley
- Educational background: California public schools from kindergarten through college; bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of California, San Diego, master’s degree in computer science from Stanford University
- SFUSD experience: Brother-in-law of SFUSD teacher; SFUSD Citizensโ Bond Oversight Committee; parent of two young children who will attend SFUSD schools
- Languages: English, learning Mandarin
This cancellation is concerning, though the antisemitism training is currently to be rescheduled and conducted as previously planned. Many of our Jewish students in San Francisco feel they are in a fraught situation right now, and they deserve safety and acceptance. When there are hints of a shift toward a climate of conflict in our schools, we need to take those signs seriously and do the work to build and maintain a culture of openness, diversity, and community.
Endorsed by: SF Democratic Party, UESF, GrowSF, TogetherSF Action … read more here
Madeline Krantz
- Job: Dual enrollment student at CCSF and SJSU
- Age: 19
- Residency: Inner Sunset
- Educational background: Synergy School for K-8, Abraham Lincoln High School, experience working as teacherโs aide in synagogue and currently working toward education degree
- SFUSD experience: Worked with SFUSD students as part of Teacher Academy at Lincoln
- Languages: English
This subject is very sensitive for me, as an observant Jew. Like most Jews, Iโve been concerned about the rise of antisemitism in the U.S. and worldwide since last yearโs attacks by Hamas and the resulting war in Gaza. But I also understand how seriously lots of people feel about the Palestinian cause. I think SFUSD should hold seminars like this training, but we need to make sure everyoneโs views are included. Itโs possible to protect kids from hate speech and still help encourage everyone to be heard. It isnโt easy, but thatโs what we have to try for.
Laurance Lee
- Job: Small business owner, L3 Construction LLC
- Age: 54
- Residency: Noe Valley
- Educational background: Went to SFUSD K-12, bachelor’s degree in chemistry and history of science from Harvard University, graduate work at Stanford University
- SFUSD experience: SFUSD Citizensโ Bond Oversight Committee, extended family who are SFUSD student and educators
- Languages: English
I am responding to this question as there are more bombs being dropped in the Middle East. My heart goes out to all the families caught in this war, including the folks who live here. We need these antisemitism workshops, given the escalation in bullying and other incidents that have made the schools less safe. As a son of immigrants and a member of a mixed-race family, I am hoping we give each other grace and understanding. As a Board of Education Commissioner candidate, I am hoping that we in San Francisco can fix our budget and other crises.
Endorsed by: SF Guardians, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, former School Board President Emily Murase … read more here
Supryia Ray
- Job: Attorney and writer
- Age: 51
- Residency: Sunset
- Educational background: Bachelor’s degree in political science and French from University of Miami, summa cum laude; juris doctor degree from Harvard Law School, magna cum laude
- SFUSD experience: Parent of two SFUSD students; Jefferson Elementary parent-teacher association leadership; parent advocate on issues such as outdoor learning and school safety
- Languages: French, some Spanish
Thereโs no place for antisemitism or any other forms of hate in our schools.
Unfortunately, antisemitic incidents have skyrocketed in SFUSD since 10/07. Educators need to understand and identify antisemitism to ensure all students, teachers, and families feel safe.
The District chose AJC to provide this training because it has been a respected leader for civil rights for all communities for a century. Just like we must address Islamophobia, anti-Asian hate, and anti-Black hate, we must address antisemitism. In fact, the Biden Administration chose AJC to help lead the implementation of the nation’s strategy to counter antisemitism.
Endorsed by: SF Democratic Party, SF Guardians, SF Parent Action, GrowSF โฆ read more here
Matt Alexander
- Job: Community organizer at Faith in Action Bay Area, incumbent board member
- Age: 54
- Residency: Outer Sunset
- Educational background: Master’s degree in education
- SFUSD experience: Teacher and principal; current school board vice president
- Languages: English, Spanish
No response received.
Endorsed by: UESF, Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club
Min Chang
- Job: CEO at healthcare organization Homebridge
- Age: 58
- Residency: San Francisco
- Educational background: Ph.D. in international affairs and master’s degree in international public policy from Johns Hopkins University; master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan; bachelor’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania
- SFUSD experience: Doing outreach in SFUSD and attending school board meetings.
- Languages: English, Chinese, French
I am in support of no bullying, harassment, violence, or discrimination in our public schools. I do not believe that politics should enter our discussions at our schools. Content that is shared and taught in our schools and to our educators should follow the same standards.
Endorsed by: The San Francisco Republican Party, San Francisco Young Republicans, The Republican Club of San Francisco, San Francisco Briones Society โฆ read more here
Virginia Cheung
- Job: SFUSD parent, co-founder and vice president of Give a Beat Foundation (volunteer work) and previously director of advancement at Wu Yee Children’s Services
- Age: 41
- Residency: District 11
- Educational background: Bachelor’s degree in social ecology (first in family to graduate college).
- SFUSD experience: Parent of Alice Fong Yu student; Wah Mei BASE! ExCEL program Parent Advisory Board
- Languages: Basic Cantonese and Mandarin, conversational French
Curricula should be designed in collaboration with parents, teachers, and community members to better reflect the lived experiences of students.
As a daughter of immigrants, I deeply understand the impact of anti-Asian, anti-Chinese rhetoric, especially on children.
Due to the biased public school education I received, I grew up feeling that Asians were inferior, believing we could only succeed by conforming to the majority.
We should teach our kids how to identify and combat discrimination, bias, and racism. We should also celebrate diversity and promote cultural competence among staff and leadership.
Additionally, SFUSD must implement policies to prevent favoritism and … read more here
Endorsed by: Mayor London Breed, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, School Board Commissioner Jenny Lam โฆ read more here
Lefteris Eleftheriou
- Job: Regional sales manager, Sanyo Denki
- Age: 56
- Residency: District 7
- Educational background: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, master’s degree in education
- SFUSD experience: No direct experience, but previously ran an art school in Belmont.
- Languages: English, Japanese, Greek
We cannot deny that there is a rise in antisemitism on school campuses across our nation. Therefore, I support educating our SFUSD staff, so that we can prevent any prejudice or bias toward our Jewish community that may lead to these acts. At the same time, it is equally important to ensure that during any type of anti-prejudice education or workshop, we do not, intentionally or unintentionally, create bias or prejudice toward other ethnic groups. I am not familiar with the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and do not know how or if they have been vetted by the SFUSD to … read more here
Parag Gupta
- Job: Chief program officer at Mercy Housing
- Age: 46
- Residency: San Francisco
- Educational background: Bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Chicago; master’s degree in Public Policy from Harvard University
- SFUSD experience: Parent of recent CIS De Avila grad; School Site Council chair; 8th grade algebra focus group; drafting SFUSD policy priorities for SF Democrats as SF DCCC member; developing financial strategy for Stupski Foundation programs to help students, including SFUSD students, complete postsecondary education
- Languages: Basic Spanish, basic French, conversational Hindi
It is crucial that children have a secure environment where they can learn, feel safe, and develop a sense of community.
I support a diversity of workshops that bring different perspectives. SFUSD may even seek to invest in restorative justice workshops so faculty can express differences in a productive manner. Just as important, we must ensure our educators and staff feel adequately supported to be able to handle situations of bullying and help students feel a sense of belonging.
Endorsed by: SF Democratic Party, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Senator Scott Wiener, UESF … read more here
Ann Hsu
- Job: Head of School at Bertrand D Hsu American & Chinese Bicultural Academy
- Age: 57
- Residency: Richmond District
- Educational background: Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University, master’s degree in electrical engineering and master’s in business from University of California, Berkeley
- SFUSD experience: Two sons in SFUSD; SFUSD Citizensโ Bond Oversight Committee chair; Galileo High School PTSA president; active in recall efforts; appointed by Mayor Breed to school board in 2022 and served until early 2023
- Languages: English; Chinese, Mandarin
SFUSD canceled an antisemitism training the day before the event because of pressure brought on by an anti-Israeli lobbying group. This was wrong. Given the rise in antisemitic instances at SFUSD, this training is needed to teach educators to recognize what constitutes antisemitic actions.
Contrary to the portrayal of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) as a lobbying group, it is a 100-year old nonprofit organization that, in 2016, formed a Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council with the Islamic Society of North America to address bigotry against Muslims and Jews. This groupโs objective is to build bridges. Who better to provide this training?
Candidates are ordered alphabetically but rotated every question. Answers may be lightly edited for formatting, spelling and grammar. If you have questions for the candidates, please let us know at anne@missionlocal.com.
Read the rest of the school board questions here, and the entire โMeet the Candidatesโ series here.
You can register to vote via the sf.gov website. Illustrations for the series by Neil Ballard.
Ms. Li, Thank you for your series, which provides needed specific and in-depth information about the views of the candidates in this important election.
AJC is not “bridge building” organization, Ann. Seriously, do your research! Article Title: FROM THE AJC: 5 Reasons Why the Events in Gaza Are Not โGenocideโ
Published 11/30/23
โThe number of โinnocentsโ vs. terrorists that have died: This is impossible to know given that the Ministry of Health in Gaza is under the control of and susceptible to influence by Hamas, and does not separate innocent civilians from fighters in its announced death tollsโฆ
The humane practices of the IDF disprove claims of genocidal intent, as the Israeli military sends Arabic-language warnings to Gazans prior to its airstrikes on terrorist infrastructure and legitimate military targets in the coastal enclave.โ
It is an absolute DISGRACE that SFUSD is on the wrong side of history, allowing this organization to enter our schools!
SFUSD got played by a politicized advocacy group claiming to be a neutral party simply against Antisemitism.I have looked at the AJC online material and the posted social media of the person responsible for the curriculum. They have weaponized the definition of Antisemitism to include valid opposing perspectives to theirs and have played loose with the facts on the ground during a highly charged wartime situation where truth is the first casualty. Their definition makes this about the politics of Israel and Palestine. Perhaps this would be a good conversational to have if it included perspectives from the wider community of Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims and Jews who might have fundamental disagreements with how AJC frames the issues. But I am not sure the school district is equipped with to take this on. Do it right or don’t do it.