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Education Government United States

San Francisco Sues Its Own School District, Board Over Reopening (nbcnews.com) 152

Several readers have shared this report: In what could be the nation's first such case, the city of San Francisco filed suit Wednesday against its own school district, demanding the restart of in-person instruction for more than 52,000 students. City Attorney Dennis Herrera named the San Francisco Board of Education, the San Francisco Unified School District and Superintendent Vincent Matthews as defendants in what the city says is an unprecedented legal fight between overlapping government agencies over how to reopen classes during the pandemic. Herrera said the board has had more than 10 months to develop a plan to get students back into classrooms and so far "they have earned an F." Students in districts just outside San Francisco and those enrolled in San Francisco private schools have all seen the inside of classrooms since the pandemic struck, unlike SFUSD pupils, the plaintiffs said. "Having a plan to make a plan doesn't cut it," the city attorney added.

While some major metropolitan areas operate public schools from City Hall, virtually all California K-12 campuses come under the authority of local districts that are autonomous from city and county governments. San Francisco City Hall and the San Francisco Unified School District, and its school board, operate independently of each other. "This is not the path we would have chosen, but nothing matters more right now than getting our kids back in school," Mayor London Breed said. "The city has offered resources and staff to get our school facilities ready and to support testing for our educators." Representatives for the National School Boards Association, an advocacy group for public schools and local boards of education, said they believe San Francisco's lawsuit is the first civil action filed by a city against a district over Covid-19 closings. "Reopening decisions are very, very difficult, but they call for collaboration, not litigation," association CEO Anna Maria Chavez said in a statement. "Everyone wants students back in schools as soon as it is safe, but it must be a community decision based on local data that involves all of the key players from teachers and administrators to parents and local health officials."
Further reading: San Francisco Vs San Francisco School Board: A Push To Get Students Back In School.
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San Francisco Sues Its Own School District, Board Over Reopening

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  • Cue Flamewar (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Thelasko ( 1196535 ) on Thursday February 04, 2021 @02:25PM (#61028128) Journal
    Cue the flamewar on the highly politicized topic in a city known for being controversial.

    I take a broad stance on "news for nerds", but this isn't it.
    • It's good news for nerds when somebody is fighting for science.

      The smart money is on power and self interest, but that's just the unfortunate way of the world.

      • It's good news for nerds when somebody is fighting for science.

        Both sides in the dispute claim to have science on their side. So from this sentence, I honestly have no idea which side you are on.

        The smart money is on power and self interest, but that's just the unfortunate way of the world.

        Both sides in the dispute claim that power and self-interest are on the other side. So I still have no idea who you feel "the good guys" are.

        • "Science", as opposed to science, is another item in the rhetorical toolbox of politicians to argue for detailed control over your lives.

          I feel like Matthew Broderick talking to W.O.P.R., "Learn, damn you! Learn!"

    • because it can and will set precedent that can spread elsewhere. Schools have the potential to be major super spreader sites. The only reason they're not is we've been shutting them down at the first hint of COVID. If they're forced open before it's safe it'll be a disaster. The city is literally admitting they have no plan to safely reopen.
      • Actually, the evidence is that schools spread COVID-19 very little. [umn.edu] Apparently the young's resistance to COVID-19 extends to not passing the virus along.

        • It's a good thing schools only have children in them. If they had a bunch of adults doing something like teaching those children, then that may kinda change the outcome.

          Also, there's some really big problems with that study. Probably the biggest one is it's comparing the infection rate of kids to the infection rate of the entire county while the schools were shut down. This ignores that the kids were not likely to be exposed to anyone outside their household when the schools were shut down - they were st

          • Also, there's some really big problems with that study. Probably the biggest one is it's comparing the infection rate of kids to the infection rate of the entire county while the schools were shut down.

            Incorrect. Re-read the article and the study it references. [cdc.gov]

            It compares infection rates of children and teachers to infection rates of the general population while schools were open.

            Both students and teachers had significantly lower COVID incidence than those in the surrounding community. If I lived in that area of WI and was looking to reduce my risk from COVID, I'd consider sheltering in a schoolhouse.

    • I take a broad stance on "news for nerds", but this isn't it.

      What kind of nerd are you? Some crappy gamer? I'm a politics nerd. This is news for nerd. I'm also an English nerd so I'll just come out ahead and point out that you thought of using the "no true nerd-man" fallacy.

    • And banning the use of acronyms [sfgate.com] because "acronyms are a symptom of white supremacy culture". No kidding.

      • And banning the use of acronyms [sfgate.com] because "acronyms are a symptom of white supremacy culture". No kidding.

        I'm waiting for these dumbshits to start addressing people as "they" because "he" and "she" are apparently sexist. Oh, wait, they've already done so. https://www.grammarly.com/blog... [grammarly.com]

      • Follow the links (Score:2, Interesting)

        by rsilvergun ( 571051 )
        they've actually got a reason for it, see here [abc7news.com]

        "The use of so many acronyms within the educational field often tends to alienate those who may not speak English to understand the acronym," he added.

        That's based on a 1999 paper written by author Tema Okun titled "White Supremacy Culture." Okun told me that, "Our culture perpetuates racism when things continue to be written down in a certain way."

        This is similar to how they found using words like "saucer" hurt poor kids in standardized testing because the

        • paper written by author Tema Okun titled "White Supremacy Culture." Okun told me that, "Our culture perpetuates racism when things continue to be written down in a certain way."

          That's needlessly inflammatory.

          • How so? I think it's fair to say using a lot of terms and acronyms that would be confusing to a non native speaker (or even just a speaker with less advanced English, like one coming from background heavy in Ebonics) is going to give an advantage to the local speakers who, let's be real here, are going to be white. In an education setting this can have an outsized impact. It doesn't take a lot to discourage a kid (despite what Little Orphan Annie would have you believe). Creating an environment where kids l
          • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

            Only to people who are triggered by the word racism, which is a reaction designed to suppress discussion and legitimate issues.

            It's similar to telling people to calm down or stop being violent. It's designed to avoid addressing the issue by changing the subject from the problem to the alleged behaviour of the speaker, not to help.

            • Many people use acronyms. If you imply people are racist because they use acronyms, you are not only being inflammatory, you are also lying.

        • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

          It's really sad that you are being modded troll just for reporting the facts, simply because the title of the research it was based on triggered some people.

      • Quote from your link:

        The district's arts department has decided to change its name, "VAPA" (visual and performing arts) to "SFUSD Arts Department" because they say "acronyms are a symptom of white supremacy culture,"

        Apparently the actual problem is that immigrants have trouble figuring out acronyms, which seems reasonable, but they sure chose an inflammatory and silly way to describe it.

        • "SFUSD"

          Stoking Fear Uncertainty & Systemic Dread... seems a reasonably provocative acronym.

        • by eth1 ( 94901 )

          Quote from your link:

          The district's arts department has decided to change its name, "VAPA" (visual and performing arts) to "SFUSD Arts Department" because they say "acronyms are a symptom of white supremacy culture,"

          Apparently the actual problem is that immigrants have trouble figuring out acronyms, which seems reasonable, but they sure chose an inflammatory and silly way to describe it.

          Well... that's SAD, isn't it? :)

        • Apparently the actual problem is that immigrants have trouble figuring out acronyms, which seems reasonable, but they sure chose an inflammatory and silly way to describe it.

          People on the left justifiably get worked up when someone like Trump makes his point using needlessly inflammatory language to play to his hard-right-wing base - but it happens at the other end of the spectrum as well. I suspect it's as much an indicator of political ambition on the part of the speaker as it is anything else.

          • People on the left justifiably get worked up when someone like Trump makes his point using needlessly inflammatory language

            It's not really justifiable. Chill.

      • by cmdr_klarg ( 629569 ) on Thursday February 04, 2021 @04:19PM (#61028572)

        Excellent! Progress is made!

        - card carrying member of the NMAAA (No More Acronyms Association of America)

    • What does one have to do with the other? If you think maintenance workers are responsible for teaching your kids then you have bigger problems. If you want to talk about something completely off topic and irrelevant, why not post a story to Slashdot.

  • The bottom line is you can't safely have 30 children in an enclosed space with an infectious virus running rampant. I'm not a huge fan of unions but this is a perfect example of them protecting workers from an unsafe environment.

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      Actually the "Science" isn't on your side on that one. "In September, a study by Brown University found that many schools around the country had lower coronavirus transmission rates than their surrounding communities. Data from Florida schools that reopened in the fall found almost no spread between students and teachers." https://nypost.com/2021/01/11/... [nypost.com]
      • It would be great if that tabloid could link to the actual study.

      • at *how* the schools are doing it.

        They test constantly, do massive contact tracing, social distance to the point where they kids might as well be home (except then no baby sitters), shut down the class and quarantine everyone at the slightest whiff of COVID, constantly sanitize everything, and if they pass a certain threshold the whole school gets closed down. On top of all that some teachers just refused to come to class so they put the kids in the room with a resource officer while the teacher's on TV
        • by Thelasko ( 1196535 ) on Thursday February 04, 2021 @04:06PM (#61028524) Journal
          Anecdotally, I have a child that has been going to in person school the entire year. While they are taking precautions, I wouldn't call them extreme by any means.
          1. Wear masks
          2. No lunch. This is the most extreme change. School is from 9am to 1pm. Children are expected to eat lunch at school.
          3. More buses, with fewer children on each bus.
          4. Children do not line up in groups before entering school. They get to school, and go directly to the classroom.
          5. Dismissal is staggered by class so there aren't a large group of children in the hall. As a parent, I hardly notice. Although they may leave the classroom later, the pick up process is less chaotic, and therefore more efficient.
          6. Specials (PE, Art, Music) are virtual. The teacher may drop off materials, or occasionally teach a lesson in person, but the bulk of the work is done at home.

          That's it. There is no massive testing regimen. The school hasn't been shut down due to an outbreak, because there hasn't been one.
          • 2. No lunch. This is the most extreme change. School is from 9am to 1pm. Children are expected to eat lunch at school.

            Found a typo. Children are expected to eat lunch at home.

        • +1. I expect that in far too many schools the headline would be digested, and all of the rather expensive steps that are actually necessary would be poorly followed. I'd like to know what percentage of parents are actually going to send their kids in if given the choice? I suspect a vocal minority who are struggling with childcare and the anti-vaxxer tiger moms are the ones pushing hard to reopen.

          We are being given the option to send our kid back soon, and have declined. Our kid will stay on "Zoom schoo

      • Yep, I've seen that study cited plenty of times. It does look favorable but I'm not quite convinced. I don't want to say it's wrong, and I really hate feeling that I'm on the opposite side for once...being the moron that doesn't want to listen to the science. But several things do make me question the conclusions.

        First, I know how contact tracing is done, and it's not precise. Just because they were able to identify a source from which you might have acquired it does not mean that's where you got it. It can

      • Actually science is on their side. Not having lower spread does not mean it's a good idea to declare those populations should be in closer proximity unless that community is closed off completely. Then and only then do your rules not affect the wider world.

  • do they have an union like CTU as well to deal with?

  • Contact Us | City Hall - City and County of San Francisco
    https://sfgov.org/cityhall/con... [sfgov.org]
    City Hall Hours - Open by appointment only but closed to the public due to COVID-19.
    Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Closed Saturday, Sunday and Legal ...

  • that are autonomous from city and county governments. San Francisco City Hall and the San Francisco Unified School District, and its school board, operate independently of each other.

    Doesn't autonomy mean that the city does Not have any authority to demand from them that they reopen yet? If the board has so far decided that they aren't ready yet to reopen or put out the plan for reopening, then is it not within their power to do so... what possible grounds would a city have for such a suit?

  • by Koreantoast ( 527520 ) on Thursday February 04, 2021 @06:22PM (#61029050)
    Part of it too has been a feeling by the city of San Francisco, and Mayor London Breed specifically, that the school board is wasting time on other issues like debating whether to rename a high school because allegedly Abraham Lincoln "did not show through policy or rhetoric that Black lives ever mattered..." [usatoday.com] and is not even discussing reopening plans. From the NBC article:

    Board members on Tuesday rolled out a proposal to drop academic considerations for enrollment at their nationally acclaimed high school.

    And last week, the board voted to strip names from dozens of schools now bearing titles in honor of historical figures like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Junipero Serra and even current U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California.

    Or to quote [sfmayor.org] Mayor Breed last week:

    What I cannot understand is why the School Board is advancing a plan to have all these schools renamed by April, when there isn’t a plan to have our kids back in the classroom by then. Our students are suffering, and we should be talking about getting them in classrooms, getting them mental health support, and getting them the resources they need in this challenging time. Our families are frustrated about a lack of a plan, and they are especially frustrated with the fact that the discussion of these plans weren’t even on the agenda for last night’s School Board meeting.

    Mayor Breed has been shouting this point over and over for months now, not just last week.

He who has but four and spends five has no need for a wallet.

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