November 2022 #ParentEndorsed Voter Guide
November 2022 Candidate Endorsements
SF School Board: Lainie Motamedi and Lisa Weissman-Ward
In November 2022, SF voters chose three commissioners for the BOE. After a thorough review process led by families, for families, SF Parent Action endorsed LAINIE MOTAMEDI and LISA WEISSMAN-WARD for the Board of Education. We announced our endorsements on Facebook in early August 2022; that recording is now available here. Motamedi and Weissman-Ward were the top two vote getters in the School Board November 2022 election. Our SF Parent Action endorsement was one of the strongest endorsements that helped them WIN!
Since their appointment by Mayor Breed in March, Lainie and Lisa have ushered in a culture of transparency, collaboration, and a commitment to understanding and prioritizing students’ needs. Lainie and Lisa both demonstrate a clear alignment with SF Parents priorities and values. Through our parent-led process, they offered concrete examples and policy proposals during the candidate questionnaire and interviews demonstrating that they are aligned with the traits parents are looking for in school board members. Both candidates have focused their attention on student outcomes guiding board decision making, a commitment to addressing the budget deficit and maintaining a balanced budget, ensuring payroll issues are resolved fully and as quickly as possible, and voting to create a high school task force to ensure our portfolio of schools includes excellent options for every student. Find more about their platforms and priorities here: Lainie and Lisa.
We believe Lainie and Lisa understand the concerns of families in San Francisco and are open and willing to listen to their constituents. They have a commitment to transparency and working harmoniously with the new superintendent, their colleagues on the board, and most importantly, San Francisco students and families.
Many families in our network were also supportive of Ann Hsu’s candidacy, though organizationally we did not reach consensus on an endorsement of the candidate.
2022 Proposition Endorsements
November 8, 2022 Election: What's on the ballot this year that is good for kids?!
Vote YES on Prop F -- Library Preservation Fund
The fund was originally passed back in 1994 and it has allowed the San Francisco Public Library to become the world-class, award winning system that it is today. The Library is an essential resource for students, families and residents alike. This ballot measure will renew the fund for another 25 years and continue expanding services while meeting the needs of our community.
SF Parent Action recommends a Yes on Prop F.
Vote YES on Prop G -- Student Success Fund
The Student Success Fund will provide up to $60 million a year in grants to support students in academic achievement and social/emotional wellness. These grants can fund tutors, literacy coaches, nurses, social workers and important nonprofit partnerships. Accountability of funds will be managed by SF Department of Children Youth and Families. Prop G will provide long-term, stable funding that can be tailor made to meet the needs of our public school students. The funding source is ERAF, excess tax revenue that is meant to be set aside for education, though historically has been kept by the city rather than devoted to our schools as it should be.
SF Parents joins the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, the Board of Education and UESF in unanimously and enthusiastically recommending a Yes on Prop G.
Vote YES on Prop J -- NO on Prop I
Car-free JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park is one of few good things to come out of COVID for San Francisco's children and families. Pre-pandemic, the street was on San Francisco's high injury network where it is most dangerous for pedestrians. Since then, it has become a fun and welcoming space for families to enjoy safely. Despite being voted on by the Mayor and a majority of the Board of Supervisors, critics launched a ballot measure (Prop I) to forcibly reopen this space as well as the Great Highway extension to vehicles, despite opposition from city departments.
Since there are two competing measures in the ballot, SF Parents recommends Yes on J and No on I to keep car-free JFK Drive welcoming for children and families.
June 2022 Endorsements
June 7, 2022 Election
Vote NO on Proposition C.
This year San Francisco voters overwhelmingly recalled three members of the Board of Education because they failed to do their jobs and prioritized their personal agenda ahead of public schoolchildren. This historic grassroots victory for San Francisco parents sent a message to every politician that we will hold them accountable.
But with Proposition C, it would be even harder for voters to ever recall failed politicians again. If Proposition C were already law, the three failed Board of Education members would still be in office today, damaging our public schools and students. Please join our diverse coalition of parents, advocates and San Francisco community leaders and VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION C.
Vote NO on Proposition E.
Proposition E is a city ordinance that prevents elected officials from soliciting donations for charities, philanthropic organizations and community based nonprofits. While Prop E is well-intentioned, it is a complicated one-size-fits-all measure that will make it harder to raise money for local nonprofits that serve residents in need.
SFUSD relies on a number of local organizations to provide critical services to children and families such as after-school care, summer camps, and enrollment fairs. Such organizations also help build playgrounds, protect green space, and support public arts and LGBTQ programs that families rely upon.
During the pandemic, nonprofits helped to staff and establish Community Hubs that provided in-person support for distance learning, healthy meals, and out of school time activities for 2,000 students- 96% of whom were students of color. If Prop E was in place, these Hubs would have struggled to get off the ground.
As our public schools recover from the pandemic, nonprofit support is essential. Prop E should be more narrowly tailored as a city ordinance so it can target corrupt practices without harming unrelated charitable organizations.
Vote No on E.
February 2022 Endorsements
Vote YES on Propositions A and B: Recall Alison Collins and Gabriela Lopez
Our organization’s leadership has concluded that Commissioners Allison Collins and Gabriela Lopez should no longer serve on the Board of Education. Their decisions and actions reached a crescendo in Collins's attempt to strip SFUSD and students of millions of dollars via her $87 million lawsuit against the school district, an action which President Lopez supported. This lawsuit was tossed out of court by a federal judge who determined that the suit was meritless. Furthermore, as President and former Vice President of the School Board they led our district into a financial crisis, potentially resulting in state takeover and further harm to our students. As an organization advocating for a thriving, equitable school system we feel the urgency to act now; that this cannot wait until a future election.
