Live Blog: Board of Education, Special Meeting 1/10/2023

#BoardWatch

Short version:  Tonight's vote for SF Board of Ed President was 4-3 in favor of Kevine Boggess but, per new rules passed in 2022, a supermajority (5 votes) is needed. There is only one vote per session, they can vote again at the next meeting.  Jenny Lam remains prez for now.

Lam Votes: Weissman-Ward, Motamedi, Lam

Boggess Votes: Sanchez, Alexander, Fisher, Boggess 

The rules changed in September 2022. Seems like Jenny Lam and supporters realized then they might not get all 3 Mayor-appointed candidates elected in November. Before that the rule was simple majority (4 votes to win).  

Going to livetweet the 1/10/2023 SF BOE meeting for the next hour or so. Let’s get ready to rumble. Commissioners are entering the room.

Jenny Lam: this will be a “workshop” meeting, the first of its kind, per a new policy to have half the meetings be of this kind. This means no report from the superintendent and no public comment(?)

Sounds like more administrative shenanigans aimed at limiting input and accountability.

They voted on expulsions of specific students. Kind of grim.

Item 1 vote to readopt board rules and procedures. Approved

Here we go! Election of new board president.

Jenny Lam went over the rules for the vote. Board members will nominate. If there is no decisive vote today the vote will be taken again at the next meeting.

Lisa Weissman-Ward nominates Jenny Lam for president and Kevine Boggess for VP and makes a short speech singing their praises. Argues for stability and "student outcomes"

Oh! Kevine Boggess nominates himself for president. I might the only one surprised.

Jenny Lam sings her own praises. Stability, Empower is a disaster, "as an Asian American woman I've been asked again and again to step back."

OK there is going to be public comment. Jenny Lam asks to count up the incoming comments in person and online. She says she will need to limit comment "so we can get to student outcomes" later in the meeting. It's really an all-purpose excuse!

Public comment will be limited to 20 minutes. With 15 in person "cards" and 3 online "hands".

Meredith Dodson speaking now. The sole source in Jill Tucker's article (this is most of Jill's articles). Why have public comment at all when we could just hear from her?

Next speaker "Jenny is the only public school mom on the board". This is Lisa Weissman-Ward erasure. And Alida Fisher erasure of course. Wonder if this is a subtle dig at her kids being adopted.

Another pro-Jenny speaker threatens to leave the district if she is not reelected. Common threatening vibe with the "I have some kids in private school" speakers

Brandee Marckmann speaks and raises the fact Jenny as president never calendared a discussion about Empower. Also mentions the bloated central office budget. "Time for a change"

Kevin Ortiz of Latinx Dems calls out the hypocrisy of calling for continuity when Jenny supported the recall of the previous board members.

Frank Lara "Empower is not just a program, it's a symptom of the culture at SFUSD". Asks for additional time because he represents hundreds of teachers. Some people in the audience try to interrupt him.

Allyson Bravmann cites Jenny's limiting public comment as a sign of "not good governance" and the importance of having a Black man as president of the board.

Caller: Jenny Lam listens to Mayor Breed and the white parents but doesn't listen to educators and doesn't care or she would have scheduled discussion on Empower at every meeting

Public comment is over.

Alida Fisher: appreciates improved tenure of meetings under Jenny. Says the customary rotation of President every year means that everyone gets a turn. "I'm sad that the recall meant that President Lam didn't get a full turn." Not really. Supports Boggess for prez.

Student delegate calls on Board to not repeat the spectacle of the House of Representatives and the SF Board of Supervisors with multiple votes.

Lainie Motamedi: lugubrious and bloodless speech raises fears of state oversight and supports continuity.

Vote happens. 

Everyone votes as expected and there is no supermajority. 

Vote fails. Lam quickly moves to continue item until next meeting and calls for recess.

Lam Votes: Weissman-Ward, Motamedi, Lam 

Boggess Votes: Sanchez, Alexander, Fisher, Boggess 

Today I Learned: Student delegate votes don't count (they both voted for Lam)