i 'd appreciate that. [reads names] then the bryant crew. one second. [reads names] i have one other school that is lakeshore. 1 seconds. -- one second. [reads names]

and from lake shore. [reads names] on public montessori. [reads names] ok. >> good evening, commissioners and superintendent. i am retired, i speak as an

individual, but i am tied greatly in san francisco. i wanted to make the observation that they are the day today substitute teachers, when there are fewer teachers, some of the laid-off teachers are substituting, it is more or less inadvertently pitting one group higher than ones that have been laid off. or do we hire people that have been loyal to the district? i have known one substitute teacher that rented an apartment and rent it out to of the rooms and was getting to the point where they did not know if they could pay for their own room for their contribution. it is very hard to determine

exactly what the impact is. that is one of the problems. you would have to compare the number of assignments over a number of years to the number of assignments that the substitute teachers could get after the layoff. we don't have statistics in which to tell you what the impact would be. we are also putting some people more or less into the unemployment category by not having them be scheduled to work. also, i have always said that professionals are very important to the classroom. when there are pressures for them to be able to perform well, you add more students and other requirements. he did not do so well last year, you have to do better.

it is illogical to expect people to perform better when you are taking away everything that allows them to perform well. with that, i will conclude because other people need the time. those are my main points. these are things that one must consider when one thinks about having successful education in this district. thank you. president mendoza: i would like to respectfully ask you to be short and succinct. we have an hour worth of public speaking, so if we can shorten that as much as possible, we would really appreciate it. >> i am the president of the united educators of san francisco. it was a pleasure to hear the superintendent, about the unfortunate necessity to send out notifications of potential layoffs to individuals.

it is wonderful to hear that it is working. they indicate that the rainy day funds will be coming to us. that is exactly in line with what we want to present to you today. we will be circulating among you with copies of petitions that we have gathered over the last week and a half. there were 3000 signatures on these, and those of you that led the band in copies don't get all of them. they kept coming in after we stop copying. there are things that we called for. look at that. i like that. you look at the things that we think you can start doing now. that kind of commitment you can make to the school community now that you have information about the rainy day fund coming to you. look at the last one on the list.

you now are getting the money, make the commitment that the layoffs will be rescinded. not just the teacher layoffs, but 194 people who make very little money that are right now in jeopardy of those layoffs. there are no cuts to schools sites. as the budget is being restored, keep in mind what happens. there are a few schools that have carefully stocked their cupboards over the years and still have some antiquated paper and pictures of dwight eisenhower and things like that for social studies. most of the schools are living day-to-day. restore the school's security aides. but we have been asking you that all year. restore instructional days as

soon as possible. we are lingering with furlough days. we would like to get rid of them for next year. people are transparent and open about showing the plan for the use of jobs money and other money that is coming in. you have over 3000 signatures not just from the teachers or the parents, but from the school community. they are there in spanish and chinese, these are parents and teachers, employees, professionals that care about what is going on. president mendoza: thank you. >> good evening, commissioners. i am also very happy to hear about the rainy day fund coming through. it is rare to say that things are so bad that we qualify for money, but that is where we are.

the reason i come here tonight is to talk about the lay off. i agree with superintendent garcia that we are going to have some arguments about the layoff lists. why is this person on it? who qualifies? it is important to state the obvious, which is what i am going to do. today is international women's day. [applause] most of the people being laid off are women. these are real people, these are real teachers may be losing their jobs. real professionals that it is even more likely they will be losing their jobs. and as we move forward, as we have those necessary arguments, we have to keep in mind that we are hard-working people that have to stay with their

students. what is kind of scary, this has become an annual ritual. what concerns me is that some teachers have come to expect to be on that list every year. when they are fortunate and they get called back, it does not feel real. i worry about the people that might not be planning for their futures because of course they will come back. it is not so clear this time. all of us always say that we have to think of the students. we have to put them first. we have to think about the educators as well. >> good evening, commissioners. the superintendent, staff. the first issue is something that i have raised that the budget committee. that is how you guys to information technology. i appreciate the fact that they

reach out to us about the information systems. it confirms my fears. you guys do things the expensive way that you will not have any money to do anything in the classroom. year budget is going to be $10 million over five years. that is a lot of money. you approved the acquisition of a number of laptops, and you got the expense of ones. and there is nothing clear about why it has to be that way. this is general fund money. i think that is completely backwards. the other reason i am here is because of the people at the montessori that i should have talked to you about before. there is the package i have given out before. and i asked you to read the package. the school district removed her from the job and there was no basis or reason to do so.

you guys employ over 90 people. and you have employed lots of them since 2006. take a look at the less i have given you. you have emergency teachers, it is something you do as a matter of routine. how come you have hired her for the starters and how come you left three other people in the same situation working? this is really about an attack on her and other teachers because of their activities in trying to support the montessori program. that is completely wrong. there are a number of parents here that did not get called that should speak in the same order. it is very important to take a look at the stack. [beeping] [applause] >> hi, agian.

ain. i'm from san francisco public montessori. i really want you to reinstate me back to the classroom so i can be with my children. thanks. [applause] >> i feel like i am going out of turn, but i was told i should come down because it is public montessori. parents, we are grateful for our school. we love our school. and there is amazing things happening in the class from there. when you think of a joyful lerner, my kids come home and they want to practice their cursive letters. they want to practice in math, how they think google maps is the best video game ever. we are growing, we are changing,

and those things are never easy. there are going to be issues that,, decisions that need to be made. we have a great parent community. lots of people that want to be involved, we have not quite figured out how yet. we want to support our teachers and our administrators. we want to thank you for being innovative and starting a new type of public school for san francisco. president mendoza: can you repeat your name for me? >> bernadette bonham. >> in order to be respectful of the board's time, as parents of san francisco public montessori, we have asked one parent to speak on behalf of this group of support of

parents throughout this auditorium. in a very short time, we have gathered the voices of parents that are grateful to the board for the gift of san francisco public montessori. i know you guys have heard a lot of grief about the school. we love this school, the teachers, the program. 13 letters that i offered to each one of you to tell stories of individuals who have benefited from the program and ask you to support us in maintaining the program as is with our wonderful teachers. thank you. [applause] president mendoza: thank you.

>> [speaking foreign language] as it is with our wonderful teachers including violeta wong. thank you. >> my name is -- [speaking spanish]

>> good evening, everybody. my name is marie. i have one boy at brian elementary in fourth grade. everything we do as parents, we do it for our children. >> [speaking spanish] >> i came to talk about in particular one of my worries, which in the past, you have not taken us in consideration. brian is going through a difficult situation and the

decisions that have been taking place have been done by a group of parents that do not represent the minority of us. >> [speaking spanish] >> and lately the administration, what they have created is a hostile climate. teachers, parents, also our students. this is not a healthy environment for them to go to. >> [speaking spanish]

>> so therefore right now, we suggest that immediately the administration should be removed. everybody within the administration should be removed. >> [speaking spanish] >> and we would like to request a process for teachers and staff and us parents so when the moment comes to make the decision of a new hiring for principal of schools, we are all

included. >> [speaking spanish] >> we need transparency in the allocation or the -- of the money so we can be -- in the implementation and development. we want a transparent plan for our school. >> [speaking spanish]

>> so last but not least, do not take our support. our teachers know our children. they know us, and we are committed as parents to support you to pull that school out and bring it into better situations. >> [speaking spanish] >> i'm sorry. i need to have you wrap up. >> we would appreciate a written confirmation within a week. thanks. [applause]

>> [speaking spanish] >> good evening. i come from bryant elementary. >> [speaking spanish] >> there has been a week that we requested a meeting with the board of education and we are still waiting. we have some documented that we wanted to discuss with you but i'm going to take this moment to talk to you about something. >> [speaking spanish]

>> we know that we are in a crisis. an economical crisis and that we need to improve the educational system but making cuts where they are not appropriate, it is hurting -- -- making cuts in inappropriate places is not going to help us go forward. >> [speaking spanish] >> we need qualified people who knows what is best and not about

numbers only. about people. we called our children clients, but they are not clients, they are learners. >> [speaking spanish] gracias. >> this is -- what we have now

is like a pyramid. everything stays at the top and it is hard to get there so we need to cut that top. we need to reach the part that we need to reach. we as parents -- finally parents are the ones that are sustaining the system. thank you. [applause] thank you. >> before the next speaker, i did not have cards for the last two speakers so i want to just make sure that the others have cards. the only ones that i have left from bryant are maria garcia, joshua herrera and laura. if there are any others that are not listed, i just need to get a card from you, please. so harvey, you're with bryant? ok. and then is there a michael rogers?

so no michael rogers? ok. thank you. >> speaking spanish] >> good evening, everybody. my name is maria garcia. i also come from bryant. i came to advocate for the leadership team. i found that she is doing a great job. she is never sitting. she is always doing something. she is always active. >> [speaking spanish]

>> after the second year that she has been there, i can see that the school has improved with their academic achievement and i find it unfair that she is being attacked. >> [speaking spanish] >> i'm part of the p.t.o. there is not many parents that will commit to be leaders. so people like me have to be in every one of these committees representing the parents.

and that's all i wanted to say. thank you very much. >> thank you, maria. >> [speaking spanish] >> good evening, everybody. i also come from bryant elementary. >> [speaking spanish] >> the reason why i'm here is also to support our principal. i know that we all have different opinions. >> [speaking spanish]

>> for us, it is the first year that we have been in that school and for us, the support has been immense. we have received a lot of support from her. >> [speaking spanish] >> my son in particular has a problem with his teeth and the principal committed to find a doctor that put him actually in the treatment, orthodontic treatment as we speak. >> [speaking spanish]

>> so for many that might not be a problem, but my son was having a hard time. they were laughing at him. the teacher was another person that helped us with this problem. thank you very much. i don't want to take more of your time. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> good evening. my name is harvey cunningham. i'm a parent of a studented a bryant almostry. i just want to tell you -- elementary. i want to tell you i'm very impressed with bryant elementary and the help that i've received from them. i don't know what is going on between the other parents and the principal, but i'm here to