we're almost there. so thank you, president mendoza. my comments are really for the superintendent. superintendent, i think a few years ago when this discussion was really at its height in san francisco politics, you had made a promise to us that you would stay out of this conversation. so i don't know why i'm looking at a superintendent's proposal. i mean, i think -- no, you've told me. but i -- i -- i think any of the board members would have brought this forward. and if it didn't come forward then the action that the board had taken would have taken effect. so again, i think board members here are savvy enough to write an amendment to an extended resolution. we've done it before. we'll do it many more times in

the future. but if you promise to stay out of this political conversation, i would appreciate you honoring that. >> just a point of clarification, i was asked by a majority of the board to put this on. >> i'm asking just to honor -- guys, listen. i'm particularly pointing out that you had made a promise to us. >> to this date, i don't believe anybody really knows what i think on this particular issue. and i've been true to that promise. >> thank you. >> commissioner fewer? commissioner fewer: oh, so i would like to request a couple of things. one i would again like to request a report that i requested last year in june which i respectfully then requested again this year and apparently people are unwilling to bring forth the report so that's what i said in getting a

report here. and then secondly, i would like a full budget report because i am chair of the budget committee. so likede a full budget report including also the supervising teacher's time and also the training time. so let's get a full analysis of what really the whole program costs. and i think that would be very helpful. and then i would like to see another report on -- there's a third report and i hope this isn't impacting staff too much but i don't think this would be too difficult is how this impacts programs in our schools. so i know we had to consolidate six p.e. teachers. i think we found places for four of them. we had to give pink slips to i think three. so i just wanted to know how this impacts really our

credentialed teachers. thanks very much. >> all right other comments? commissioner? >> yeah, i have heard from jrotc instructors as well as p.e. instructors about the need for the district to really facilitate improvements to the way independent studies working. so i received a very strong report of steps that were taken by the district to facilitate that but i hear from p.e. instructors that this didn't work very well. i hear from the jrotc instructors that they were asked to leave meetings. so i really want the district to step up and facilitate a session where people are in the room and they're talking about how best to serve students in the independent study program. i think there's room for improvement and i think it's our responsibility to facilitate those improvements. comments?

>> thank you, president mendoza. i just want to make sure that the board is aware of over the last two years, we have facilitated meetings where i personally facilitied a meeting between the p.e. teachers, and the jrotc instructors where we spoke specifically about implementation. there are always going to be issues of implementation especially with policys that are open to interpretation. we pledge to continue to have that kind of a working relationship to do what's best for students. >> commissioner fewer? commissioner fewer: thank you deputy superintendent. i concur with commissioner maraza that there are still issues and problems. and if weapon want this to be a -- we want this to be a successful program and we want

to advise that the district must step up and take some leadership in this and the first step is applying us with a report on some of the things, the problems and analysis of some of the issues and how we can address those. and so -- and then i would suspect that the curriculum committee whoever would be the chair, you know, in the previous next years or two would call this to make sure to the committee to make sure that the recommendations are being implemented. >> thank you. other comments? >> so i actually, i have a few comments of my own. this is probably one of the most device i issues that comes across the board -- divisive issues that has come across the board of education demr the last 20 years and now. and it has created some real tensions among board members and among people in the

community that i think is unnecessary and unfortunate. on a personal level, i am extremely disappointed in the conversations and the commitments that were made by our instructors to many of us. there was a tremendous amount -- and i'm going to put it out there of political capital that was put on the lines for a program that i think many of us actually support. and i really do feel slided to a large degree. my former boss and the mayor have had any discussions and many arguments about it and many humbling conversations about this. and at the end of the day, for me, it's always been and for many of my colleagues about the

kids. i think what turns my vote around last time were the kids. i'll continue to support the students in san francisco unified school district because that's my job. but i am extremely disappointed in the adults that have negotiated on their baff for a program that quite frankly i feel they were hoping they were going to change at the state level and they didn't. i think that you have jeopardized this program. i think that you've created additional tensions that were really unnecessary and i think it's unforgenafment it's taken me a lot of thought about whether or not i'm going to support this resolution tonight. but now i want to talk to you students about holding your teachers accountable about pushing them to stick their

decision just as they ask you to stick to yours. to get behind them and say have you signed up for the classs that you said you would sign up for? because we want you to be better instructors as well. weapon want you to be high qualify instructors just as we ask any teacher that we have in the san francisco unified. so i'm asking you as students to hold your teachers accountable just as you have asked me to be accountable to you as our students. and i'm particularly supportive of the program because it really speaks to my own community, the filipino community. so i kneel we really need to think about all of the things my colleagues have talked about in terms of making sure that we're accountable and proving the program, not making independent study independent

on its own but really holding it accountable for what it's intended to do it does provide flexibility to students. and i think, you know, as we're starting to tighten up on our programs and our master calendars that the flexibility is really going to matter for students to be well-rounded and to be able to have the ability to take an approach to education that makes a lot more sense for them. i think it's going to be really important to have an update every six months on where our teachers and our instructors are on registration because i am not going to be asked a month before the two years are up to support this program again. you've made ea commitment. we will provide you more time potentially, but you have to make an effort because all of us are sweating up here and making an effort for you.

roll call, please. >> thank you. ms. fewer? commissioner fewer: no. >> ms. maufas? >> no. >> ms. norton? >> yes. >> ms. wynns? >> aye. >> mr. yee? >> aye. >> ms. mendoza? are >> yes. >> thank you everyone for joining us this evening. we do not want to see this back. so if you could -- we still have a board meeting going on and we still have quite a bit of the agenda to follow so if you could please exit quietly so that we can continue. ms. medina, so public comment

should have happened some time back. i'd like to go back to public comment or should we -- what do we need to do in order to because we're past the time for public comments to have happened. >> under your board rules you do have the ability to move items out of order. >> ok. ok. so we actually -- general manager are up now. item nine is the board members proposal and there's none tonight. i have quite a few speakers i'm going to invite to the podium. so eileen chen. monique -- i'm sorry. i already have her.

sandra sandoval. jose esetera. robert clothier, shadeck, maria flow rezz, -- flores, alejandra vieda. jacqueline reyes, theresa mcgwire and haste use. -- jesus. if you would please, to the -- come up to me -- the mic.

it looks like we're missing a few folks. ok, you have a minute. >> yes, thank you. i came here tonight to ask for consideration for a young student named richard. he is being placed in a school that is very, very far from his neighborhood. his mother had a choice, where the school is overcapacity. her second choice was to try to send the child to note -- oh, ok. the presidio school. so i came here to ask you guys for consideration. the guy has just lost his father. he also has a lot of health problems along with it, with

letters from the doctor, as proof. i just want you guys to consider the opportunity for this guy to be placed near. his mom is a single mom. she is not able to be in all these places at once, so please take it into consideration. president mendoza: ma'am, would you also like to speak? >> -- >> the child is really stressed out about the long trip he would have to make to school, and his mom really wants you to take that into consideration, if the board can consider placing the kid in the school in the sunset district, and if he cannot go to

school in the sunset district than the richmond district, and his health is really at stake right now as well as not just on his physical health, his mental health. president mendoza: i know you are high on the priority list. it is a matter of everything kind of shaking out, -- before her. did we have somebody else? darlene is already gone. many of us have your information, and we know who you are, so we will follow up with you on how far up on the list you are. because you have had your appeal approved, -- you are a high priority. we just cannot offer you anything right now. thank you. next speaker, please.

>> hello, my name is ivan garcia, and i and the student body president of o'connell high school, and i am here to address to the board members that, new members, we are here to ask you why one will not be attending the school next year. he has been a member of the school over six years. especially in working with parents, he contributes to the positive atmosphere with students, parents, and teachers. we are sad and angry to hear that this teacher, who has only been in the district for one year -- if she truly knew the work that he had done at the school, then she would knew that

the decision is the right or wrong. there is a partial list over the past six years. president mendoza: thank you. >> [speaking foreign language] >> good evening. my name is -- and i have a student at john o'connell. >> [speaking foreign language] >> i am here to ask you not to lose somebody who has been a support not just for the parents but --

>> [speaking foreign language] >> not only for the students but for the whole community. thank you. >> hi, my name is robert close your, and i am here to support josé. he is a parent liaison. i have worked with him for six years. i have seen josé work very hard formulating with parents and working hard at o'connell. he has come right into my classroom if there is a problem. he is going to take care of it right there. he brings answers. he is the organizer of the mother's day appreciation event. this is a tough school to work at, and he shows the heart and desire that he wants to stay, so i do not know why he was let go. he has been an integral part for

me at o'connell because he has been a translator and has always given me support with no questions asked. i have also seen him translate at school council meetings and other big event, so he is an integral part of the community. please take a look. president mendoza: 50. >> i work at o'connell. there were some nights -- some words tonight that were inspiring, like transparency. i am hoping they are not just a buzz words, because what is happening right now at o'connell requires transparency. we just lost our principal in a very shady kind of way. s and now we are losing a parent liaison in a very shady kind of way. the last day of school.

i will ask you to reconsider. i am not one to go through the list. you have it before you. but i would like to ask you guys to consider what it is to build the community, to build trust. and apparently is on, it takes time to grow the community. to wit him out is ripping up that trust, which we require and john o'connell for students and our community. thank you. >> [speaking foreign language] >> good evening. my name is maria vasquez.

i in your to show support for josé. because he has shown us support. he has helped the only the students but also the parents. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> hello, my name is -- and i am going to be a senior this year, and i am here to support. every time you need something, he is there for you, and he is always there to inform your parents of opportunities they may have and everything, and also, to take someone away like that is just unfair.

>> good evening, board of directors. my name is sandra, and i am from san francisco, born and raised in the mission district, and i m sorry if i speak with a lot of focus and passion in concern with this situation. i in 35 years old. i have known josé for many years, since i was 17 working in a nonprofit in the mission district. this man carries so much knowledge. he has been helping in the mission for so many years. there are adults like me that worked in the community and on the professional level but though a lot to this man. i hope that respect is given to him that a second chance can be given to him. we are losing a resource. whatever situation is going on with economics, i know sometimes people have to get laid off, things like that. we need longevity with staff in the community, especially in

the mission district, some of the bild report. josé does that. yes report with the community, the youths, the parents. my family fought to keep john o'connell in the community, and now we are here to support josé. thank you very much. >> hello, my name is teresa, and i work with an organization that does environmental justice, and i work with the youth program. josé was also my mentor when i was working as a youth organizer in the mission, and through the years, josé has developed numerous relationships with various organizations, bringing resources. i can attest to that because josé has helped me recoup and numerous amount of young people who have done tremendous work

here in san francisco for environmental justice, who have been awarded by the supervisors. they have received commendations. you guys are listening to us because we are sharing our hearts about jose. he needs to stay in our neighborhood to continue building the leadership of our young people -- i know it is a long day, and to continue building our education. please keep him at john o'connell. he is a great resource. >> good evening, my name is -- and i am here to support the community, and i want to bring you some history of josé. he is an immigrant, came from mexico, and he has lived the struggle of being an immigrant and being able to understand and to participate in the community, and because of that, he defends

and advocates for the people. all of the community that is here is here to support him, and that is proof that he is working in the community, and i do not know what is going on with the people in the authority to make changes. we have the commitment to give the community an explanation about what a person who is supposed to serve the community is being removed. we need that explanation. we need to know what is going on. when a position is filled, -- to make a connection with the district and the people. we have to support that and to honor that. thank you. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> i want to talk to you about the results that were accomplished. i have a daughter who went to john o'connell. she was attacked, and jose, with security, they were able to find who attacked her and were able to help her. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> the school is located in a very unsafe neighborhood. a person like josé is needed to keep the security, because not only does he work with the translation, but he has made us all integrated to the school. he has created programs that involve us and the parents.

>> [speaking foreign language] >> we have been told but there is no money to support the students, but they have found the money to support us. they have found resources, and when my daughter was hurt and was attacked, if it was not for him, she would not have gone to school. she has no graduated from santa barbara university because he was able to help her. >> [speaking foreign language]

>> it is not only that he has created these programs. he has been a liaison not only to the parents but to the students. he has created grateful students. this is not fair, and we are not going to take it. we are not going to take this. >> hi, my name is allejandra. i am here to support -- i look up to him, because he is always there, like, when we need him, in is just hard to see a person who really cares