Board members leave legacy of ‘social justice’
By: Beth Winegarner
Examiner Staff Writer
January 8, 2009
SAN FRANCISCO — Eight years ago, two progressives won big in the race for San Francisco’s Board of Education, leading a wave of change and liberal politics that are likely to persist as they move on to greener pastures.
The newly elected Board of Education members were sworn in Wednesday, and Eric Mar, who served for eight years, will be sworn in today to the Board of Supervisors as the new supervisor of District 1, succeeding the termed-out Jake McGoldrick. Meanwhile, former trustee Mark Sanchez, who lost his bid for Tom Ammiano’s seat representing District 9, is already back at his job teaching science at Garfield Elementary Charter School in Redwood City. He plans to earn his administrator’s credential and seek a principal’s post in the coming years either in San Francisco or elsewhere.
Sanchez was one of the first Green Party members to be elected to the school board, and earned high praise and staunch criticism for authoring legislation that ousted the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in San Francisco high schools.
Mar, an attorney who works with immigrant-rights groups, has pushed for better education for English learners, along with dual-language immersion programs in Mandarin, Cantonese and Spanish.
Hugh Vasquez, executive director of the San Francisco Education Fund, called both men “courageous leaders who have kept their eye on the prize of social justice.”Fellow board member Norman Yee said that, while the duo was among the first to use the term within the district, “social justice” has since become its mantra.
When Mar and Sanchez were elected in 2000, polarizing Superintendent Arlene Ackerman was at the helm, and the seven-member board frequently split 4-3, based on who sided with Ackerman, Sanchez said.
Both men list the hiring of new, popular Superintendent Carlos Garcia in summer 2007 as one of their proudest accomplishments on the board. The 2004 passage of Proposition H, which ensures city funding for sports, libraries, arts and music, among others, and the 2008 passage of Proposition A, a $198 parcel tax for higher teacher wages, were also high points, Mar and Sanchez said.
Like Ammiano before him, Mar said he hopes to serve on the Board of Supervisors as a voice for schools.
Changing of the guard
Outgoing school board members:
Eric Mar
Age: 46
Occupation: Attorney
Elected in: 2000
Votes in 2000: 94,085
What's next: San Francisco Board of Supervisors, representing District 1
Mark Sanchez
Age: 53
Occupation: Teacher
Elected in: 2000
Votes in 2000: 92,925
What's next: Still teaching at Garfield Elementary Charter School in Redwood City; planning to get administrator's credential and move into school administration
New school board members, sworn in Wednesday:
Sandra Fewer
Age: 51
Occupation: Director of education policy and parent organizing at Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth
Rachel Norton
Age: 42
Occupation: Activist
The new board members join:
Jill Wynns, re-elected in November; Norman Yee, re-elected in November; Jane Kim, elected in 2006; Kim-Shree Maufas, elected in 2006; Hydra Mendoza, elected in 2006
