Reasons to Reject the San Francisco School Board Recall
PREFACE: San Franciscan taxpayers are spending millions of dollars on a recall election for three members of the Board of Education. (Polls close February 15, 2022)
Here are my views:
While I neither voted nor supported the three individuals up for recall, and while I strongly disagree with many of their positions — such as spending a million to paint over a WPA socially-critical historical fresco by an Ashkenazic immigrant — they do not deserve recall, and this is a misguided effort.
Reasons to vote against the recall:
• Commissioners have not done anything that was in violation of the law.
• Efforts could have been better channeled towards recruiting candidates in line with those supporting the recall.
• Recall is funded by the likes of David Sachs:
“In college, Sacks was the co-author — with Peter Thiel — of the 1995 book The Diversity Myth: ‘Multiculturalism’ and the Politics of Intolerance at Stanford, published by the Independent Institute. The book is critical of political correctness in higher education and argues that more intellectual diversity is needed on college campuses. In 2016, Sacks apologized for parts of the book where he called date rape “belated regret”. — Wikipedia
• There is every likelihood that London Breed will appoint one or more charter school supporters. Unless you too support charter schools, this alone is a reason not to vote for the recall.
• We need real political reform and new ideas. Allowing a conservative mayor to make these appointments is a recipe for more of the same. Ironically, Moliga was appointed by Breed and then elected.
• Supervisors often are elected supervisors. If you love London Breed and Sean Elsbernd’s policies, and the way this city has been “governed” since Willie Brown, you will want to vote for this recall. Candidates appointed in an anti-democratic fashion will likely become candidates for other offices in the future.
- The entire process has been a waste of time and energy that could have been better channeled in, say, working to reduce the extensive corruption patronage, “nonprofit” influence (e.g. the interests of wealthy people). Hopefully, Collins will be able to run again because her views deserve discussion, challenge and explanation. The very fact that this woman was widely endorsed — given the subsequent her fatuous lawsuit, the disclosure building code violations, the job as tower developer with hubby’s firm — is an excellent example of a process that requires radical reform.
• This also sets a bad precedent. Elected officials should not be recalled simply because you disagree with their votes. And we do not want to give a conservative mayor’s office (and the office has always been elitist) control over our Board of Education. We already see the results of too much control!
Reject the recall of these three!
