SF school board race fractures political alliances

San Francisco’s most influential political groups have fractured over who should fill three school board seats in next month’s election, breaking apart a coalition that largely lined up behind the same candidates two years ago. GrowSF and the San Francisco Democratic Party are backing board President Phil Kim, former PTA president Autumn Brown Garibay and municipal finance analyst Tim Tung. SF Parents Action, meanwhile, is backing Kim, Brown Garibay and incumbent Alida Fisher. The teachers union has endorsed an entirely different slate. The third seat is open because Commissioner Lisa Weissman-Ward, a Breed appointee who won a full term in 2022, isn’t running. The divisions mark a sharp turn from 2024, when the teachers union, along with moderate groups, such as GrowSF, the Democratic Party and SF Parents Action, all backed Parag Gupta and Jaime Huling, who went on to win seats on the board. Now, the groups are splintering as the district faces major decisions over its enrollment system, school portfolio, and instructional practices. Behind the split are two political fault lines: the union’s falling-out with Fisher and a divide among the city’s moderate political groups over Tung. Fisher’s shifting political fortunes illustrate how dramatically the alliances around the school board have changed since the bitter 2022 recall. Fisher, a special education advocate , won her seat in 2022 with the union’s endorsement, in the first regular election after voters recalled three board members. Fisher, who had opposed the recall, beat Breed appointee Ann Hsu by about 3,600 votes. Over the following years, however, Fisher’s political alliances shifted. She developed a close working relationship with Kim, whom Mayor London Breed appointed to the board in August 2024, and became a steady supporter of Su. At the same time, her relationship with the teachers union deteriorated. The split widened during February’s teachers strike . Commissioner Matt Alexander, the board’s most consistent union ally since the 2022 recall, walked the picket lines with teachers. Fisher did not. When United Educators of San Francisco dropped her, it cited her response to the strike and her close alignment with Su, whom the union has organized against . “When thousands of educators and their communities are out on the picket line taking a risk, putting their livelihood on the line, fighting for better schools, that’s when we really expect people that are our friends to show up for us,” Alex Shmaus, who runs UESF’s political program, told The Standard. In June, Fisher endorsed Kim in his special election to complete the term to which Breed had appointed him. The union backed his opponent, Virginia Cheung, who lost and is running again on the union’s slate with Reina Tello and Ryan Hazelton. Cheung finished sixth of 11 candidates for four seats in 2024 and picketed with teachers during the strike. Tello, an SFUSD graduate and organizer with the Latino group PODER, has two children in district schools. Hazelton runs Mariposa Kids, an after-school nonprofit, which he kept open at no cost during the strike. “Alida isn’t clearly aligned with either one,” Shmaus said of the labor and moderate camps. “If you try to be everything to everybody, you end up being nothing to nobody.” As Fisher lost the union’s support, however, she gained the backing of a group that had once been firmly opposed to her: SF Parents Action, which opposed her in the 2022 election and during the bitter fights over school closures during the pandemic. “Fisher made the slate despite how far apart we were during the COVID years,” the group wrote in a recent email to members. “Her record over this term changed minds.” The group cited Fisher’s support for literacy and math reforms and her steady backing of Su whose leadership SF Parents Action has supported. But SF Parents has been her only major endorsement. If Fisher’s candidacy has exposed the divide between labor and parent groups, Tung’s has opened another fault line — this one among the city’s moderate political organizations. Tung entered the race in late July, after SF Parents Action had completed its endorsement process, but quickly won the backing of GrowSF and the Democratic Party. His sister, Nancy Tung, chairs the San Francisco Democratic Party and has advocated for his election. Tung is pitching his finance background. He spent 12 years at S&P Global Ratings as lead analyst for California local governments, and he chairs the district’s bond oversight committee. In an August email, former SF Parents Action executive director Meredith Dodson wrote to her group that Tung’s entry into the race put Brown Garibay, the group’s top pick, “at greatest risk.” Brown Garibay, a first-time candidate, has spent six years serving on parent-teacher associations at Flynn Elementary and James Lick Middle School. Dodson suggested that other moderate groups were pressing SF Parents Action to add Tung to its slate, despite concerns that doing so could draw support away from Brown Garibay. Nancy Tung did not dispute that account. “Even if he were not my brother, I would be so excited to have a candidate like this in the race,” she said. “He’s incredible.” GrowSF has committed to spending six figures on Kim, Brown Garibay and Tung, an investment the group says would be the largest ever by an outside group in a San Francisco school board race. The spending gap sets up another test for the teachers union: whether it can translate the organizing strength it demonstrated during February’s strike into electoral influence. The union does not expect to match GrowSF’s spending and instead plans to rely heavily on grassroots organizing. “We’re not going to be able to keep up with the billionaire PACs,” Shmaus said. “But other traditional grassroots organizing tactics, like real people talking to real people face to face, can still win.”

Lurie’s allies ditched Manny Yekutiel. Now they’re polling his comeback odds

There’s some striking polling circulating about the District 8 race and Manny Yekutiel , who dropped out Thursday after The Standard published additional allegations of sexual assault against him, leaving Gary McCoy as the presumed front-runner. “If Manny Yekutiel were to resume his campaign, where would you rank him on your ballot, if at all?” was one of the poll’s questions. Another: “Mayor Lurie, as well as several members of the Board of Supervisors and other elected officials, withdrew their endorsements of Manny Yekutiel after the latest allegations against him. Knowing this, where would you rank Manny Yekutiel on your ballot, if at all?” Who’s behind it? Power Play can confirm the poll is the work of GrowSF, a well-resourced moderate group allied with Mayor Daniel Lurie . GrowSF’s spokesperson, Max Szabo , who also serves as the mayor’s political consultant, confirmed the poll’s provenance. “We’re not backing any candidate in District 8, but we want to understand where voters are at after such a substantial shake-up,” said GrowSF Director Steven Bacio in a statement. “Gary McCoy was trailing by over 30 points, he doesn’t get to crown himself supervisor — the voters get to decide whose vision should represent the district.” (In addition to Lurie and others, GrowSF pulled its endorsement of Yekutiel.) The poll raises major questions: Would Yekutiel consider reentering the contest? Could he win despite the allegations, given that he’s still on the ballot? Is anyone still supporting him? And what does it mean for McCoy, who, until recently, appeared to be trailing Yekutiel? Yekutiel, who has denied the assault allegations, did not respond to a request for comment, and his spokesperson said the campaign’s status remains firmly suspended. Catie Stewart , McCoy’s campaign spokesperson, stopped short of ringing the “ shame ” bell for GrowSF, but just barely. “If GrowSF wants to light money on fire in support of someone who’s been credibly accused of sexual assault by three people, that’s their right,” she said. “But voters at the doors and in the neighborhood — including every single former Manny voter we speak to — are no longer voting for him. Our campaign, and the voters of District 8, have been crystal clear that we believe and stand with survivors.” An earlier poll hints at why GrowSF is testing the waters: When the group called and texted District 8 residents Aug. 8-13, Yekutiel was leading with a blockbuster 47%. McCoy polled at 15%, patent attorney Michael Nguyen at 12%, and former DoorDash staffer Darshini Patel at 2%. Notably, that poll was conducted about six weeks after the first assault allegation against Yekutiel, brought by Brad Joseph Chapin , and was upfront about the claim. So will GrowSF’s newest poll show support for Yekutiel staying strong? If it does, there’s a fair chance that generational attitudes in the gay community may be behind that support. In an editorial for progressive outlet 48 Hills , editor Marke B. wrote that “yes, groping can be sexual assault — even for gay men.” But the reason he wrote it in the first place was the outpouring of sentiment he heard at the Folsom and Castro Street Fairs dismissing the sexual assault claims as a “generational thing.” So if young gay men tend to view groping as assault, and older gay men are less inclined to, Power Play would posit: Who are the most likely voters in nonpresidential elections? The answer: older voters. Meaning that, crazy as it sounds, Yekutiel may still have a shot. — Gabriel Greschler and Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez ELECTION SPEND : In just the last two weeks, the PAC bankrolled by billionaire Chris Larsen has spent more than $100,000 in the District 10 race supporting Theo Ellington . About two-thirds was for Facebook ads — mainly videos featuring community members praising Ellington, including Cedric Akbar , a Democratic Party member, and Tyra Fennell , a community advocate and former London Breed staffer. The Ellington-aligned PAC has 14 active Facebook ads, all purchased in the last week. It also ran a few print ads in newspapers. The PAC received a $500,000 donation from Larsen in early September and an additional $40,000 from him last week. Larsen has put millions of dollars this election year toward Lurie’s political causes. Ellington is endorsed by Lurie and is an ally to the mayor’s vision for San Francisco. — Omar Rashad CAT GOT BECERRA’S TONGUE: Democrat Xavier Becerra , the front-runner for governor, took questions from reporters during a campaign event this week in San Francisco. It was a rare moment for the former Health and Human Services secretary, who has taken flak from Republican opponent Steve Hilton for avoiding the press. (Hilton recently accused him of going into “hiding” after the June primary.) But even when Becerra makes time to speak with journalists, his answers aren’t revealing much about his campaign strategy or how he’s preparing to govern. Highlights from his SF stop: Does he support Gov. Gavin Newsom calling a legislative special session over AI’s safety risks? “l’ll be ready on Day One, regardless of what things look like, regardless of what gets done between now … and Jan. 4, 2027. We’re going to have to tackle this. I’m not sure how much would or would not be done during a special session, but if the governor and the legislators are ready to go, let’s tackle this.” Has he spoken to Newsom about a possible special session? “It’s been a little while since I spoke to him about this.” What’s his reaction to Hilton’s spicy new ad (which is laden with sexual innuendo and drew criticism from all sides)? “Do you need me to respond to any of that?” — Dustin Gardiner FRIENDS LIKE THESE: Well, a press conference to support embattled SF Democratic Party Chair Nancy Tung seems to have been a bust. The presser, scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday at Hong Kong Lounge on Geary Boulevard, was ostensibly meant to show support for Tung after Supervisor Connie Chan and others called for her to resign . The outcry follows controversy over the party’s Flock Safety resolution vote and the public apology Tung gave for endorsing Yekutiel despite Chapin’s sexual assault claim. At 11 a.m., a rumor started to swirl that the press conference was canceled. But no one connected to it confirmed the cancellation — all feigned ignorance. Ultimately, the only people who showed up for Tung at Hong Kong Lounge were protesters — seven of them, including City Hall legislative aide Natalie Gee (with her adorable baby in tow) and Democratic Party Regional Chair Hene Kelly, a progressive union activist who has worked with the party for nearly five decades . “I have worked with Nancy Tung for a long time trying to get her to help Democrats here,” Kelly said, “but she doesn’t care about the people in San Francisco; she cares about herself. She cares about people with money.” So were the Dems scared off by a handful of prog rabble-rousers? Tung said she didn’t know about the presser, and no one else Power Play reached would talk. Only the restaurant itself confirmed that the party of 20 for 1 p.m. had canceled. One thing is certain: If and when Tung runs for district attorney again — which has long been rumored as her motivation for chairing the party — the controversies of recent months will resurface. — J.F.R. PELOSI’S PLEA TO DEMS: Nancy Pelosi is imploring Democrats in San Francisco and across the country to protest peacefully in the lead-up to the Nov. 3 election. The former House speaker said she doesn’t want her party to give President Donald Trump any excuse to abuse the powers of his office. “Contain what you’re doing peacefully, because if he has the slightest [hint] of an uproar, he’ll try to [declare] an insurrection,” Pelosi told Power Play. “So let’s be who we are, speak out about what we want. But do it in a way that does not invite his chaos, cruelty, insanity — whatever you call that.” — D.G.

How SF’s most powerful mom became a political force

Thanks, Daniel Lurie. Now every SF official thinks they’re an influencer

Few San Franciscans are as Insta-famous as Mayor Daniel Lurie . Now all the other politicos want in — no matter how obscure their office. Cue Joaqu í n Torres, the city’s assessor-recorder. “I’m the role you never heard about,” he tells the camera as he walks Clement Street in an Instagram post from last week after he filed his reelection paperwork. A jazzy drum number plays as he explains that his office handles assessments of taxable property. The campaign video has been making the rounds among City Hall’s chattering class for its slick production values, nearly 500 likes, and resemblance to Lurie’s walk-and-talk videos. Former Aaron Peskin campaign finance director Jack Shelley called the video a “banger” in the comments, and even local impresario Broke-Ass Stuart commented that it was “great.” That got Power Play pondering: Which SF politico has best replicated the mayor’s Insta style? One way to measure that is raw influence. Lurie has 259,000 souls following his Instagram. No member of the Board of Supervisors comes remotely close; most have fewer than 10,000 followers — though Supervisor Jackie Fielder , with 32,000, stands out. That hasn’t stopped them from trying. Supervisor Stephen Sherrill — representing the Marina, Cow Hollow, and Pacific Heights, among other neighborhoods — posted this Lurie-style update on a marathon late-July board meeting that covered everything from issuing liquor licenses to appointing new members to the Planning Commission. We give it a B+ — clean delivery, relatable governmental griping, but scattershot, topic-wise. Supervisor Bilal Mahmood ’s Aug. 4 post explaining the whys and wherefores of the Waymo Fourth of July traffic car-mageddon is a classic Lurie walk-and-talk, but Mahmood is playing a losing game by explaining how government actually works. In the comments, citizens saw the post as trying to deflect criticism of Waymo. That’s a solid C, supervisor, because you forgot something important. Lurie floods the zone with positivity, the social media equivalent of plugging your ears while saying “Nah, nah, nah!” Supervisor Danny Sauter has a handle on how Lurie addresses things that piss people off (which does happen, occasionally). Take Sauter’s Aug. 5 video on illegal dumping — he leads with, “We’re taking action,” trying to communicate to voters that the problem is being addressed, even though the jury may be out on the results. Natalie Gee, a District 10 legislative aide and onetime supervisor candidate, has found success spilling the SF political tea, like in her July post about the fight over naming rights to the “Friends of Sunset Boulevard” ( first reported in The Standard). The comments, from “BAM!” to “don’t be a shitty neighbor,” show that her hot takes spark engagement. We’ll note that her videos pre-date Lurie’s Insta-stardom by about a year. Sometimes the best way to win the game is to avoid playing entirely. To wit, Supervisor Myrna Melgar ’s post Sunday about her vacation to Central America’s Gulf of Fonseca. (The board is on August recess.) Melgar reports back about the “pristine” nature and charmingly counts the iguanas she can see from her room, which is surrounded by palm trees and an easy breeze you can hear over the microphone. “Check this out, this is the wall next to our hotel room,” she says. “That is one iguana. That is two iguanas. Three iguanas. Four iguanas. Five iguanas. Six iguanas. Just resting on the wall.” — Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez Chime in, Power Players: What’s your favorite SF politico or government account? Who just absolutely misses? Write us: powerplay@sfstandard.com . THE GARRY GANG : Gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra is hoping to tap the deep pockets of the Silicon Valley world. Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan is hosting a fireside chat fundraiser for the Democrat on Thursday, according to an invite obtained by Power Play, with general admission at $50, seated entry at $250, and a private reception at $10,000. The event is being thrown by Garry’s List, the techie’s policy nonprofit that launched this year. “Garry Tan and Garry‘s List are very excited to have the future governor appear before its members,” spokesperson Sam Singer said in a statement. “Garry believes Becerra is going to be a great governor and keep our state in a leadership position as the center of our nation’s innovation economy.” Becerra’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment. — Gabriel Lorenzo Greschler BOARD DRAMA : Mahmood is at it again, shaking up the usually tranquil Board of Supervisors (with the nerve to do it on recess!), claiming that a historic preservation bill from Lurie and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman is NIMBY in disguise and offering amendments. The legislation would streamline the historic designation process for certain buildings, raising the number of such sites from 2,500 to 5,000. Mahmood, who has recently been ruffling feathers with Lurie , is pushing to study how much housing can be built on sites deemed historic and whether zoning tweaks could offset any loss of housing capacity resulting from the designations. It’s not sitting well with Mandelman. “It’s a pretty hostile amendment, and it does weirdly borrow from the worst version of NIMBYism, which is to drown something you don’t like in process,” he told Power Play, referring to what he perceives as Mahmood adding steps to everything. Lurie feels the city can do two things at once. “We can build more housing that fits in our neighborhoods, and we can protect the gems that define what our city is,” he said in a statement. “San Francisco doesn’t have to choose between growth and preservation.” Why the tumult? As Power Play has covered, this is the latest public display of disagreement between Mahmood and moderate City Hall forces as the supervisor tries to carve out a lane: hard-line YIMBY while socially progressive. His diagnosis of the conflict is that the board got along just fine in year one of Lurie’s term as public safety, which many of the members align on, was the topic du jour. But affordability is now the problem, and Mahmood thinks it has scrambled the alliances. “A majority has a consistent voice on public safety, but a majority of the board and the mayor have a very fragmented view on affordability and housing. That lack of cohesion — that is the truest test of collaboration,” he told Power Play. — G.G. COMMENTATOR TO CANDIDATE: Speaking of Instagram, progressive influencer Bunny McFadden has won the hearts and minds of San Franciscans through our phone screens . She has gathered 36,000 followers with her scathing political commentary, perhaps because she’s one of the most prominent online voices lampooning “Denim Dan,” her oft-used nickname for the mayor. Now she’s hoping those likes translate to votes. McFadden filed paperwork Wednesday to run for the City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees, along with a progressive slate of candidates: former SF Democratic Party board member Leah LaCroix and Rose Pak Asian American Club President Jeremy Lee . Her priority, McFadden said, is “protecting our students and holding true to Free City,” the resident subsidy for City College — especially at a pivotal time for the college as enrollment continues to slip, imperiling its financial standing. And worth mentioning, her socials aren’t her only bona fides; she’s also got a doctorate in education and previously taught at the community college level. At the Department of Elections in City Hall’s basement, Evangela Brewster , a member of the Associated Students Executive Council, greeted McFadden warmly — even though they had never met. “You don’t know me,” the student said as she hugged McFadden, smiling wide, “but I know you from your content. Congratulations!” — J. F. R.

California Democratic Party endorses wealth tax after contested floor fight

It took two tries and heated debate, but California Democrats are officially behind the billionaire tax. The state Democratic Party voted Sunday to formally endorse Proposition 40, the ballot measure that would levy a one-time 5% tax on the state’s roughly 200 billionaires. The endorsement, which passed by a narrow margin during the final day of the party’s general session in San Diego, capped a weeks of infighting that split labor unions and put the party at odds with Gov. Gavin Newsom. A first vote fell just short of the 60% threshold needed for ratification, drawing 59.2% support, according to Jane Natoli, a member of the party’s resolutions committee, which recommended endorsement. A follow-up vote on a “no position” alternative also failed to clear its lower 50%-plus-one threshold. The body then reconsidered the original motion to endorse, which passed on the second attempt — 145 votes in favor to 90 against, roughly 61.7% support. “Every endorsement we make is earned, not given,” California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks said in a statement announcing the party’s full slate of endorsements for the November ballot, which also included support for Ben Allen for insurance commissioner. “California Democrats take a deliberative approach to our endorsement process that puts our values first and ensures our members have a meaningful voice in shaping the future of our state.” The Prop. 40 endorsement vote followed tense wrangling Saturday night , when the party’s resolutions committee first recommended supporting the measure. Critics on the committee, while sympathetic to the goal of taxing billionaires, raised concerns about the lack of alternatives and argued the campaign — led by SEIU United Healthcare Workers West — had not done enough to build a broader coalition before qualifying the measure for the fall ballot. Natoli’s account of Sunday’s floor debate echoed similar themes: supporters cited the urgency of looming state budget cuts, while opponents pointed to the campaign being driven largely by a single organization as evidence the issue isn’t “clean cut” within the party’s own coalition. Prop. 40 would direct the bulk of its revenue, an estimated $100 billion, toward offsetting federal healthcare cuts tied to the Trump administration’s tax-and-spending law. The measure is backed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Ro Khanna, Teamsters California, AFSCME California and the California Young Democrats, which ratified its own endorsement July 11. The measure faces opposition from both major candidates for governor, the California Teachers Association, and business-backed groups such as Building a Better California, a PAC that has raised more than $118 million, largely from billionaire donors including Google co-founder Sergey Brin. The endorsement of Xavier Becerra in the governor’s race puts Democrats in the position of backing a candidate who disagrees with the party on its marquee ballot measures. Becerra reaffirmed Friday that he opposes Prop. 40. Instead, he said he favors Proposition 3, which would permanently extend an income tax surcharge on high earners to fund education, reflecting how Prop. 40’s critics aren’t necessarily opposed to taxing the wealthy in other ways. The Service Employees International Union’s California executive board voted to remain neutral on the measure earlier last week. The State Building and Construction Trades Council of California has also opposed it. The group’s president, Chris Hannan, argued at Saturday’s committee hearing that Democrats would be better served focusing on retaking the U.S. House in November. The California Federation of Labor Unions, representing roughly 1,300 affiliated unions, is set to vote on the measure Tuesday. Prop. 40 backers touted the party’s official endorsement as a chance to put those divisions aside. In announcing the vote Sunday, SEIU-UHW President David Regan cited polling that showed more than 80% of registered Democrats backing the measure, along with 70% of union members and 63% of teachers. The campaign also noted that Democratic backing carries practical weight: voter materials published by the party leading up to the November election will mention the endorsement. “We are proud to stand alongside California Democrats in fighting for passage of the billionaire tax,” SEIU-UHW Chief of Staff Suzanne Jimenez said in a press release Sunday. “We will work together to put patients first. We will ask those who have gained the most from our economy to help preserve the healthcare access, including to emergency services, that every Californian needs and deserves.” The No on 40 campaign pushed back on that framing of unity. “Gov. Newsom, Democratic Candidate for Governor Xavier Becerra, the California Teachers Association, California Professional Firefighters, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, and so many others are standing together against Prop. 40 because it’s bad for our budget, bad for our economy, and bad for our future,” No on 40 spokesperson Evan Westrup said. “We need smart, durable solutions to our biggest challenges not unreliable, untested schemes that shortchange healthcare, education, and public safety.” Backers of Prop. 40 have tied the measure directly to the toll of federal healthcare cuts, which they say has already eliminated coverage for millions of Californians as it drives up premiums for millions more. Upward of 400 hospitals in California have laid off at least 3,400 healthcare workers so far, according to the campaign. A second wave of layoffs expected as additional cuts take effect, a toll that could reach 145,000 lost healthcare jobs across hospitals, clinics, and home care providers. Without new revenue, the campaign estimates as many as 83 California hospitals and clinics could close. Supporters say the roughly $100 billion Prop. 40 could generate would go toward preserving healthcare access for seniors, veterans, and low-income families, stemming premium increases, and shoring up funding for public schools and food assistance programs.

The one word missing from Connie Chan’s China policy platform: Taiwan

Power Play recently transitioned to a subscriber-only newsletter. Click here for a limited-time offer starting at $1 for the first month (and the cost of a beer every month thereafter). Supervisor Connie Chan has planted her progressive flag, publishing a policy platform Wednesday packed with left-of-center positions such as government-funded social housing, community banking, and free community college programs. Buried within her rollout was a refreshed, region-by-region breakdown of her foreign policy positions, but with one hot-button topic conspicuously missing: Taiwan. That’s an eyebrow-raiser in a congressional district with tens of thousands of Chinese voters. Rising tensions between the U.S. and China have fueled anti-Asian hate in the district before. Knowing her specific policies on Chinese-Taiwanese relations is key. “Connie has said repeatedly that she supports productive dialogue, peace, and stability in Asia as elsewhere, and that has not changed,” said Julie Edwards , Chan’s campaign consultant. It is true, Chan’s campaign page notes, that China and the U.S., the largest economies in the world, “can engage with one another through mutual respect, accountability, and peaceful coexistence.” But her policy omits key details: whether she supports U.S. arms sales to Taiwan or the One China policy, as her supporters told Mission Local that she did, earlier this year . Chan, a Chinese immigrant who attended elementary school in Taiwan, has to balance the positions of Chinese San Franciscans whose support she needs with those of Democrats who may more forcefully support Taiwan — including Rep. Nancy Pelosi , Chan’s biggest endorser, a China-hawk who famously visited Taiwan in 2022, prompting an angry response from Chinese President Xi Jinping . “Beijing’s continued aggression against Taiwan is cowardly and cannot be met with silence,” Pelosi said on the one-year anniversary of her visit . “Make no mistake: America’s commitment to freedom and human rights — in Taiwan and around the world — remains formidable.” State Sen. Scott Wiener , who is running against Chan, offers a more detailed position on Taiwan . He supports the current U.S. approach and “opposes any forceful attempt to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.” He also said the U.S. should compete with China on semiconductor manufacturing — an industry in which Taiwan leads and is key to its geopolitical importance. Retired judge Julie Tang, who said Chan told her she supports the One China policy, thinks the candidate is wise to keep her position ambiguous. “Scott talks about competition and hot-button issues that stir up people’s fears of China,” she told Power Play. “I think Scott is taking the Trump administration’s position, and I’m ashamed of him for doing that.” — Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez LOOK OUT, LARSEN : Organizations fighting against billionaire spending on politics plan to make the issue personal Thursday, hosting a press conference outside the Russian Hill home of Ripple founder Chris Larsen . The groups — California Common Good and the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment — say they expect 30 to 50 people to show up for the 11 a.m. event, which marks the release of their report ranking the top California political donors. Larsen is being targeted because he has donated tens of millions of dollars this year to oppose a proposed billionaire tax and elect centrist Democrats across the state, among other issues. He backs the agenda of Mayor Daniel Lurie , including this year’s charter reform measure , as well as philanthropic causes to spruce up the city. Thursday’s event reflects a growing anti-billionaire sentiment across California, most visible in the aforementioned proposed one-time 5% tax on the state’s richest residents, which will be put before voters in November. Power Play readers might recognize ACCE as the group that organized a “People Over Billionaires” march through Pacific Heights last year, at which protesters performed a line dance outside the home of White House crypto czar David Sacks . The group is planning simultaneous press conferences Thursday at the Malibu home of venture capitalist Marc Andreessen and outside Google’s San Diego corporate headquarters, targeting company cofounder Sergey Brin . Organizers said their aim is to “make visible the small group of billionaires whose political spending is increasingly shaping decisions that affect 40 million Californians.” — Emily Shugerman GRAB-BAG DONORS : Stump speeches and fancy websites tell part of a candidate’s campaign story. Donor lists tell another. Wednesday’s Federal Election Commission filings revealed far more than how Pelosi is flexing her fundraising muscle to benefit Chan. Chan’s progressive platform has attracted support from a long list of unions, so it should come as no surprise that major labor organizations are helping fuel her campaign, which has raised $1.08 million from 3,000 donors since her November launch . Chan has reported receiving tens of thousands of dollars from unions representing teachers, plumbers and pipefitters, firefighters, airline pilots, and construction workers. It’s not as clear why other donors are shelling out for Chan. San Francisco philanthropist and Republican megadonor Diane Wilsey gave $7,000 to Chan and also gave $3,700 to Wiener, who is considered the more moderate Democrat. Wilsey has donated to Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom , in years past. But why would she support one of San Francisco’s most progressive politicians? Wilsey could not be reached for comment. She was one of the biggest donors to a 2022 ballot measure to reopen John F. Kennedy Drive to cars , a position Chan also supported after opposing the street’s conversion to permanent pedestrian use. The American Crystal Sugar Company’s PAC gave $5,000 to Chan. The PAC, which represents a cooperative of sugar beet farmers, was among the top industry group donors who contributed to the nearly 150 lawmakers who refused to certify Donald Trump ’s election loss on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a 2022 analysis by the progressive group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. A representative for the PAC did not respond to a request for comment. William Shihara , the former CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex, gave $3,500 to Chan’s campaign. Bittrex agreed to pay a $24 million settlement with the SEC over allegations that it operated an “ unregistered national securities exchange, broker, and clearing agency .” Shihara has donated to many Asian American congressional candidates over several years, according to FEC filings, but his contribution to Chan is noteworthy given her call for more industry regulation. Shihara could not be reached for comment. Wiener’s spokesperson Joe Arellano said in a statement that the donations “contradict the working-class narratives that Connie is trying to portray about her campaign and demonstrate that she is tapping into wealthy individuals to help fund her race.” Chan’s spokesperson Edwards said the support from people who are “so different than Connie” is “evidence that our campaign has built a broad coalition, including those who may disagree with Connie but still can respect her work and integrity and know they cannot trust Scott Wiener.” Edwards said the American Crystal Sugar Company has many union workers. — Hannah Wiley ETHICS ISSUES : A slew of ethics reforms is headed to the Government Audit and Oversight Committee on Thursday, but whether they can be implemented anytime soon remains to be seen. Board President Rafael Mandelman is carrying the legislation package, which, among other changes, could raise the contribution limit for candidate campaigns from $500 to $1,000. Supporters of the tweak argue that it will encourage grassroots candidates and counter wealthy PACs, whose influence has grown in recent years as well-heeled supporters plow millions into committees that aren’t subject to donation limits. The $500 figure was set in 2000 and hasn’t been adjusted for inflation. Other provisions in the reform package have drawn scrutiny , notably from 48Hills writer Tim Redmond , who questioned parts of the legislation that would change how developers and campaign consultants disclose their work. “The move makes little sense — the disclosure requirements are not onerous or expensive,” wrote Redmond. But Mandelman said not to expect the ethics reforms to be voted on Thursday. In fact, it could be months before the board votes on any of the changes. He is seeking amendments and trying to secure support from eight supervisors, since a supermajority vote is required for this type of legislation. The lawmaker said Wednesday he had not reached that threshold. — Gabriel Greschler

After Swalwell and Platner, Cheyenne Hunt is building a new #MeToo movement

Former East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell dodged more than a decade of misconduct rumors on Capitol Hill. Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner withstood allegations of physical misconduct, disturbing Reddit posts, and a Nazi tattoo. Then they encountered Cheyenne Hunt. A 29-year-old political activist, attorney, and content creator with a vast social media following, Hunt has spent several months organizing women behind the scenes to amplify allegations of sexual misconduct, including rape, against both Swalwell and Platner . She has connected accusers with lawyers, therapists, and reporters while using her own online platforms to share their stories. The result: Swalwell resigned from Congress, shelved his campaign for governor , and has largely disappeared from public view amid multiple investigations into his alleged misconduct. Platner is thought to be on the verge of dropping out of his Senate race after losing critical endorsements from key progressives , including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and California Rep. Ro Khanna. Swalwell and Platner have denied the allegations. “This is a reckoning,” Hunt told The Standard on a Thursday morning in June from the living room of the inland Orange County house she shares with her boyfriend, where stacks of law books fill three large shelves and a vase of pink peonies serves as the backdrop to the Zoom calls that fill her schedule. “No predators in power.” Hunt hasn’t had time for a break in the three months since the Swalwell story broke. Her days start early and end late, a drumbeat of staff meetings and check-ins with organizers. She forgets to stop and eat, she said, and her boyfriend often reminds her she needs a meal. During a day spent shadowing Hunt, The Standard watched her prepare for another cycle of chaos. In between back-to-back meetings, she was on frequent, feverish calls with a Politico reporter working to break the Platner story. Even she is shocked by what has unfolded in the weeks since her friend Annika Albrecht texted to ask if Hunt would post a video about the sexual harassment Albrecht claims she experienced from Swalwell . Hunt didn’t know that her March 31 video , which has generated more than 150,000 views on TikTok and Instagram, was the beginning of not only Swalwell’s downfall but her new mission. But Hunt wasn’t working alone. Arielle Fodor, a content creator and former teacher who goes by “Mrs. Frazzled” online, had also been posting cryptic messages about rumors of misconduct by Swalwell. Hunt, Fodor, and Albrecht teamed up to take the allegations that were circulating on social media to reporters. They collaborated with CNN for a story that broke April 10 with Albrecht’s allegations, along with accusations from three other women that ranged from harassment to sexual assault. Hunt has since resigned as executive director of the advocacy organization Gen-Z for Change and started Reckoning Action, a political organization with the goal of ending misogyny in places of power. Fodor is an adviser to the group, as are some of Swalwell’s accusers. Hunt said the group’s goals are to change sexual harassment laws and raise enough money to build a robust network of legal aid and other support services for victims. But this is not a millenial #MeToo movement. A key pillar of Reckoning Action is leveraging social media to inspire cultural change. TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram are increasingly where people — especially Gen Z — find, read, and talk about serious issues, Hunt said. And with her 220,000 followers on TikTok and 222,000 on Instagram, she is uniquely positioned to use social media as a tool to spark another #MeToo chapter, this one adapted for a digital-first era. “If you’re not having conversations with people where they’re listening, then you’re not in the conversation at all,” Hunt said. “It was content creators that blew the door open and found all these sources and made it happen.” ‘I had something to say’ Hunt’s political activism began in California’s rural Lake County, where she was raised by her single mom and grandmother. Hunt moved to Orange County when she was 14 and, two years later, graduated early from high school. She went to the University of Denver and moved back to Orange County for law school at UC Irvine. It was at law school in 2020, when she joined Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s office as a Senate Judiciary Committee law clerk, that Hunt found her calling in politics. She arrived in D.C. just as the first impeachment trial against President Donald Trump was beginning. It was evident how toxic a workplace the Capitol could be, Hunt said, especially for the many “hungry, ambitious young women” staffing lawmakers’ offices. “Many of whom this is the first job that they have ever had, and they’re looking for their big break,” she said. She returned home for law school graduation and to take care of her dying grandmother, then moved back to D.C. to work as a Big Tech accountability advocate at Public Citizen, a left-leaning consumer advocacy organization. “She’s a troublemaker,” Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen, said of Hunt. “A good troublemaker.” Weissman said he was impressed by Hunt’s creative approach to using social media to identify and solve problems. “It’s not just having the information, but how to frame the information, present the information, in a way that excites people in the algorithm nowadays,” he said. “And she had found a key.” Disillusioned by the lack of Gen Z representation in Congress, Hunt returned to Orange County with a plan to run for Congress in 2024 against Republican Rep. Michelle Steel in what was then California’s 45th District. She lost badly, earning just 8% of the vote in the March primary. “At the end of the day, like, I had something to say,” Hunt said of the experience. “There was a generation of women that was completely unrepresented at the federal level, and I wanted to take my swing at it.” As executive director of Gen-Z for Change, an organization that uses social media as an advocacy tool for progressive causes, it became her job to be “chronically online,” she said. But after the Swalwell news broke, Hunt said it became clear that she needed to focus on the strategy full time. She started Reckoning Action and, as executive director, oversees a team of about half a dozen women and men. “I have a habit of doing things that people think are insane,” she said. “But I think them through. I didn’t want to start something unless it was really clear that there was a place in the movement for it and that it would be sustainable.” Responding to #MeToo backlash Hunt said hundreds of women have reached out in the weeks since Swalwell resigned with their own experiences of sexual misconduct. It became clear from those conversations how much had changed since the #MeToo movement first went viral in 2017. What she learned: #MeToo is out; the manosphere is in. “I just think that we see politics so often function as a pendulum, where there’s progress, and then there’s backlash,” Hunt said. “And the backlash to the #MeToo movement was a generation of men that, for the first time, was realizing that they may not be able to act towards women with impunity anymore, and that was stark.” Young men are increasingly enamored with media figures like Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson, Christopher Rufo and the late Charlie Kirk, and even far-right extremists like Nick Fuentes, an antisemitic white nationalist streamer. Hunt blames much of the rise of the manosphere on social media and its proliferation of right-wing accounts that once existed on the fringe but in recent years have exploded into the mainstream. Right-wing content creators have gamed the algorithm to prey on lonely young men, Hunt said, “offering them something that looks like community and is really just isolation, for their own kind of political agenda.” Hunt worries about women too. After a decade of the #girlboss, women seem less interested in the C-suite and more intrigued by the “Make America Healthy Again” and “trad wife” movements. From Hunt’s perspective, the same digital rabbit hole that pulls men into the manosphere is working to drag women back to the 1950s. “That’s why MAHA content exists,” Hunt said. “It starts because they’re, like, making banana bread, and then at some point they start talking about, I don’t know, fucking ivermectin or something.” A key pillar of Reckoning Action is promoting “narrative change,” not just through stories in traditional news outlets but through social media. Hunt wants to replicate the right-wing playbook of going viral, but to the left’s benefit. To do that, she envisions contracting with left-wing influencers on paid anti-misogyny campaigns, leveraging their specific brands to appeal to broader audiences. Hunt imagines collaborating with the podcast “The Basement Yard,” a comedy show with Joe Santagato and Frank Alvarez, who spend an hour gabbing about random topics. Under Hunt’s playbook, they would be paid to spend a few minutes railing against misogyny. “The people that listen to ‘Pod Save America,’ they already agree with us,” Hunt said. “That’s not going to reach new audiences and make meaningful difference. It’s not going to break out of the echo chamber. We need content that can compete with their content. Entertainment-first content.” Fodor has been doing this for years. Users might come to her initially for education news , but they will also find her “gentle parenting” spoofs on political topics, like a recent video in which she pretends to talk to a kid about how “yucky” it is that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of states with bans on transgender kids playing in girls sports . “I think everybody tries to hit it differently. And that’s kind of a cool thing about content creators,” Fodor said in an interview. “Is that everybody is pulling on their little thread in their corner in their own way.” Omar Wasow, an assistant professor of political science at UC Berkeley, said social media has always been an incubator for social and political movements, many for progressive causes. The #MeToo movement started with a hashtag, of course, and the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 began with the video of George Floyd’s murder spreading online. “In the U.S. and around the world, we’ve seen movements that can emerge almost out of nothing,” Wasow said. But the right has commanded social media in recent years, to great political effect. “It’s not just activists who are taking this up. It’s the most powerful people in the world in the current presidential administration,” Wasow said. Hunt noted that right-wing influencers have become “masters” at pushing online fringe ideas that eventually make their way into real-life politics. What was once considered “radical” is now law, Hunt said, like the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and subsequent state legislation to criminalize women who get abortions. That same strategy won’t have an immediate impact for Hunt’s cause, she conceded over a lunch of vegan pho at a favorite Orange County Vietnamese restaurant. “I’m known for being pretty impatient, but I also understand that’s going to take time,” she said. “Institutional change takes time.” Her goal of ending misogyny in places of power is going to require a coalition of “unlikely bedfellows” working together. One of her goals, for example, is to change House ethics rules to make it safer for accusers to come forward with claims of inappropriate behavior. Reckoning Action is already working with the Democratic Women’s Caucus on the effort, but Hunt acknowledged, “we’re gonna need everybody on board,” perhaps including some Republicans. Old and new media partnerships But there could be limits to Hunt’s vision. Putting such an emphasis on social media is risky, said Juliet Williams, a gender studies professor at UCLA. The country’s major tech companies are run by “a bunch of super regressive dudes” who have cozied up to Trump. Old-school, grassroots organizing is still important, she said. “There’s no feminist Elon Musk,” Williams said. “Technology, social media, influencing — these platforms are not why #Metoo didn’t go where we wanted it to, and it’s not what is going to save us now.” There’s also a line that content creators can’t — or shouldn’t — cross. Both Hunt and Fodor said there was a limit with the Swalwell allegations that they felt comfortable posting on their pages. That’s when they turned to legacy newsrooms with the story. “I don’t want to see creators thinking that they should be talking about sensitive sexual assault stories or anything that’s of that level of consequence,” she said. “Because they don’t have the resources to do the corroboration and the independent fact-checking and what needs to be done for those [stories] to be told in a way that’s absolutely unimpeachable.” But even news organizations can’t prevent the repercussions victims may face after coming forward. A private investigator has contacted at least one former Swalwell staffer about her time working for the congressman, according to the news site NOTUS . Swalwell’s attorney Sara Azari confirmed to the outlet that she had hired the New York firm Beau Dietl & Associates as part of an investigation into the allegations. Azari did not respond to The Standard’s request for comment. “That is purely an intimidation tactic that is all about intimidating these women and trying to silence other ones from coming forward,” Hunt said. It’s why many women never come forward with their stories, said Gloria Allred, a women’s rights attorney who has represented victims in cases against Harvey Weinstein , Bill Cosby, R. Kelly , and Jeffrey Epstein. Allred said she wants women to know there is “another option.” “And that’s within the justice system,” she said, which allows victims to receive compensation for alleged abuse without any impact on their public image or threat of retaliation tactics like defamation lawsuits. “There are still some people who do not wish to live their life on the internet.” Allred said. “I understand the desire that young women have to hold the accused accountable. I agree that the accused should be held accountable. The real issue is, how can they best achieve that with the minimum harm to themselves and a maximum benefit to themselves?” If there’s anything Sacramento lobbyist Samantha Corbin has learned since she helped launch “ We Said Enough ,” the #MeToo movement in the California Capitol, it’s that “no one cares about women.” Corbin said since the coalition launched with an October 2017 letter exposing the “pervasive” culture of sexual harassment in the Capitol, she has received weekly calls from people alleging misconduct in and around the Legislature. The group notched some initial wins when several lawmakers resigned amid allegations of misconduct. Additionally, the Legislature in 2019 launched a Workplace Conduct Unit to independently investigate anonymous complaints of wrongdoing in the Capitol. The unit has received roughly 840 complaints, according to a February report, and “resolved” around 97% of them. Corbin acknowledged how difficult it is for advocates to maintain the momentum and progress made after a news cycle ends and public attention inevitably turns to other issues. “You consistently have to have people who have energy, who have a new way of telling the story and engaging people,” Corbin said. If Hunt is willing to carry the baton — and use new tools to tell women’s stories — then “fuck yeah, girl, get it.” Beyond Swalwell and Platner During a recent Zoom meeting with Reckoning Action organizers, Hunt was grappling with what comes next. The group was planning several weeks’ worth of social media and Substack content, not just on Swalwell but on other topics that could help push their anti-misogyny message. She was also preparing, ahead of Politico’s Platner story, to face down the same accusations that surfaced during the Swalwell allegations: that she was secretly working with Republicans to sabotage Democrats, that she was a shill for billionaires who want to buy U.S. elections. In his statement denying the allegations, Platner accused “out-of-state establishment operatives” of working to sabotage his campaign, a characterization that Hunt laughed at during her CNN interviews . These are the moments when Hunt refers back to her mission: No predators in power. “Period,” she said. “Women should not be sacrificed at the altar of the next election,” she argued. “If you think that it’s politically strategic to knowingly put someone in power that has a history of violence against women, then you are ceding the moral high ground that we so frequently claim to differentiate ourselves as Democrats.” Hunt, and Reckoning Action at large, has called on Platner to withdraw from the Senate race before a July 13 deadline for Democrats to replace him. Beyond Swalwell and Platner, Hunt has big plans over the next year for Reckoning Action. She wants to hire more organizers, and dreams of getting federal legislation introduced this year to ban politicians who are accused of misconduct from using campaign funds for legal bills. (Swalwell has used more than $300,000 in campaign funds to pay his attorney , according to state financial records.) The team also wants to ramp up messaging around the “Epstein class” and to target vulnerable Republicans in the midterms who voted against making the Epstein files public . Hunt was spending her birthday Tuesday evening recovering from the exhausting media blitz following the Platner revelations and fielding a steady stream of profile requests from reporters. “Eventually, this reckoning media moment, it will end,” Hunt said. “Does that freak me out, that we won’t squeeze every bit of juice out of it that we possibly can? To hold every single predator accountable that we possibly can? Yeah.” For now at least, the reckoning is still trending.

Nancy Pelosi’s retirement plans: launching a $50M democracy institute at UC Berkeley

Nancy Pelosi may be leaving Congress after nearly 40 years in the House of Representatives, but Congress isn’t leaving her. Pelosi, 86, plans to announce Monday that her political legacy will live on at UC Berkeley via a new nonpartisan institute focused on “strengthening American democracy.” The Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy, scheduled to launch in January 2027, will serve as a research, teaching, and civic engagement hub focused on challenges facing the country and how to solve them, according to a draft announcement obtained by The Standard. The institute will be housed in the Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science. “The work of democracy is never finished, and securing its future is our greatest calling,” Pelosi said in the announcement. “UC Berkeley has a long, proud history of challenging the status quo and producing leaders who run toward the greatest challenges of our time. I am honored to partner with this exceptional community of scholars and students so we can equip the next generation with the tools they need to strengthen our democratic institutions and forge a future that serves the public good.” She may have made her career in Washington — home to some of the nation’s most prestigious political science programs — but Pelosi’s choice in partnering with UC Berkeley for her next chapter is testament to her roots, and her impact not just in San Francisco, but across the broader Bay Area and California. UC Berkeley is also known for its elite status and research rigor, and has graduated notable political figures including the late Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren and former California Gov. Jerry Brown. “The purpose and impact of the [Nancy Pelosi Institute] will be defined and strengthened by Berkeley’s ability to bring together world-class faculty and extraordinary students, and by our commitment, as the country’s preeminent public university, to advancing the greater good,” Chancellor Rich Lyons said in the announcement. “We intend to do more than simply study democracy; we are building this institute to strengthen it.” Pelosi announced her retirement from Congress in November, ending her tenure as arguably the most powerful woman in U.S. politics . Though her retirement plans were expected, they set off a fierce battle in San Francisco over who would replace her in Washington. Pelosi endorsed progressive Supervisor Connie Chan , who will face state Sen. Scott Wiener, a moderate Democrat, in the Nov. 3 general election. According to the announcement, Pelosi is turning her 39 years on the House floor into a course that she will co-teach with Eric Schickler, the university’s co-director of the Institute of Governmental Studies and a congressional scholar. The course was designed to “provide students with unprecedented access to an unequaled source of insight about the mechanics and nuances of our democratic process,” the announcement says. “Speaker Pelosi’s career has shaped the course of our state and nation in profound ways,” Schickler said in the announcement. “This institute will carry forward her legacy by facilitating dialogue, conducting research for the public good and preparing the next generation of leaders to strengthen democracy.” The institute will focus on “evidence-based solutions to democracy’s pressing problems” through its courses and research programs, according to the draft announcement. The institute’s four pillars include: strengthening the country’s “democratic institutions” and solving its “greatest challenges,” along with promoting human and civil rights nationally and globally, and “ensuring political leadership that represents the full spectrum of perspectives and backgrounds in California and the country.” The university plans to include new faculty research initiatives and undergraduate courses as part of the institute, and to court national and global leaders as teachers through a visiting fellows program. The institute is also expected to host an annual nonpartisan forum. Its research will focus on climate change, wealth inequality, criminal justice, the impact of artificial intelligence on democracy, and electoral reforms aimed at reducing “polarization,” The university’s Bancroft Library is also scheduled to host a public exhibit in spring 2027 dedicated to Pelosi’s life and congressional tenure; the institute will also follow with an exhibit that documents her career. More than $32 million in donations have been raised for a permanent endowment, according to the draft release, as part of an initial $50 million campaign.

SF school chief survives congressional grilling designed to embarrass her

San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su opened her statement at Wednesday’s congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., with an admission. “As you can hear,” she said, “I am suffering from laryngitis, and I’m having a difficult time using my voice.” Three hours later, by the time the hearing closed, the laryngitis had given her more trouble than any member of Congress. After preparing with the city attorney’s office over the past few weeks, according to sources, Su presented testimony that was careful and articulate. The hearing, “Breaking Trust: Attacks on Parental Rights, Inappropriate Content, and Legal Abuses in America’s Schools,” was convened by the GOP-dominated House Committee on Education and the Workforce to question leaders of schools in San Francisco, Chicago, and Virginia’s Loudoun County on how they handle teaching about race, gender, and identity. The session featured repeated questions about “drag queen story hours,” locker room access, and transgender policies. Democratic committee members failed to engage with any of the Republican lines of inquiry and instead suggested that the hearing should have focused on budget cuts, teacher shortages, and school closures. Su took a cautious, nonconfrontational approach. Her go-to answers when questioned on issues ranging from “white supremacy culture” to transgender bathroom use were to claim that the incident in question happened before she took over as superintendent 18 months ago, and that she remains committed to a high-quality education for SFUSD students. Notably, Elise Stefanik, the Republican congresswoman from New York whose 2023 questioning preceded the resignations of two Ivy League presidents, was absent from the hearing. The partisan nature of the proceeding was broken, surprisingly, by a back-and-forth between Su and Kevin Kiley, the independent congressman from California’s third district who until recently was a registered Republican. Rather than challenge Su on where SFUSD has fallen short, Kiley used his time to praise the district for improvements on algebra in middle school, a phonics-based reading curriculum, the school board recall of 2022, the state takeover of the SFUSD budget, the effort to rename schools away from U.S. presidents, and the homegrown ethnic studies curriculum. “There have been some very good changes on all of those items in recent years,” Kiley said, before giving Su an opportunity to describe her team’s improvements. “Thank you for your leadership, and I hope this can set a good example for other districts across the state of California,” he said afterward. Early in the hearing, Su was challenged by Tim Walberg, the Michigan Republican who chairs the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Walberg pressed Su on drag queen story hour, saying an ethnic studies teacher had promoted it as beneficial. Four times he asked at what age students should be exposed to it, and four times Su declined to directly answer. “We welcome all 49,000 students as they are,” she said. “We support our students. We work really hard.” Only when Walberg asked whether the district allows a parent with a religious objection to opt their child out of the story hour did Su answer directly: “Yes, we do.” The pattern repeated when Robert Onder, a Republican from Missouri, asked Su whether “biological men” should be allowed in locker rooms with “biological girls.” Su answered, twice, “We follow state and federal law.” Onder said he’d take that as a yes. He then pressed Su on whether her schools notify parents when a student changes gender. Su said she is not a lawyer, and the district is adjusting its practices and training staff to comply with Mirabelli v. Bonta, the Supreme Court order from March that blocked California’s gender-identity nondisclosure rules in schools. “Parents are our students’ first teachers,” she said, without answering the question directly. At times, committee members made statements about issues not within the school districts’ purview. Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina, asked Chicago superintendent Macquline King if the fact that she highlights working with Planned Parenthood means she has a preferred method of carrying out an abortion. “There are different forms of abortion. Which do you support: suctioning the baby out intact, or should the baby be dismembered and part by part removing the arms, legs, head, and body? Which form of abortion do you think would be the most preferable?” Wilson asked. King responded: “I’m very disturbed by that question, and I want to say that Chicago Public Schools’ sexual education curriculum is in compliance with Illinois state law. I also would like to say that I’m here to represent Chicago Public Schools, and I’m willing to answer questions on Chicago Public Schools’ policies.” The Democrats in the hearing spent much of their time defending the superintendents. Jahana Hayes of Connecticut told them not to be intimidated. “Do not buy into the bull,” she said. Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon thanked the witnesses “for all you are doing for public education during a time when it is under attack” and said the committee was ignoring the threats parents actually worry about: ICE operations disrupting schools, gun violence, and students’ mental health. Instead, she said, the committee was focusing on “hyped-up political perceived risk.” Meredith Dodson, director of the SF Parents Coalition, which sent three members to D.C. with Su, believes the superintendent represented SFUSD well in what was perhaps the most formative challenge a city leader has faced from the federal government since President Donald Trump’s threat last summer to send in the National Guard. “While MAGA Republicans and irresponsible news outlets foment outrage to garner headlines, Superintendent Su and Democrats kept the focus on what matters: the education and support of our students,” Dodson told The Standard. Phil Kim, president of the San Francisco Board of Education, echoed Dodson’s sentiment. “There’s nothing radical about treating students with dignity,” he said. “I was really pleased to see the committee recognize the improvements we’ve made over the last two years. All of that speaks to the work we have done at SFUSD to focus on the right things.”

Live updates: Hilton extends lead over Becerra; Wiener tops poll

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