SAN FRANCISCO (KNX) — On Wednesday, one of San Francisco's top elected officials called for Board of Education member Ann Hsu to resign following racist comments and swift backlash.
In a candidate questionnaire to SF Parent Action last week, board member Ann Hsu said that some of the biggest challenges in educating Black and brown students are the "lack of family support," "unstable family environments," and "lack of parental encouragement to focus on or value learning."
Hsu's comments came following a report showing racial differences over reading at grade level within San Francisco schools.
Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton has called for Hsu to resign immediately. Supervisor Hillary Ronen said she doesn't support Hsu in the fallout over the comments, but will leave Hsu's fate to the voters in November, when she's up for reelection.
Hsu, appointed by Mayor London Breed to fill a vacancy after the recall of three Board of Education members in February, doesn't yet appear to have lost the mayor's support. Breed is "going to hold back on judgement" for now, according to KCBS Radio Insider Phil Matier.
"It opens up a whole lot of issues, a whole lot of questions about where we are in this discussion and how we go forward," Matier added.
Hsu's comments have been met by a wave of backlash on social media.
Hsu apologized in a statement posted to Twitter, adding that she "was trying to understand and address a serious problem and seek solutions, and in so doing I said things that perpetuated biases already in the system."
The development adds another troubling chapter for San Francisco's Board of Education, as Alison Collins was the subject of similar reaction after racist tweets were unearthed last year.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
Related
Related
Related
