Candidate for
Board of Education; County of San Francisco

Progressive Educational Leadership and Accomplishments

Since his election to the San Francisco Board of Education in 2000, Eric Mar has served as an independent, responsive and effective advocate for students, parents and teachers.

Standing with Students, Parent and Teachers Promoting Equal Educational Opportunity for Disadvantaged Students Ending Mismanagement and Bureaucratic Waste Securing Resources for the Schools Improving Schools and Educational Achievement

Standing with Students, Parent and Teachers

Eric strengthened the independent voice of parents and students in the district by authoring the legislation which created the District's first Parent Advisory Council.

Eric supported teachers, paraprofessionals and learning support staff (nurses, librarians, school social workers, etc.) in fighting layoffs and for better compensation, strong voice and meaningful involvement at their sites and in the district.

Eric stood with school communities like Newcomer High School, Burbank Middle School and Thurgood Marshall High School to challenge top-down decisions made without student, parent, teacher and community involvement.

Eric supported leadership from within the district through expanded leadership and professional development options for students, parents, paras, teachers and other staff.

Eric advocated for full participation and voting rights of non-citizen parents with children in the district.

Promoting Equal Educational Opportunity for Disadvantaged Students

Eric championed the landmark ACLU educational justice case (2004 Williams v. State) which challenged unequal conditions in California's poorest schools and for the first time forced the State to accept responsibility for facilities repairs, and for better standards for qualified teachers, textbooks and health and safety for the state's lowest income students.

In his first year on the Board, Eric authored a comprehensive educational equity policy for the district which required monitoring and public reporting of inequities by school and racial, ethnic, socio-economic and language categories.

In his four years on the Board, Eric has continued the struggle for racial justice and an end to the growing re-segregation of our schools and he has worked for high quality schools for every neighborhood and community.

Eric strengthened programs and services for English learners and immigrant students and parents. He strengthened bilingual education and promoted bilingualism and language equality in the schools.

Ending Mismanagement and Bureaucratic Waste

As Budget Committee Chair and Vice President of the School Board, Eric worked to eliminate the corruption and mismanagement of the former Rojas administration and bring fiscal integrity and public trust in school finances, facilities management and contracting.

Eric established financial accountability and transparency in the district. He worked to bring the school district closer to the good government provisions of the sunshine ordinance of the City and County of San Francisco.

Securing Resources for the Schools

As Vice President of the Board, Eric built alliances and a broader movement to re-prioritize education and community services over prisons and military spending. He worked for adequate funding for schools at the local, state and national levels.

Eric was a strong leader in the passage of the $295 million school facilities bond measure in November 2003 to improve facilities for accessibility, health and safety, and environmentally sound upgrades.

Eric co-authored Supervisor Ammiano's Prop H School Funding Measure March 2004 and consistently supported universal pre-K and quality early childhood education programs as a first step in closing the opportunity gaps between low income students of color and affluent students.

Improving Schools and Educational Achievement

Eric authored three resolutions that promoted safe and healthy school environments + buildings, school yards, food, neighborhoods - and led the board with policies creating Asthma Action Plans, more awareness and heath trainings for teachers and staff to address the City's Asthma Task Force, Parent Voices and American Lung Association recommendations to the district.

Eric authored "green building" legislation based on the California High Performing Schools standards that has led to environmentally progressive school facilities such as Argonne Child Development Center.

Eric worked to reduce class sizes and establish smaller schools and smaller learning communities such as the June Jordan High School for Equity.

Eric worked with teachers and parents to develop Authentic Assessments to help learning and provide progressive alternatives to "high stakes testing."

Eric strengthened the curriculum at all levels with strong arts and music components in addition to Ethnic Studies and community service requirements.

Eric supported communities and sites in developing school-based safety plans which rely on well-trained teaching and support service staff and student resources, not more police presence on school campuses.

Eric built true partnerships between the school district and community-based organizations so that schools can become centers of community life.

Eric stood up against vouchers, profit-driven charter schools and other efforts to privatize our schools

Eric authored legislation to ensure stronger staff development in gender and cultural equality, understanding and respect.

more - http://www.ericmar.com