| In 2003, a committee was created with members | | | | the community. There were several closures of San |
| appointed from the city Board of Supervisors and | | | | Francisco schools, for example, as well as decisions |
| the Board of Education. In the beginning, the | | | | on the use of voter-approved enrichment funds |
| committee was used to discuss joint concerns on | | | | (from the city) for San Francisco schools' |
| issues, such as affordable housing for teachers, | | | | expenditures. |
| student nutrition, and graffiti in the San Francisco | | | | A new committee chairman has been appointed to |
| schools. Unfortunately, the structure of the joint | | | | help bring the committee back to life. Chairman Bevan |
| committee was a matter of contention from the | | | | Dufty, a member of the Board of Supervisors, is |
| committee's inception with an imbalance of power. | | | | promising a more mutual relationship within the |
| The Board of Supervisors control the forum. They | | | | committee to build more and better communication |
| decide what issues are put on the meeting agendas | | | | between the two leaderships. |
| for discussion. They have the right to make inquiries | | | | In order to breath new life into the committee, |
| of the San Francisco schools' officials, who are | | | | Dufty plans to approach the forum as equal partners |
| expected to respond to all inquiries. Unfortunately, | | | | between the city supervisors and the San Francisco |
| this is a one-way power structure. | | | | schools' officials, beginning with agenda items. San |
| The San Francisco schools are funded by the state | | | | Francisco schools' officials now will be able to submit |
| and not accountable to city or county governments. | | | | requests to put issues on meeting agendas. Though |
| The structure of the committee makes the San | | | | Dufty still has final say on the agenda items and |
| Francisco schools' officials accountable to the city's | | | | there has been no commitment to two-way inquiries, |
| Board of Supervisors and doomed from the | | | | this is a major first step toward positive change. |
| beginning. Thus, the committee has met rarely in the | | | | Other members of the committee include veteran |
| past couple of years. | | | | supervisor Sophie Maxwell, newly appointed |
| Though the San Francisco schools' officials and city | | | | supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, veteran San Francisco |
| supervisors were scheduled to meet twice monthly in | | | | schools' official Jill Wynns, and newly-elected San |
| 2006, it did not happen, according to Jill Wynns, a | | | | Francisco schools' officials Jane Kim and Mydra |
| veteran San Francisco schools' board member. | | | | Mendoza. |
| Unfortunately, 2006 was a year the committee was | | | | It is hoped that the infusion of new people, especially |
| most needed. There were several San Francisco | | | | the new chairman, will energize the committee into a |
| schools issues in the forefront last year that caused | | | | partnership for positive change within the San |
| undue tensions within the San Francisco schools and | | | | Francisco schools. |