Superintendent Statement Regarding Court Decision Affirming SFUSD’s Plans for In-Person Learning

Posted Date

Superintendent Statement Regarding Court Decision Affirming SFUSD’s Plans for In-Person Learning

Press Release

San Francisco (March 25, 2021) - San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews shared the following statement today in support of the Court Order recognizing that the district has sufficiently detailed plans to return students to in-person learning and denying the City Attorney’s request to compel SFUSD to take further action.

The Court Order stated there is no purpose in “ordering the District what it has already committed to do.” The Court found that “the City's proposed injunction...is so broad and vague that the District could not possibly determine how to comply with it.” The Court also acknowledged that the “Board of Education, not judges, are charging [sic] with running public schools. Absent a clear statutory or constitutional violation and a workable remedy, neither of which is present here, this Court may not supplant the Board in its duties.”

“This lawsuit has served as nothing but a superficial distraction from the work to safely return San Francisco’s public school students to in-person learning. The Court noted the scope of this work, including the detailed agreements we have entered into with our labor partners regarding health and safety standards and instruction as well as the timeline we have set forth to return students to campuses,” said Superintendent Dr. Vincent Matthews.  

“We are on track to reopen dozens of schools for in-person learning beginning April 12, 2021. SFUSD has released an updated Return Safely Together Plan which contains additional details regarding how the district will offer in-person learning options at a select number of schools for the district’s students. Based on family responses to date, we expect to serve over 20,000 students in person by the end of April. 

“We are working round the clock to return students to school sites and serve them in distance learning. This week SFUSD is confirming final student assignments, preparing placement letters in seven languages, coordinating transportation for eligible students, and more. We remain focused on safely reopening school buildings this spring and beyond.”

About SFUSD

SFUSD is the seventh largest school district in California, educating over 56,000 preK-12 students every year. San Francisco is both a city and a county; therefore, SFUSD administers both the school district and the San Francisco County Office of Education (COE). This makes SFUSD a “single district county.”

More information regarding SFUSD’s preparations for in-person learning:

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