Candidate Name: Min Chang
Phone Number: 206-595-5260
Web site: Voteformin.com
E-mail: minxchang@gmail.com
Name of Campaign Manager: Kristian Vasquez
How much do you expect to spend in this contest: $40,000
Major Endorsements: SFGOP, Briones Society, Republican Club of SF, SF Log Cabin Club, SFYR
Incumbent whose votes are most similar to the way you would vote: None
Incumbent who votes least similarly to the way you would vote: All/Most
1. What is your stance on pandemic safety in the schools? Under what
circumstances might you support instating a mask or vaccine
mandate, or canceling in-person classes? What would be the main
basis on which you make this decision? (e.g., would it be based on
your gut feelings, or whose advice would you listen to?)
I would listen to health officials, government experts, families/parents, educators on the need to mask, vaccinate, or cancel in-person classes. I would rely on facts and data to make these decisions. The well-being of our kids should be balanced with the need to protect their health.
2. What is your stance on school closures?
Closing schools is not the answer; it will only make things worse and drive more families away from public schools. It will also make the existing schools more crowded and class sizes even larger; the schools that are targeted for closure are the smaller schools and specialty schools that are much needed in our communities. Closing schools also does not solve the budget deficit.
3. Do you have practical ideas on how SFUSD can be adequately funded?
We need to address the direct and indirect expenses of the administration. We also need to exhaust all the revenue sources from federal, state and local.
4. How are you currently involved in the SFUSD -- or how were you
involved in the past?
I have been attending all the SFUSD board meetings and also meeting with SFUSD to better understand the fiscal crisis and how to solve it. I have also visited many of our schools and spoken to prinicipals, teachers, parents and students.
5. How do you feel about the current school assignment system
(including at Lowell)? Would you make changes, and if so, which
nes?
The lottery system does not work currently. We need to develop a system that allows our students to go to a school that is in their community. We should also keep the merit based admissions system at Lowell.
6. Some of our schools receive significant funding from parent
fundraising. Are you concerned about the inequality in fundraising
between schools in rich and poor neighborhoods, and if so,
what ideas do you have to make things more equitable?
We need to address the inequity of funding and ensure that all schools are funded effectively. Schools in less advantageous communities need more support.
7. Are you familiar with the case of Williams et al. v State of
California? Do you believe that all schools in the SFUSD are
currently in compliance with Williams?
No currently our schools are in need of repair, maintenance and supplies as well as strong educators.
8. What is your position on JROTC in the public schools?
I support JROTC.
9. Would you support district elections for school board members?
I believe that the elections should be citywide.
10. Did you support the 2016 Proposition A school bond? Do you think
funds were spent wisel? Are you supporting the current bond?
I believe that we should finish effectively using the existing 2011 and 2016 bonds before we ask for additional bond funding.
11. What is your stance on allowing noncitizen parents, guardians and
caretakers of students to vote in school board elections? Did you
take a public position on previous ballot initiatives on the
subject?
I believe that noncitizen parents and guardians and caretakers who have children in SFUSD should be able to vote.
12. What are your thoughts on the various non-profit organizations that partner and/or contract with SFUSD?
I would like to see SFUSD develop stronger capabilities and be less reliant on contractors.
13. How do you see the role of the School Board in comparison to the role of the superintendent?
The role of the School Board is like the Board of Directors for a company, which means the board advises the superintendent and approves budgets, key decisions and the hiring/firing of the superintendent. The superintendent is the CEO, which means he/she manages and directs the assets/staff of the district.
14. Do you think that SFUSD currently serves the transportation needs
of its students? Would you make changes to the current system?
No currently SFUSD does not serve the transportation needs of the communities. We need to improve bus route access and schedules so that students can be effectively tranported to and from school.
15. Would you ensure that all San Francisco students have access to a
public pre-K program? If so, how?
Yes, we need to fund pre-K for all of our communities.
16. Have you read Diane Ravitch's book, The Death and Life of the
Great American School System? What lessons should the District
take from this work? Whether or not you've read the book, what
role do you see for charter schools in the public education
system?
Charter schools exist because we need options for our parents. When our public schools can be strong and effective, parents will come back to public schools. There are aspects of Charter Schools that we can incorporate into public schools as well.
17. What do you think of the current requirements that students take
the SBAC test, and what are your thoughts on standardized testing
in general?
If we use standardized testing, then we need to ensure that they are develop for all students no matter their background or socioeconomic condition.
18. How can the public schools better address the needs of Special Education students and ESL students?
We need to continue to support special education and ESL programs....they are the life blood of SFUSD parents and communities.
Due Date: Friday, August 23, 11:59 pm
Please submit by email to cc@sfgreens.org. For more information, call
Barry Hermanson at 415-255-9494. Please return your answers in plain
text (not HTML, PDF, or Word format), so that we can post all
candidates' answers in the same format.
The SF Green Party will invite selected candidates who return
completed questionnaires on time to speak and answer questions at our
candidate forum and endorsement meeting. To be given time on our
agenda, each candidate needs at least two active Green Party members
to request their invitation. This will be a hybrid meeting, so
invited candidates may also speak with us via Zoom.
Our endorsement meeting is scheduled for Wed, August 28 from 6:30-9:30
pm at our office, 2973 16th St, #300, SF - note that this is across
the street from our old office in the Redstone Building. The first
two hours will be for interviews of selected candidates, and the last
hour will be for decision making.
Completed questionnaires will be posted on our website,
https://sfgreenparty.org.