OFFICIAL STATEMENT: Parents for Public School San Francisco (PPS-SF) Clarifying Organizational Boundaries and Addressing Community Concerns Regarding External Presentation Materials
San Francisco — To our San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) families, educators, and community members: Parents for Public Schools (PPS) is built on a foundational mission of equity, inclusion, transparency, and deep respect for the multi-cultural fabric of our district. We have heard your feedback, concerns, and loud questions regarding recent slide materials circulating in the community—specifically concerning data discrepancies and the deeply offensive graphic reference ("Chico the Monkey") found on Slide 9.
We want to issue an immediate and unequivocal clarification: Neither the presentation nor the graphic in question was created, published, or endorsed by Parents for Public Schools (PPS). These materials originate externally from The Public Chat. However, because these materials have intersected with our community, we want to address the profound harm and confusion they have caused:
On the Harmful Visual Imagery: Utilizing an animal metaphor alongside a Spanish-origin name ("Chico") on Slide 9 carries deep, painful historical roots of racial stereotyping and dehumanization. It reinforces harmful tropes that reduce Latino and immigrant communities to manual labor rather than honoring them as full, equal leaders, intellectuals, and pillars of our public school community. We condemn this imagery unequivocally.
On Data Inconsistencies: The slides contain internal data contradictions—such as conflicting elementary school counts (alternating between 73 and 77) and unsupported assertions regarding private school comparisons—that fail to align with official California Department of Education (CDE) and University of California Office of the President (UCOP) standards. True advocacy for public education must always be anchored in rigorous, verifiable truth.
While PPS is a separate organization with our own rigorous standards of equity and academic integrity, we share our community's commitment to ensuring that all discourse surrounding our public schools treats every child, family, and culture with absolute dignity and respect.
We remain steadfast in our mission to fight for every child and every family in SFUSD—particularly our Black, Latino, Asian, and historically marginalized communities. We welcome your continued accountability, vigilance, and partnership as we advocate for the transparent, respectful, and equitable public education our children deserve.