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Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco Calls on City Leadership to Restore Public School Student Representation on the Youth Commission
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco (PPS-SF) is calling on Mayor Daniel Lurie and the Board of Supervisors to address a systemic breakdown in representation within the San Francisco Youth Commission. Despite the commission's original founding by and for public school students, public school representation among commissioners has continuously declined, culminating in a complete absence of public school students among the Mayor’s latest appointments.
For nearly 27 years, PPS-SF has supported and empowered tens of thousands of local families—across African American, Latino, Chinese, Samoan, and Arabic communities—helping them navigate enrollment, engage directly with school systems, and advocate for equitable education policies. Public school students represent the majority of youth across the city and rely daily on public transit, public safety, and essential public education resources such as SF YouthWorks and Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways.
Under the San Francisco City Charter, mayoral appointments are explicitly mandated to include at least five members from underrepresented communities to ensure diverse and equitable governance. Omitting students with firsthand experience in the public education system undermines both the Charter’s intent and the core mission of the commission.
"The Youth Commission was created to give voice to the young people who rely on our city's public systems every day," said PPS-SF leadership. "To see a complete absence of public-school students among the Mayor's appointments is not just a minor oversight—it is a systemic breakdown in representation."- Dr. Vanessa D. Marrero, President
While PPS-SF values the perspectives of all San Francisco youth, the organization stresses that effective youth policy requires meaningful representation from students navigating the city’s public schools every day.
To rebuild this pipeline and guarantee equitable governance, PPS-SF calls on city leadership to commit to three immediate actions:
Immediate Mayoral Meeting: Mayor Daniel Lurie’s office must meet with PPS-SF leadership immediately to establish actionable solutions for public school student inclusion.
Institutionalized Appointments: The Mayor’s Office and Board of Supervisors must prioritize and institutionalize transparent benchmarks that guarantee proportional public school representation on future commissions.
Charter Adherence: Strictly enforce the San Francisco City Charter requirement mandating appointments from underrepresented communities to restore diverse and equitable governance.
PPS-SF welcomes the opportunity to partner with city officials to rebuild this pipeline and ensure public school students have a seat at the table.