On June 1, 2024, the Asian Parent Advisory Committee of the San Francisco Unified School District held an inauguration ceremony aimed at helping Asian families access better educational resources. The event was attended by several founders of the committee and district leaders, attracting hundreds of participants and creating a lively atmosphere.
The San Francisco Unified School District is the public school system in San Francisco, California, committed to providing diverse education to help students develop holistically.
The inauguration ceremony of the Asian Parent Advisory Committee took place in the outdoor space of Ulloa Elementary School in San Francisco’s Sunset District on the morning of June 1. In addition to the committee’s founders, distinguished guests in attendance included Laini Matamedi, Chair of the San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education, Vice Chair Matt Alexander, Director Matt Wayne, Hong Mei Pang from the Mayor’s Office, Liana Szeto from the Asian Management Association, and Cynthia Cen from the Chinese Teachers Association.
Many Chinese families attended the celebration. During the ceremony, guests took turns to deliver speeches, receiving rounds of applause. Following the ceremony, a variety of delicious food was provided, and attendees enjoyed dining and engaging in lively conversations under the bright sunlight.
One of the founders, Mrs. Zhao Xia, explained that Chinese parents make up 22% of the population in the San Francisco Unified School District, with Asian parents accounting for 36%. However, four years ago, there were no Asian parents represented on the district’s parent committee, leading to a lack of voice for Asian parents. After four years of effort, she and eight other founders successfully upgraded their grassroots organization – the Chinese Parent Advisory Council – to the Asian Parent Advisory Committee under the San Francisco Unified School District.
One of the founders, Mr. Suvid Tubtimcharoon, expressed his excitement, stating that the establishment of the Asian Parent Advisory Committee in the San Francisco Unified School District marked a milestone after over a century.
Another founder, Mrs. Zhu Wei, admitted that Asian parents in public schools lack understanding of the American public education system. The primary goal of founding the organization was to assist Asian parents, providing them with a place close to their culture to freely share their opinions.
Mr. Lin showed his support for the initiative, considering it a significant development for Asian American families to have an organized group representing their voices, emphasizing that such efforts benefit not only Asians but everyone.
Matt Wayne, the Director of the San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education, commended the collaboration with Asian parents and expressed excitement and pride in the establishment of the Asian Parent Advisory Committee.
Mr. Zhen, a father of two high school students, highlighted the language and cultural barriers faced by Asian students and stressed the importance of bilingual education for Chinese students to learn their native language well.
Having lived in the U.S. for 20 years, Mrs. Zhou appreciated the support from the district’s educational officials, recounting the challenges she faced as a new immigrant and emphasizing the significance of English proficiency for children’s education.
Mr. Derek, a father of two children, expressed concerns about his children being influenced negatively as they grow older due to curiosity. He emphasized the importance of the committee organizing more activities and providing information to help parents better understand school and community matters.
Mrs. Zhao Xia responded to the various difficulties and needs faced by Asian parents, stating that the main purpose of the event was to listen to the opinions of different parents and bridge communication between parents and schools for the betterment of students.
One of the founders, Mr. Orlando Leon, explained that the ceremony aimed to raise awareness of the committee’s existence before the summer break and announced plans to organize more activities to enhance community support for Asian families.
Looking ahead, the Asian Parent Advisory Committee plans to host more events and welcomes everyone to participate in their activities.