The financially struggling San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) has directed nearly $400,000 toward a controversial “ethnic studies” consultant whose focus seems more on defunding the police and critiquing capitalism than on addressing the district’s poor academic performance.
With looming school closures and severe budget shortfalls, SFUSD established taxpayer-funded contracts with several groups, including Liberatory Visionaries Curriculum and the University of California, Berkeley’s History and Social Science Project. Notably, one of the activists, Allison Tintianco-Cuvares, has characterized classrooms as “battlefields” for educators.
The district has allocated $260,000 for professional development sessions scheduled from 2022 to 2025. These sessions reportedly cover topics like “moving beyond the police system,” drug education, and even crafting anti-capitalist signs as classroom projects.
Meanwhile, a lesson plan promoted includes “A 10-Step Guide to Designing Political Graphics” and a course on “Abolition and Disability Justice,” which claims capitalism is a significant issue.
Another contractor, Liberatory Visionaries Curriculum, founded by ethnic studies expert Asia Ojole Bomani, received $55,000 to create the district’s ethnic studies curriculum this year.
A notable contract, worth $10,000, was approved for promoting a controversial textbook she co-authored, described as a “history of righteous resistance and rebellion.”
Critics have denounced SFUSD’s ethnic studies classes as “unvetted and illegal.”
Facing financial scrutiny for the past two years, SFUSD reportedly continues to deal with serious financial obstacles, including a projected $26 million deficit by 2028. Last year’s academic data revealed that only 41% of eighth graders were proficient in math, significantly below the 65% goal, and reading comprehension for third graders was just 51.8%.
Budget documents indicate that Tintianco-Cubales, another consultant, has received over $270,000 from SFUSD and the Department of Children, Youth and Families since 2019 through two organizations aimed at promoting educated activism.
Her initiative, Community Responsive Education, posits that education should be a tool for liberation and critical consciousness among students.
Tintianco-Cuvares has noted in the past, “We teach critical race studies … and we are very clear about that.”
Details in a contract reveal she was paid $16,000 between 2018 and 2020 for efforts at Malcolm X Academy, where proficiency in reading is just 13%. Her organization secured $38,000 for anti-racism training funding from 2019 to 2024.
SFUSD’s ethnic studies curriculum has come under fire, with Superintendent Maria Hsu facing legislative questions regarding the district’s notification policies to parents.
This year, SFUSD invested $7 million on a textbook titled “Voices: An Ethnic Studies Survey,” which critics argue fosters political ideology rather than equipping students for higher education. One recently taught class made contentious assertions, calling China’s Red Guards a “social movement” and questioning American legitimacy, resulting in public backlash and its eventual withdrawal.
Parents are expressing outrage over what they see as misguided spending on ethnic studies, stating it reflects misplaced priorities. Despite pushback from some parents, SFUSD mandated the Voices textbooks for ninth graders for two years.
These materials are said to heavily quote Marxist philosopher Paulo Freire, known for his socialist views. Some educators have opted to create their ethnic studies lessons.
Parents like Sara Stettler have criticized the curriculum for including an “identity wheel” that rates students by privilege and makes questionable claims about various racial groups.
Stettler remarked, “Many teachers are using them to teach extreme views as fact. They’re brainwashing many children, and they’re of no use.”
She argues that the district should redirect funds to effective literacy programs, such as tutoring initiatives, which have been shown to rapidly improve reading skills.
“Currently, student proficiency is abysmal, and every moment in class is crucial,” she added.
Additionally, parent activist Liz Lee pointed out that ninth graders are required to take a two-semester ethnic studies class that doesn’t fulfill University of California graduation criteria, while more traditional classes have been cut. She questioned the value of lessons that advocate dismantling capitalism.
