San Francisco school superintendent called to testify before Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The superintendent of San Francisco public schools testified Wednesday before a congressional committee on education to address intense questioning regarding parental rights and classroom curriculum.  

Answering questions

What we know:

Superintendent Maria Su, alongside superintendents from Chicago and Virginia, answered questions from the 37-member House Committee on Education and the Workforce. 

The hearing, titled "Breaking Trust, Attacks on Parental Rights, Inappropriate Content and Legal Abuses in America's Schools," is led by committee chair Congressman Tim Walberg, a Republican from Michigan.  

San Francisco city leaders stated they expected the tone of the questioning from Republican members to be overtly political and confrontational.

 Officials noted the political goal of the committee’s Republican leadership is to highlight conflicts between California and San Francisco policies and the Trump administration's federal education policies.  

The hearing opened with remarks from Walberg, who focused heavily on the intersection of politics and public education. 

 "When classrooms become vehicles for political agendas, Congress has a responsibility to ask questions," Walberg said. "This is exactly why we are here today."

Su defended the role of the San Francisco Unified School District in her opening statement, emphasizing a commitment to core educational values and student safety.

"SFUSD does not seek... our role is education only," Su testified. "Every parent shares the same basic expectation: their child will be safe and supported. Hate, bullying and harassment have no place in our schools."

So far, the majority of the pointed questions from Republican committee members have been directed at the superintendents representing Chicago Public Schools and the public school system in Virginia. 

Diversity education

Dig deeper:

Lawmakers have primarily focused their inquiries on district policies regarding diversity education curriculum, transgender students, and parental notification procedures.  

Local community members are also present at the Capitol for the high-profile proceedings. 

Three members of the San Francisco Parents Coalition traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the hearing in person and show their support for Su. 

The organization sent video footage showing lines of people waiting to enter the hearing room.  

Cliff Yee, co-founder of the San Francisco Parent Coalition, expressed skepticism over the true intentions behind the congressional event.

"I am expecting a lot of political jabs," Yee said during a phone interview. "I feel like it's a distraction from the progress we've been making on outcomes."