Our Stories

I’m a Black single mother, I live in Ingleside in transitional housing trying to find something stable; my son’s in 5th grade. 

When COVID came, we were working on getting him caught up because he had fallen behind. But then shelter-in-place came. Next thing I knew, they said no more school until after the summer. 

I put him at a hub but, he didn’t get help with his work, he can’t focus there and he’s getting further behind. I thought there would be some teachers there to help, so I took him out and I’m gonna try to help him at home. I plan on going to work one day. But I’m not going to be able to start a job right now. I don’t have the help with him because I’m a single mom; I’d end up getting fired.

Before covid, the pace was good at school, he was so happy to go every day. He was motivated, and popular with the kids and teachers. It's just so messed up. He’s lost his motivation, his self-esteem is down, and he’s having depression. He’s gained 20 pounds since March and he’s only 10 years old.

It’s killing me inside; I’m already trying to find a place to live, and dealing with my own stress too. 

I would like for my son to be able to go back to school. He asks me all the time, Are we going back to school, mom? His hopes were up real high. I keep telling him I don’t know.

My name is Verónica, mother of four children. Three of them attend Moscone Elementary and one at Lowell High School. 

I am sharing my story with the hope that the schools will reopen as soon as we are allowed. Stress and anxiety have taken hold of my children. My youngest son when it comes time to connect to his after-school program just bites his nails and begs me not to connect anymore. He is only five years old and needs movement, it is incredible that he spends four hours in front of the screen. My fifth grader is always anxious and his appetite has decreased. I have also seen my high school daughter suffer, she has lost weight and neglected her personal hygiene. When the online school started I was rehabilitating from a herniated disc and had stopped taking pain pills and with the online school I had to go back to them to be able to be pain free and support my children. 

For me it is crucial that my children return to school not only for their physical and emotional health but for that of the whole family. Last week the teachers of my two young children talked with the children about the possibility of going back to school, they are super happy, every day they see on the calendar how many days are left to see their friends and teachers. 

Please urge SFUSD to do whatever it takes to have schools reopen as soon as possible by not letting policy come before our children. Thank you very much in advance.

My name is Mei. I'm a Chinese mom, I live in Excelsior neighborhood. 

I am sharing my story in the hope that you will help get the public schools open. In the past, besides taking care of my children and being a family, I also had to work. Now I am still doing the same thing, but I have to learn to be a teacher. I have a fourth grade, a first grade, and a kindergarten kid. 

My kindergarten child has learning problems. We have been practicing with teachers and the school district, hoping to find a way to help her. She has an IEP and she needs extra help, but we wasted a lot of time here. It is very hard for her to focus and sit down for the whole lesson every day. 

We can’t wait any longer. Their learning should not be dragged down because the school is closed. This is too unfair for them. Parents do whatever we can for our children, but we can’t give them a suitable learning environment. We can't recover this lost time for them. I don’t know how many families like me are under the pressure of work and family every day, and also worry about the decline of their children’s grades day by day.

Please please urge the district to do better, to have a plan, to be ready to reopen schools when we get out of this surge. Our children trust us to protect their future, we're failing them if we continue to keep schools closed. School is essential for my children; I am doing my best but I am not a real teacher. Please let them go back.

My name is Lucía, I have a 10-year-old son at Lawton School and I want to express my deep concern for my son, first for his psychological and emotional health and then for his academic education. 

With the new online education regulations my son is not learning and he spends more time frustrated because they do not have a good internet connection and he loses parts of his class and that generates frustration and anger. 

My son spends 5 to 6 hours in front of the screen, he also has to do homework and group work, which gives a total of 6 to 7 hours a day on the computer and that is already having serious consequences in the development of my son.

Additionally, many times my son has to stay alone because we have to work, this has me really worried. We as an immigrant family do not have any help from the government. I have not received any help from any agency, so my husband and I have to find where to work because the rent and the payment of the bills have not stopped.

On behalf of many families who are going through the same situation, we ask you to give us solutions, there must be alternatives. Do not ask us to stay locked in while the big stores like Target, Walmart and all the shopping centers are still open. While educational institutions, libraries and parks are closed. Please explain to me how COVID is not a problem for stores and shopping centers but for schools.

My name is Varlander and I’m a childcare provider in the Bayview. The families I serve are having a hard time with distance learning. 

The children are displaying anger, they are starting to lose interest in participating, and they are showing difficulty learning. When asked what they did in their class, they cannot tell you. They cannot focus anymore. They are bored, do not understand what they are doing, often confused and irritated. They want to go back to school

Two of the parents are from working families who have forgone income to help homeschool. Not going to work is very hard on them and their income. We need an accelerated timeline and better safety measures for the safe return to school. If it is ok for children to be in daycare all day, why is it not ok for children to return to school? Other child care providers and mine have been open since June. Why can’t the schools open and do the same that we as providers are doing to keep the children safe every day. 

Please help these families get their children back in school ASAP. The children are going to lose it if we don’t do something now. Children can wear masks just as the little ones do now in childcare and sanitize their hands just as we do and wash their hands just as we do. It is not hard to do with a little supervision.

Thank you for all your time and consideration and your continued hard work in supporting San Francisco families.