The cost of sunshine

Schools inch away from secrecy

By Matthew Hirsch

Two members of the San Francisco Board of Education who have criticized the schools superintendent for being secretive gave the nod to a proposed open government policy at a Dec. 5 budget committee meeting. They did so despite a memo from Superintendent Arlene Ackerman's office that said the policy, which is similar to San Francisco's Sunshine Ordinance, would cost the cash-strapped district more than $40,000.

By voting for the open government policy, Sarah Lipson and Norman Yee moved to promote more transparent decision-making at the school district. A separate rules committee must still approve the policy before the school board can vote on it.

Jill Wynns, who cast a dissenting vote, told the Bay Guardian she generally supports sunshine but said the school board can't afford it this year. "I'm not voting for anything that costs money," she said.

The $40,000 price tag includes a secretary's part-time salary, plus additional staff time and a new voice recording system for school board meetings – none of which are overtly required by the ordinance. The superintendent's memo, written by chief development officer Matthew Kelemen, said there could also be additional costs the district couldn't immediately calculate.

Some sunshine advocates don't believe the district's cost estimates, and several public officials we contacted for this story said it's unusual for public agencies to budget for sunshine compliance in this way. But sunshine advocates say it's hardly worth challenging the cost estimate, which amounts to less than $1 per student.

"Even if it goes up to $50,000," Rick Knee, a member of the San Francisco sunshine task force, told us, "that's still a bargain." E-mail Matthew Hirsch at matthew@sfbg.com.