EDITORIAL

After all the community protests, the press conferences, the furious parents waiting patiently for a few minutes to speak about saving their community schools, the San Francisco School Board made a series of moves Jan. 19 to close and consolidate schools that saved all of $2.5 million.

It's not enough to stave off the district's financial problems (especially given the difficult contract talks with the teacher's union this spring). Which means the odds are the same ugly scenario will be played out again next year.

That's the one part of the whole awful situation that simply can't be repeated.

The school district is losing students. A lot of the reason is rooted in the cost of housing in San Francisco and the flight of families, and the school board can't stop that. But it can make parents in the city feel comfortable with the public schools, and this sort of annual political fiasco isn't helping a bit.

The board needs to initiate a long-range planning process for school buildings – now. A task force of parents, teachers, and principals ought to be created today, and that group should hold a series of public hearings this spring to solicit input on addressing the problem of declining enrollment.

There are no easy, quick fixes, and it does no good to just blame the governor and hope somehow Sacramento will come to its senses and adequately fund all California schools. But there are plenty of creative ideas out there (including creative new revenue ideas). And before the administration releases yet another death list, the public needs to have a chance to fully comprehend the problem and offer alternatives – in public.

This has to be the top priority for the next superintendent. The public schools simply can't function like this anymore.