Editor:

What does the closure of the Upper Great Highway and the SFUSD Algebra I debacle have in common?

You might think these two things have little to do with each other but at the core is arrogance from those who don’t understand the consequences of their policies.

The district told me colleges shouldn’t look at high school calculus. Well, that’s nice. Many do. The politicians had no idea what they were talking about and offered nonsensical alternative solutions.

I saw similar dismissive attitudes with the Proposition K campaign. “Just drive around,” said proponents, many who don’t live there. 

When people’s lives are made more difficult, they get upset. When a parent sees their child is not getting access to classes they need, attend schools across the City but then the roads are closed and they are dismissed with, “Hey, ride a bike, take Muni, walk!” they become frustrated.

What about the children in this City who can’t ride a bike? Has the Bike Coalition done outreach to teach them? As for Muni. How long was the L-Taraval out of service? How long did it take for the Chinatown extension to be built? Walking is not feasible if you don’t have neighborhood schools. 

There is a lot of utopian talk about “someday” while people are trying to live in the now. They need to educate their children, they need to get to school and then to work. When they explain their problems, they are dismissed as if they are toddlers having a tantrum. The politicians after all know better and if you just listen to them all will be well. 

That didn’t work with Algebra I. I won’t bore you with the years I spent standing on the corner with my metaphorical “REPENT” sandwich board.

I hope it doesn’t take 10 years for people to understand that closing main arteries people use to live their lives is not a good idea. I can’t stand driving. After 15 years of driving all over this City when my children were in SFUSD, driving is my very last resort. However, we have a miserable public transit system. I had to laugh when I read about the yet again proposed Geary underground extension. They might start in 15 YEARS? Are you kidding me? Build the infrastructure first and then close the roads. 

The Proposition K proponents were asking the residents of the Sunset to trust them. Just as the district was asking me to trust them. I didn’t trust the district and I don’t trust the City to “fix the lights” or whatever solution they are proposing as an alternative. 

Supervisor Engardio’s “We are on the right side of history” concession speech was very similar to then Superintendent Carranza’s insistence in 2014 that San Francisco was right to delay Algebra I. How did that work out?

I hope the City stops treating their citizens as the enemy and dials back the gaslighting.  

Maya Keshavan