Centering girls voices at San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD)

Inspired by the work at OUSD, in 2017 SFUSD partnered with AFG to implement the Meeting Girls Needs Initiative (MGNI) at SFUSD. Beginning with research, we published the Girls Leading Change: The Lived Experience of Girls of Color in SFUSD (2018) report and collaborated with over 13 district, school and community leaders, girl leaders, and five member organizations, including About Face and the Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco to engage the 100 community members. This work resulted in the adoption of two policies and practices recommendations by the SFUSD School Board of Directors. 

From 2018-2019, we worked closely with our SFUSD girl leaders and SFUSD administration to institutionalize and implement the girl-centered recommendations in order to create a safer school environment for girls. AFG and our SFUSD girl leaders worked with the SFUSD Board to incorporate the girls’ voices and experiences into the SFUSD Board Policy on Safe and Health Boundaries, Board Policy 4019.1 - All Personnel - Professional Adult/Student Boundaries training. During the school year, AFG supported the execution of a girl-led training for T-10 Officers focusing on girls’ needs and how best to maintain professional adult to student boundaries. In addition, we engaged SF organizations and SFUSD girls around the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SFUSD and San Francisco Police Department. Community and girl recommendations were included into the MoU for the school year to ensure student safety, especially the safety of girls of color at SFUSD, as prioritized and protected.

Furthermore, AFG worked closely with About Face and 11 girl leaders from SFUSD to develop media tools, including a podcast, focusing on Title IX rights and key resources to be shared with the SFUSD community.

For more information about MGNI SFUSD, please refer to AFG’s 2018-2019 SFUSD Bright Spot Analysis.