Board elects Commissioner Moliga vice president after heated public comment and debate

The San Francisco Board of Education elected Commissioner Moliga as vice president for the remainder of the 2021 term following extensive public comment about restorative justice and board leadership.

The meeting opened with nominations for vice president; Commissioner Lam formally nominated Commissioner Moliga. A number of callers during the public-comment period urged the board to apply restorative practices before changing leadership, and some asked that Commissioner Allison Collins be restored or that the board delay any vote. Student delegates and community members pressed for deliberation, while other speakers urged the board to move ahead so the governance team could focus on reopening schools and the budget.

Commissioner Bogus moved to postpone the vote to allow more time for input; that motion went to a roll-call vote and failed. The board then conducted a roll-call vote on Moliga's nomination. The clerk announced the nomination passed with six ayes and Commissioner Moliga was declared vice president for the remainder of the 2021 year.

The debate leading up to the vote included substantive accusations and defenses. Commissioner Collins said she had witnessed multiple instances where she believed Commissioner Moliga undermined the leadership of women on the board and raised concerns about tweets and meeting preparation. Commissioner Moliga denied those allegations and said he was focused on getting students back to school and on the budget.

President Lopez noted the intensity of public interest in the selection and said the board would continue to work on governance practices and to listen to community concerns. The election was followed immediately by regular agenda items and district business.

Vote details: the board took a roll-call vote on the postponement motion (which failed) and then on the nomination. The clerk recorded the roll calls in open session.