Jill Wynns for School BoardJill Wynns

Jill Wynns Provides National Leadership on the future of School De-Segregation and Student Assignment
The K-12 Access and Diversity Collaborative Braintrust

"In June of 2007, the U. S. Supreme Court rendered a landmark (and splintered) decision in PICS v. Seattle School District No. 1 regarding the circumstances in which school districts may voluntarily consider a student's race and ethnicity when making student assignment decisions. School districts throughout the nation must now address a number of key policy and legal questions regarding their race- and ethnicity-conscious practices that are affected by this decision. To help districts do so in legally and educationally appropriate ways, the National School Boards Association and the College Board have established the K-12 Access and Diversity Collaborative.

With legal and policy support provided by EducationCounsel LLC, the K-12 Collaborative will:

Oct. 27, 2004
San Francisco Bay Guardian

"Wynns has spent years as the board skeptic, asking the uncomfortable questions that needed asking and identifying legal and financial realities. In fact, she was the first person to point out that things were fishy under former superintendent Bill Rojas."

"Wynns has a depth of knowledge and a strength of commitment to San Francisco's public schools that can't be matched. She's a strong and effective parent advocate and a powerful ambassador for the public schools in the community."

San Francisco Chronicle endorses Wynns' 2004 re-election bid, October 21, 2004
The Chronicle Recommends A School Test for SF

"Jill Wynns is a peppery and outspoken maverick who has served 12 years on the board and deserves another term."

The New York Times quoted Jill in a September 2002 article on junk food in schools:

"The law requires your future customers to come to a place 180 days a year where they must watch and listen to your advertising messages exclusively. Your competitors are not allowed access to the market. The most important public institution in the lives of children and families gives its implied endorsement to your products. The police and schools enforce the requirement that the customers show up and stay for the show." ("Schools Teach 3C's: Candy, Cookies and Chips" by Jane Brody, Sept. 24, 2002)

San Francisco Chronicle endorses Wynns' 2000 re-election bid, 10/23/00
The Chronicle Recommends A Push for S.F. Schools

"One of the incumbents on the ballot has proven up to the job: Jill Wynns, who was asking hard questions when some of her colleagues were making excuses and looking the other way during the reign of former Superintendent Bill Rojas. While others were cozying up to the free-spending Rojas administration, Wynns was voting against fat consulting contracts and a 31 percent raise for the superintendent."

"She was clearly a thorn in the administration's side -- for a just cause. She has been a forceful advocate of a simpler and more transparent budgeting process that results in more dollars reaching the classroom."

"Wynns has earned another term."

San Francisco Chronicle endorses Wynns' 1996 re-election bid, 10/30/96
The Value of Parents on S.F. School Board

"Wynns, unlike many of her colleagues, has been an independent voice. ... Her good sense on issues ranging from school finance to reorganization have served the district well."

S.F. Chronicle - Ken Garcia opinion column 4/24/99
Yee-Haw -- Bill Rojas Hits the Road
Chief's tactics have left S.F. schools reeling

"Jill Wynns [has been] one of the few voices of reason on a body that has shown blind allegiance to almost all of Rojas' reckless maneuvers."

Advertising Age (national industry publication) column by Jill Wynns 6/7/99
Selling Students to Advertisers Sends the Wrong Message in the Classroom

"Education cannot be funded by potato chip contracts. Schools must have adequate funding. Every dollar invested in children today returns to us many times later. They'll pay your Social Security, write the books we'll read and make the world we hope to leave to our grandchildren."

S.F. Examiner news story 6/23/99
S.F. board bans cigarette makers' food products in high schools
By Anita Wadhwani

"The school board voted 5-2 early Wednesday morning to approve the Commercial Free Schools Act. The measure, introduced by board member Jill Wynns, not only bans the sale of tobacco industry-owned products, but also prohibits the use of all product brand names in textbooks and mandates that no student be required to wear a corporate logo for any school activity."

San Francisco Chronicle news story 11/25/99
S.F. School District's Hire Questioned Board president's domestic partner gets $60,000-a-year position
By Jonathan Curiel

"Calling it 'an outrageous example of nepotism,' critics challenged the San Francisco school board last night over the hiring of one board member's domestic partner for a job that pays more than $60,000 a year."

"... [Board member Dan] Kelly, board member Jill Wynns and three public speakers lambasted Del Moral's hiring. ... 'I think we ought to reopen this and have an open competition for the job,' Wynns said."

San Francisco Chronicle news story 9/29/00
S.F. Schools' Contract Process Under Probe
Bid-splitting practice bypasses board
By Nanette Asimov

"The city attorney is investigating whether the San Francisco Unified School District broke state law by paying millions of dollars to contractors without Board of Education approval, including $133,500 over eight months to a parking lot attendant."

"It is part of a larger probe that focuses on the 'bid-splitting'' practice, as well as favoritism in awarding contracts and hiring consultants who act as employees."

"Veteran school board member Jill Wynns, known for questioning most expenses and voting against contracts if little information is provided about them, said she is incensed about the seeming pattern of deception. It was she who pushed the district to provide a list of contracts $15,000 and below."

San Francisco Chronicle news story 10/21/00
District's Fiscal Responsibility Drives S.F. School Board Race
By Nanette Asimov

"Wynns ... has long opposed contracts for consultants who do the work of employees, now a discredited practice. Often aligned with just one or two others on the board, she opposed expensive projects promoted by former Superintendent Bill Rojas. Wynns [is] described by parents and teachers as a voice of fiscal reason."

S.F. Chronicle editorial 5/11/01

"Board of Education member Jill Wynns voted against the past budget because of missing numbers, but lost to a see-no-evil majority."

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Debra J. Saunders 5/17/01
Referring to former SFUSD Superintendent Bill Rojas:

"[Dan] Kelly and Wynns got wise to Rojas and his free-spending ways before he left the district. They tried to stop the types of practices that the FBI and the city attorney now are investigating. The two even came before The Chronicle editorial board in 1999 to take on Rojas for buying a $7.8 million building the school district didn't need."

S.F. Chronicle editorial 10/11/02

"A new school board led by a tough-minded president, Jill Wynns, took charge in the wake of Rojas. Finances and morale have stabilized. So far, so good. ... A new school administration is in charge, replacing one that did nothing but promote itself."

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