The Decline of Meritocracy in America’s Public Schools Today Started in San Francisco In 2006, a consequential battle was raging in the heart of San Francisco for the soul of its public schools. On one side was Dr. Arlene Ackerman, the district’s first African American female superintendent and a graduate of Harris-Stowe Teachers College in St. Louis and Harvard University. She had tirelessly driven five straight years of test score gains across all racial cohorts. From 2004 to 2006, SFUSD was also the top performing urban school district in California, and in 2005 was nominated as a top 5 urban school district in the country by the Broad Foundation. For extra measure, during her first year on the job Dr. Ackerman exposed corruption in the school district, leading to more than $43 million in recoveries for public schools. In any other city, a statue would be made in her honor. But in San Francisco, she was fired. Opposing Dr. Ackerman were San Francisco progressives, in alliance with the teachers’ union. Their arguments for her dismissal centered around a vague accusation over her “confrontational style.” Ultimately, the progressives and teachers’ union won. On her way out, they refused her $170,000 in unpaid benefits while public figures and union leaders worked to tarnish her reputation. I was there. From 2003 until my high school graduation in 2006, I sat on the Board of Education advocating for student interests. I often found myself wondering how our meetings focused more on distracting pet causes such as “banning irradiated meats” and “banning ROTC” than on the nuts and bolts of running a complex school system such as balancing the budget and holding teachers and schools accountable for student performance. Staff time and district resources were wasted trying to earn national headlines for progressive politicians aiming for higher office, rather than in serving students who needed help the most. Afterwards, progressives and the local teachers union were the dominant force in San Francisco politics and in leading public schools. While centrists and moderates such as Jill Wynns and Dan Kelly were pushed out, several progressive school board members such as Jane Kim served on the Board of Supervisors from 2011-2019 and Hydra Mendoza became an advisor to Gavin Newsom. Meanwhile, students suffered and families with means left the district. Since 2006, SFUSD’s enrollment fell from 55,000 to 49,000 by 2023, and math proficiency for Black students dropped to 16% in 2022, per state data. The district never again reclaimed its place as a top urban school district in California. Instead, under the leadership of the teachers union and progressives, magnet programs such as Lowell High School and Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, my alma mater, were constantly threatened and public school students were prevented from taking algebra in 8th grade. Lacking a realistic understanding of how the world works and how to run a complicated educational bureaucracy, the progressive-led school district has faced ongoing challenges including budget deficits, declining enrollment, and achievement gaps. For example, SFUSD’s 2023 $400 million deficit forced school closures. Around that time, I also saw how the district repurposed funds clearly promised for one thing such as facilities improvements to hide problems in other areas such as the budget shortfall. The sad truth is that more money will not solve these persistent, entrenched problems in the school district without new leadership. For three years while on the SFUSD Board of Education, I saw Dr. Ackerman fight impossible battles to help all students in the school district improve. I saw one of the most inspiring educators of my lifetime kicked to the curb because not enough community members, parents and responsible adults stood up for her in the same way she stood up for us. Mark Sanchez, a core leader in Dr. Ackerman’s departure from SFUSD, returned to the Board of Education in 2020. I also saw how the toxic mentality led by San Francisco progressives eventually spread around the country, influencing Seattle Public School’s 2024 shutdown of gifted programs, and changing the merit focus of magnet schools such as Thomas Jefferson High School in Virginia. A top mayoral candidate of New York City is advocating severe changes to some of the top public magnet schools in the country. The erosion of magnet programs and advanced coursework risks undermining America’s competitiveness, as fewer students access STEM pathways – particularly students who cannot afford private or supplementary programs outside public schools. Despite five straight years of clear results, we abandoned Dr. Ackerman and the moderates of the San Francisco board in their fight for children against anti-merit progressives and political forces. Children are still facing the consequences to this day, while problems in education will likely show up in society long into the future. To rebuild, we must restore meritocracy as the cornerstone of education policy, nurturing and empowering leaders who prioritize measurable outcomes over politics. Without this, the cracks in our education system will deepen, threatening United States competitiveness for generations.