Mayor London Breed has appointed a new member to the Board of Education, after the president abruptly resigned amid a serious fiscal crisis at the San Francisco Unified School District.
Phil Kim, a 34-year-old educator, was sworn in by Breed on Friday afternoon at City Hall. Kim vowed to put children first as the district navigates low enrollment, financial deficits, and upcoming school closures.
“There are some really tough decisions coming down the pipeline,” Kim said in an interview. “The board needs to think through them hard.”
Kim, who has a decade of experience in education, previously ran for a spot on the school board and has worked in both the charter school system and San Francisco Unified School District. His most recent job was at the school district, in charge of the so-called “Resource Alignment Initiative,” which handles the upcoming school closures. He has resigned from that position to serve on the school board.
“My role, both as a former staffer and now as a commissioner, is to ensure that we’re building the best possible conditions for our students,” Kim said. “That commitment has not changed.”
Many supporters of Kim attended the swearing-in, including state Sen. Scott Wiener, City Attorney David Chiu, and supervisors and school board members.
Lainie Motamedi resigned Friday as board president, citing health and personal reasons. She was appointed by Breed in 2022, following the recalls of three board members, and was elected to a full term the same year. Kim will serve the remainder of Motamedi’s term and will face an election in 2026.
Breed delivered an emotional speech for Motamedi, praising her leadership in helping to improve the school district.
However, the United Educators of San Francisco is not pleased with Kim’s appointment.
“At the most critical point in the process to potentially close schools and rearrange programs, Phil Kim will abandon that position to be appointed to the Board of Education,” the union said in a statement.
Union leaders criticized Breed for making the decision without their input and expressed particular concern about Kim’s background at charter schools.
The district is expected to announce school closure updates in mid-September, sure to stir up more chaos in the embattled district. District leadership is scheduled to provide an update on the closures Tuesday, and the teachers union is planning a protest at the same time.