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Roger Sinasohn
Roger Sinasohn ran for election to the San Francisco Unified Board of Education in California. He lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Sinasohn completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Sinasohn studied computer science at City College of San Francisco. He works as a software developer.[2]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for San Francisco Unified Board of Education (3 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for San Francisco Unified Board of Education on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Alison Collins (Nonpartisan) | 15.0 | 122,865 | |
| ✔ |  | Gabriela Lopez (Nonpartisan) | 13.7 | 112,299 |
| ✔ |  | Faauuga Moliga (Nonpartisan)  | 13.2 | 107,989 |
 | Phil Kim (Nonpartisan) | 9.3 | 76,017 | |
| Michelle Parker (Nonpartisan) | 8.0 | 65,740 | ||
| Li Miao Lovett (Nonpartisan) | 7.5 | 61,412 | ||
| John Trasvina (Nonpartisan) | 5.7 | 46,601 | ||
 | Alida Fisher (Nonpartisan) | 4.6 | 37,735 | |
| Monica Chinchilla (Nonpartisan) | 4.2 | 34,193 | ||
| Lenette Thompson (Nonpartisan) | 3.7 | 30,496 | ||
| Josephine Zhao (Nonpartisan) | 3.4 | 27,761 | ||
| Mia Satya (Nonpartisan) | 2.1 | 17,540 | ||
| Paul Kangas (Nonpartisan) | 1.7 | 13,967 | ||
| Darron Padilla (Nonpartisan) | 1.6 | 12,950 | ||
 | Martin Rawlings-Fein (Nonpartisan) | 1.5 | 12,439 | |
| Connor Krone (Nonpartisan) | 1.5 | 12,251 | ||
 | Roger Sinasohn (Nonpartisan) | 1.5 | 12,018 | |
 | Lex Leifheit (Nonpartisan) | 1.2 | 9,605 | |
| Phillip House (Nonpartisan) | 0.3 | 2,491 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 1,551 | ||
| Total votes: 817,920 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Roger Sinasohn completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sinasohn's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
1. Address the achievement gap by ensuring equity across all schools. We must make certain that all schools are providing students the resources and support they need to succeed. 2. Expand support for STEAM subjects both as part of the daily curriculum and as extra-curricular activities. Sports are a powerful motivator for many students, but there are many students who are motivated by drama, music, engineering, and technology. 3. Make the SFUSD the standard bearer for diversity, going beyond tolerance, beyond acceptance, to celebration. We will express these values in budgets, disciplinary policies, and staff and teacher recruitment. Together we can make sure that happens.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I want to address the opportunity gap that has affected so many of our most vulnerable students. I want to work toward funding equity, especially in terms of community fundraising to ensure that all schools have the resources they need regardless of the district's ability to fund the schools adequately. I also want to support and expand STEAM subjects -- arts and technology -- both in the daily curriculum and as extra-curricular activities. These subjects should be put on a par with sports; while many students see sports as an important motivator, so too do many students find their inspiration to do well in school.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
There are many people I admire and look to for inspiration and guidance. First and foremost is my own father who came to America alone and orphaned as a refugee at age 12. His hard work and perseverance in the face continued hardship keeps me going when I face my own challenges and his dedication to his children and his community spurs my own. In addition, I admire the commitment shown by Edie Windsor in fighting for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and strive to likewise fight for those whose rights are being taken away. Marc Benioff has set a great example of taking one's own good fortune and place of privilege and using it to better the community. Lastly, Barack Obama has been a model of grace and poise, even in the face of the harshest, most racist attacks.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
The simplest way to understand my point of view is the old saying: "We're all in this together." Our society should not be "every man for himself" or "this is mine; you get your own" but instead the notion of "it takes a village."
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
I believe that elected officials should want to do the job to help the people that they represent, regardless of their own personal outcome. I respect commitment to what one's beliefs and empathy for others.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I am not looking for fame or fortune, nor am I interested in furthering my political career. I have no interest in any other public office. I have a knack for being able to see all sides of a discussion and in getting others to undersand contrasting points of view. I have considerable experience in the education world and with the SFUSD in particular and have a vested interest in the success of our school district.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
Members of the Board of Education must, first and foremost, work to make sure that our schools are a safe and supportive environment for our students where every child has every opportunity they need to succeed academically and socially. This includes supporting our teachers, administrators, and staff. Lastly, the Board must act responsibly, ensuring that the public's funds are well-spent and do the most good.
What legacy would you like to leave?
I would like to ensure that every school is seen as equally desirable and that every student succeeds through graduation and beyond. I would also like to see every middle and high school have technology-oriented extra-curricular activities as well as a strong and vibrant arts community.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
I remember rooting for Richard Nixon -- because he had an X in his name and I thought that was cool. Fortunately, I was only 7 years old and by the time I could vote I had learned that honesty and morality were more important qualities in a candidate. I also remember the assassination of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. At the time I heard more about Mayor Moscone -- he was an friend of my parents -- but have since also come to admire Harvey Milk for the great man he was.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
My first job was adding up rows and columns of numbers in my parent's office to check my father's work. My dad was a CPA and we kids were put to work early on, filing, answering the telephone, making copies (and coffee), and other general office tasks. Since then, I held many jobs including photocopying book proofs, doing construction, teaching swimming, flipping burgers, and doing data entry. For the last 35 years, I have been a software developer, with the last 14 spent working with school districts and county offices of education around the state.
What happened on your most awkward date?
It was pouring rain. I ran through the parking lot to bring the car around while my date waited in the shelter of the restaurant's foyer. When I got to the car, my glasses were soaked so I put them on the seat next to me, intending to wipe them off after we were both in the car. My date sat on them. So, of course, I married her.
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
I love Thanksgiving. It is a time when we can gather with those who mean the most to us and reflect on what is important and what we are most thankful for.
What is your favorite book? Why?
The Martian, by Andy Weir, is quite simply the best book ever written. I love that Weir was able to craft an exciting, thrilling, funny, captivating story with virtually no violence that focuses on the power of intellect and education to save the day.
If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?
Elmer Elevator from the book "My Father's Dragon" by Ruth Stiles Gannett. I love the idea of striking out on an epic adventure based on a tale told by a talking cat. Or maybe Tom Swift, Jr.
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
My kids. They continue to make me more proud than any man has a right to be. They amaze me on a daily basis with their compassion and cleverness and competency.
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Since I almost always have music playing, it's hard to get a single song stuck in my head. I will say that when we got a minivan, the obvious choice for a license plate was "K.265"; I used to sing that to my kids all the time when they were little.
What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?
Members of the Board of Education must, first and foremost, work to make sure that our schools are a safe and supportive environment for our students where every child has every opportunity they need to succeed academically and socially. This includes supporting our teachers, administrators, and staff. Lastly, the Board must act responsibly, ensuring that the public's funds are well-spent and do the most good.
Who are your constituents?
My primary responsibility is to the children of San Francisco. Secondarily, I am responsible to the district's teachers, administrators, and staff. Lastly, I have a responsibility to the voters to make sure that their school district is performing the best it can.
How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?
I am a strong supporter of community schools where the school addresses all the issues that might otherwise prevent students from succeeding. This includes offering early childhood education, encouraging family engagement, and providing a wide array of health and social supports in partnership with community programs and organizations.
How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?
I will work with community organizations, teachers, and parents to identify opportunities for improvement in our schools and ways we can better serve our students, especially our most vulnerable students.
What will you do to build a better relationship with parents in the district? What plans do you have to be inclusive of parental involvement?
I strongly believe that parents are the most important factor in determining a child's academic success. I absolutely want to include parents as they are, in many cases, the voices of those we serve -- their children.
Do you believe it is important to intentionally recruit with the aim of diversifying the district’s faculty, staff, and administration? If so, what would be your policy to achieve this?
It is extremely important to recruit with the intent of diversifying the district's teachers, administrators, and staff. Children need to see authority figures who represent them as well as getting to know adults whose culture, customs, and background are different from their own.
What issues get in the way of quality education? How would you address these obstacles?
The perpetual lack of adequate funding is always an issue, but so too is the fundraising inequity seen where some schools raise hundreds of thousands of dollars while others are lucky to raise a few thousand. I plan to implement a system of "Buddy Schools" where a school that does well at fundraising is paired with a school that is less successful to provide inspiration, share knowledge, and build community. In addition, there are other issues, external to the district that can prevent students from being able to learn -- fear of deportation is one such example. I believe every school should have a full-time counselor/social worker in addition to other services for the students and their families; we need community schools that provide a holistic set of educational supports.
What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?
Good teaching involves knowing your students and their individual needs and providing differentiated instruction to match their level and learning style. Teachers need ongoing professional development to keep up with the latest techniques and best practices.
What type of skills should students be learning for success in the 21st century?
Students need to have an understanding of technology and mathematics, of course, but as we transition to a more global society they will need a sweeping set of experiences, especially in the arts. As people, it is through our art that we connect across cultures and we need to make sure our students have the ability to speak many artistic languages.
How might you improve the value of a high school diploma? What should a 21st century diploma reflect?
Students need a well-rounded education that includes all aspects of STEAM, especially the arts. Colleges and employers are not looking for robots but candidates with a broad array of experiences. The MIT admissions website describes their ideal candidates, saying they "want each to add something useful or intriguing to the team, from a wonderful temperament or sense of humor to compelling personal experiences, to a wide range of individual gifts, talents, interests, and achievements." We, as a district, must ensure that our students can fit that description.
In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?
I plan to ensure adequate opportunities for arts and technology education and experiences, both in the daily curriculum and as extra-curricular activities. We put a lot of time and energy ? and money ? into sports in school. That's great for those students for whom sports is a strong motivator but we can't forget that there are students who find the same compelling interest in drama, music, dance, visual arts, debate and journalism, as well as in technology, engineering, and science. For many kids, STEAM subjects are what motivates them. We need to ensure that all students are given the support they need to succeed and access to the subjects that interest them.
What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?
The perpetual lack of adequate funding is always an issue, but so too is the fundraising inequity seen where some schools raise hundreds of thousands of dollars while others are lucky to raise a few thousand. I plan to implement a system of "Buddy Schools" where a school that does well at fundraising is paired with a school that is less successful to provide inspiration, share knowledge, and build community.
What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?
My father came to America alone and orphaned as a refugee at age 12. I strongly believe we must treat everyone equally and support those most in need. I will work to ensure that there is zero tolerance for discrimination and bullying, whether due to race, religion, differing needs, gender expression, or any other quality. I will strive to make the SFUSD the standard bearer for diversity, going beyond tolerance, beyond acceptance, to celebration.
How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?
I believe every school should have a full-time counselor/social worker. I also support providing programs such as yoga and relaxation areas. We need to make sure we have supports in place to address a broad spectrum of issues including depression, sexual harassment, family issues, and drug, tobacco, and alcohol abuse.
What role do you imagine technology playing in (and outside) the classroom in the future? How would you prepare the district for this?
Technology can be a powerful tool for teaching. We need to continually evaluate the best practices for its use in the classroom.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
My political philosophy has always been simple: We're all in this together. I decided to run for office because I have been extremely uncomfortable with the differences I saw between the schools my kids attended (in high-income neighborhoods) and the school where my wife teaches (low-income, high-immigrant population) and could no longer sit idly by. In addition, ever since the 2016 presidential election, I've felt that we all need to step up and do our part to save democracy and the United States. Serving on the Board of Education is how I feel I can best do that. |
” |
| —Roger Sinasohn[2] | ||
See also
- San Francisco Unified School District, California
- San Francisco Unified School District elections (2018)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ San Francisco Department of Elections, "Candidates," accessed October 9, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Information submitted on Ballotpedia’s biographical information submission form on October 24, 2018
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| San Francisco Unified School District elections in 2018 | |
| San Francisco County, California | |
| Election date: | November 6, 2018 |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
