Matt Haney

Age: 30

Occupation: Executive Director, UC Student Association

Education: BA, UC Berkeley; MA in Education, Stanford School of Education; JD, Stanford Law School; LLM in International Human Rights, National University of Ireland Galway

Neighborhood: Hayes Valley

Why are you running for School Board? I’m running for San Francisco Board of Education because public education is the most essential institution in our society. There is nothing more critical than ensuring that every young person receives a high-quality education that allows them to pursue their dreams and fulfill their potential. San Francisco public schools have made great strides in recent years, and there has been a lot of progress and exciting reforms and opportunities. Still, as one of the most innovative and progressive cities in the country, we know that we can and should do better. We still have one of the largest racial achievement gaps in the state, and many of our schools do not provide the level of education that we know all of our students deserve. Too many children are being left behind, and we can do a better job of accelerating learning for all of our students. I was raised in a middle class family and attended local Bay Area public schools. I’ve relied on public education to have the opportunities that I’ve had in my life. For that reason, I've been a part of the fight over the past ten years to ensure that the opportunities that have been available to me are available to the next generation as well. I bring the background, skills, experience and knowledge to provide the innovative, proactive, energetic leadership that our schools need.

Why should Mission residents vote for you? Mission residents should vote for me because I bring a unique combination of qualities to this race that would make me a strong leader and advocate on the Board of Education. Over the past ten years, as a graduate of Bay Area public schools, I have fought for public education as an educator, advocate, organizer, and policy analyst. I have an extensive understanding of the district and a deep understanding of the reality for students in our schools ... I brought thousands of dollars and hundreds of volunteers to San Francisco schools, including schools in the Mission District. I have been a mentor, tutor, and adviser at the elementary, middle and high school levels ... I worked as a Legislative Aide to State Senator Simitian focusing on education policy [and] an appointee to Attorney General Kamala Harris' Education and Truancy Work Group ... I will fight to support schools in the Mission District.