SF Parents Member Agreement

SF Parent Coalition is committed to fostering a supportive, safe, and welcoming environment for all who are interested in joining regardless of race, ethnic origin, language, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, physical ability, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, parenting status, age, national origin, nationality, immigration status, economic power, religion or lack thereof, level of political involvement, or other identity marker.

Respect Inside a Big Tent

SF Parents is open to anyone who supports our mission to center the needs of children and youth in San Francisco public schools by bringing together a diverse network of parents and caregivers to advocate for a thriving, equitable school system. As such, we are a big tent that embraces people from across every walk of life and part of the San Francisco political spectrum. We are committed to creating and promoting an environment where all members of the organization treat one another with dignity and respect. All members must understand that discrimination, bullying, or harassment of others is not tolerated.

• We expect members to be civil and courteous to each other both in person and in digital spaces, whether provided by SF Parents or other spaces where you are representing SF Parents. We ask that our members and those who organize with us direct strong feelings at problems and ideas, not individuals.
• Debate around policies and strategy in service of the wellbeing of San Francisco public school students is encouraged in our spaces. However, assume that all comments are made in good faith. Be respectful, use healthy forms of discourse, and be open to new ideas.
• Ask for consent when using the images or words of others. Be respectful of their privacy.
• Publishing information, images or comments about other people’s children is NEVER OKAY without the parent/caregiver’s consent.

Bullying Definition 

• SF Parents defines bullying as behavior that is offensive, intimidating, malicious, or insulting, and includes abuse and misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient. Bullying does not need to be deliberate: a person may be demonstrating bullying behavior that falls within the above definition, without intention. Whether intentional or unintentional, bullying is unacceptable and will not be tolerated, as it often causes embarrassment, fear, humiliation, or distress to an individual or a broader group of participants. Bullying often results from a misuse of individual power derived from perceived status/position, physical strength, or force of personality. It can also arise from collective power created by the strength of numbers. 

Harassment Definition 

• SF Parents defines harassment as any unwelcome verbal or physical behavior, including sexual advances, when the unwanted conduct has the purpose or effect of either violating another person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. Harassment does not need to be deliberate; a person can be harassing another person without a specific intent to harm, and/or may be unaware of the impact. In some situations, the harassing conduct is so serious that a single incident may constitute unacceptable behavior. At other times, the conduct may become harassment if it is repeated or sustained. 
• The following list provides examples of the types of behaviors that would be considered harassment. Note that this list is not by any means exhaustive, but serves as examples only: 
  • Unwelcome physical contact or physical interaction: This may range from unnecessary touching or brushing against another’s body, physical assault, coercing sexual intercourse, physical threats, or insulting or abusive behaviors or gestures. This may also encompass invading someone’s “personal space” by standing very close to them where this is unnecessary. 
  • Unwelcome verbal conduct: This may include the making of remarks and comments about appearance or abilities, lewd comments, sexual advances, innuendo and banter, the making or repetition of offensive or stereotyped comments, jokes or songs, the making of threats, dead naming someone or the making of demeaning comments. 
  • Unwelcome written or visual interaction: This may include sending unwelcome or bullying emails, notes, or pictures, as well as displaying or sending offensive material on any SF Parents social media, listserv etc.
  • Unwelcome discussion or attacks against children: This includes any posting of information, images or commentary of someone else’s children unless you have explicit permission from another parent or caregiver. We are here for the children.

Reporting

If you are being harassed by another member, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact us. Please note that we prioritize the safety of marginalized people over the comfort of the privileged and will not act on complaints regarding:

• “Reverse”-isms, including “reverse racism”, “reverse sexism”, and “cisphobia”
• Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone,” “go away,” or “I’m not discussing this with you.”
• Communicating in a “tone” you don’t find congenial
• Criticizing or identifying racist, classist, sexist, misogynist, cissexist, queerphobic, or otherwise oppressive behavior or assumptions

Consequences & Process

Members asked to stop any unacceptable behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant continues to engage in unacceptable behavior, our team may take any action we deem appropriate, up to and including expulsion from all SF Parents spaces. Our process is as follows:

• Warning: A warning will be issued to those involved. They will be directed to the applicable sections in this document related to their behavior, and be asked to immediately address such behavior.
• Disengaging: If the warning is ignored, or problematic behavior continues, the individual will be asked to step away from SF Parents for some time. They will again be pointed to applicable sections of this document related to their behavior, and be asked to cease such behavior upon their return.
• Exclusion: If disengagement has no effect, or the individual continues to violate this document, they will be subject to a ban and be excluded indefinitely from the membership.

We respect confidentiality for the purpose of protecting victims of abuse. At our discretion, we may publicly name a person about whom we’ve received harassment complaints, or privately warn third parties about them, if we believe that doing so will increase the safety of our members or the general public. We will not name harassment victims without their affirmative consent.