Susan Mullaney wraps a ribbon around a tree at Crocker Amazon Playground in San Francisco in March as part of an effort to preserve the existing canopy. The city is considering a plan to turn a section of the park into renovated baseball fields, in partnership with the San Francisco Giants.
Brontë Wittpenn/S.F. Chronicle
Regarding “$28 million Giants gift for controversial S.F. park overhaul gets key backing” (San Francisco, SFChronicle.com, April 16): A “modern youth sports facility” for Crocker Amazon Playground made possible by a grant from the San Francisco Giants. Sounds good, right?
It does until you find out that 120 mature trees will be cut down to make way for those playing fields, and more artificial turf will be added in a neighborhood that already lacks natural green space.
Many residents understandably hate the idea of losing their natural green spaces and oppose these plans.
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What hits closer to home is a quote from Recreation and Parks Commissioner Kat Anderson, who said, “In this city, people care about their dogs more than their kids,” before calling for the vote. “I’d like to see an investment in our children. This project is on balance a great project.”
Meanwhile, plans for new boat slips in the Marina were opposed by neighborhood residents because they would’ve blocked their views of the bay. And the Board of Supervisors listened.
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No one’s suggesting replacing the Marina Green with artificial turf, and it seems Anderson’s tone-deaf view of San Franciscans as dog lovers who care less about children only applies to folks south of Army Street.
Frederic “Ricky” A. Castañeda, San Francisco
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Rule hinders teaching
Regarding “S.F. schools to overhaul outdated history curriculum, approve ethnic studies course” (San Francisco, SFChronicle.com, April 16): The story noted that San Francisco teachers were told that “they can’t express political opinions during the school day, including in what they say, wear or put on their walls.”
That may sound reasonable, as if the district has chosen to head off any accusations that teachers indoctrinate students.
In reality, it acquiesces to a dangerous impulse to avoid offending anybody by removing any semblance of values or morality when teaching. Imagine trying to teach history without expressing any opinion on the Indian Removal Act, the enslavement of Black people, the Civil Rights Movement or the Vietnam War.
By telling teachers not to express an opinion in favor of human rights and freedom, you are telling them not to grapple with moral questions from the past or the present. That’s not helping anybody to gain a better education.
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Teachers should be free to express their opinions in the classroom as long as they also introduce other opinions that exist or existed.
After teaching high school social studies for 30 years, I know students are smart enough to make up their own.
Adam Michels, San Francisco
Mahan has a plan
In the Bay Area, essential workers, young families and even longtime residents are being priced out while high-paying tech jobs flood the region.
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Many people commute hours daily because there simply aren’t enough homes near their workplaces.
Much of the problem is due to high costs and slow approvals. Fees, long permitting timelines, and restrictive zoning make construction prohibitively expensive, ensuring that most new units remain out of reach for moderate-income families.
Gubernatorial candidate and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s approach offers a clear path forward: reduce taxes and development fees, streamline approvals and allow office-to-housing conversions. These changes make housing financially viable for developers and accelerate construction, while still giving cities the tools to plan responsibly.
The question is no longer whether we need more homes — it’s whether we are willing to build them.
Jim Lawrence, board chair, Fixin San Mateo County
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Steyer will get results
I live in Marin County, where the cost of living is too expensive for my kids’ generation and many people who work in our communities.
Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership.
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Gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer has a plan to get 1 million homes built in California. He alone among the candidates has the business acumen to make housing a public investment. His plan to build housing makes sense — as a formerly Republican venture-capitalist friend said to me, “Finally, a Democrat who can count.” And Steyer will do it with heart: expanding shelter, interim housing and services for the unhoused.
I have known Steyer casually for 25 years. He is smart, progressive and competent. I am thrilled to support him for governor.