Whereas, the SFUSD is anticipated to have deep budget cuts in Fiscal Year 2012-13 (if the Governor’s Tax Initiative is not passed in November, 2012;

Whereas, the SFUSD has made plans to reduce the existing bus routes by six (6) in an effort to save funds, and has announced which bus routes will be eliminated;

Whereas, a few of the bus routes eliminated in FY 2012-13 are those that service the Japantown/Western Addition neighborhoods (Western Addition being one of the neighborhoods that qualify as a priority neighborhood for busing) impacting at least 31 children living in 11 different zip codes across the city, and whose families have chosen to attend an afterschool program in Japantown because busing was available for their children;

Whereas, the San Francisco Japantown is one of three remaining historic Japantowns in the mainland United States, and that Japantowns are almost extinct due to community dispersal from forced relocation during World War II, and repeated dislocation as a consequence of redevelopment in the 1970s, resulting in very few remaining Japanese residents (except the elderly);

Whereas, the continuity of Japantown as a living community is dependent on regular participation of children and families who develop a deep connection with the community (building of social capital) to “keep it alive” and maintain the community’s vibrancy through economic, social, cultural, spiritual and recreational activities;

Therefore, we the undersigned are very concerned about the elimination of busing route that will result in the anticipated loss of children attending the Nihonmachi Little Friends After School Program, an anchor institution in the community that attracts families to Japantown;

Further, we request that the San Francisco Unified School District and City and County of San Francisco leaders meet with community members to discuss how a workable plan can be developed to mitigate the unintended consequence of destroying one of the country’s remaining living and historic communities.

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