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San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has been in the hot seat this week following an income disclosure showing that she received over $100,000 from a nonprofit linked to the effort to recall her predecessor, Chesa Boudin.

Why it matters: The recent revelations raise ethical concerns around whether Jenkins intentionally misled the public about her role in the recall. 

Jenkins, who was appointed to the position in July and is up for election in November, had previously said she volunteered for the recall efforts. 

These disclosures could make it difficult for her to garner enough support to win in November.

Catch up quick: Recently filed ethics records show Jenkins was paid in the months leading up to her appointment to consult for Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, a nonprofit focused on improving public safety and quality of life. 

A group with a similar name, Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy, spent millions of dollars to support Boudin's recall. 

The organizations are legally separate entities, but share wealthy hedge fund manager William Oberndorf as a board member. Oberndorf was one of the biggest donors to the group backing the recall efforts.

What she's saying: Jenkins said she used her "career and prosecutorial experience to help provide a new source of income to help support my family and children," CBS reports. 

She added: "My work for the nonprofit organization focused on public safety … and other legal work supporting communities ranging from formerly incarcerated women to helping advise the business community on public safety concerns and issues."

The other side: "I think there's serious questions about not disclosing it, and I think there are serious questions about why someone who is district attorney has taken money from this entity, given its politics," District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston told the San Francisco Chronicle.

What's next: The San Francisco Ethics Commission could launch an investigation to determine whether Jenkins broke any laws, either at its own discretion or in response to someone filing a complaint. City law, however, prevents the commission from disclosing information about complaints or ongoing investigations, the commission told Axios. 

If the commission were to launch an investigation, it's unclear whether the matter would be resolved by the election in November. 

Jenkins will likely be up against two former San Francisco police commissioners: Joe Alioto Veronese, the grandson of former SF Mayor Joseph Alioto, and John Hamasaki. Both filed their paperwork to run for the position this month. 

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins under fire for six-figure disclosure

An income disclosure revealed in the months leading up to her appointment, she got over $100K linked to the Chesa Boudin recall effort.

Illustration of San Francisco City Hall with lines radiating from it.

Ethics

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has been in the hot seat this week following an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="income disclosure" data-vars-click-url="https://sfstandard.com/criminal-justice/da-jenkins-pocketed-six-figures-as-consultant-for-nonprofit-linked-to-boudin-recall-backers/" data-vars-content-id="0394d01b-3cc2-44e0-b381-5515715aa315" data-vars-headline="District Attorney Brooke Jenkins under fire for six-figure disclosure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://sfstandard.com/criminal-justice/da-jenkins-pocketed-six-figures-as-consultant-for-nonprofit-linked-to-boudin-recall-backers/" target="_blank">income disclosure</a> showing that she received over $100,000 from a nonprofit linked to the effort to recall her predecessor, Chesa Boudin.Why it matters: The recent revelations raise ethical concerns around whether Jenkins intentionally misled the public about her role in the recall.

Politics

News

About 71% of kids in California between the ages of 6 months and 17 years have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, compared to about 80% of kids nationwide, according to recent estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Why it matters: The latest BA.5 subvariant of Omicron is now the dominant strain of the coronavirus in the U.S., and it's the most transmissible we've seen since the start of the pandemic, Axios' Tina Reed writes.

It can break through vaccines and evade antibodies from prior Omicron infections.

While studies suggest long COVID is rarer in children, they are still at risk of developing it. 

As the public school year starts for the San Francisco Unified School District's roughly 49,000 students, there's potential for COVID hotspots to emerge.

Yes, but: An estimated 73% of kids in San Francisco have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the city's COVID dashboard, offering some protection against the virus. 

What we're watching: How the school year affects COVID-19 cases among students.

In last year's fall semester, about 1% of students had COVID, according to SFUSD. 

In the spring and summer semesters, 12% of SFUSD students tested positive for coronavirus. 

What's next: SFUSD plans to transition from providing take-home molecular test kits at schools to offering rapid antigen tests.

The school district will distribute antigen tests the week of Aug. 22. 

Masks are recommended but not required inside schools. 

71% of California kids have had COVID-19

As the public school year starts for the SFUSD, there's potential for COVID hotspots to emerge.

Illustration of a stack of wooden toy blocks showing a syringe, a COVID cell and a cotton swab. 

COVID-19

About 71% of kids in California between the ages of 6 months and 17 years have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, compared to about 80% of kids nationwide, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="recent estimates" data-vars-click-url="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#pediatric-seroprevalence" data-vars-content-id="13a32813-a0ee-4062-8f70-d66023838e68" data-vars-headline="71% of California kids have had COVID-19" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#pediatric-seroprevalence" target="_blank">recent estimates</a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Why it matters: The latest BA.5 subvariant of Omicron is now the dominant strain of the coronavirus in the U.S., and it&#x27;s the most transmissible we&#x27;ve seen since the start of the pandemic, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios&#x27; Tina Reed writes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/08/ba5-become-this-summers-subvariant?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=sendto_localnewslettertest&amp;stream=top" data-vars-content-id="13a32813-a0ee-4062-8f70-d66023838e68" data-vars-headline="71% of California kids have had COVID-19" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/08/ba5-become-this-summers-subvariant?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=sendto_localnewslettertest&amp;stream=top" target="_self">Axios&#x27; Tina Reed writes</a>.

COVID

San Francisco Unified School District students can continue receiving free breakfast and lunch this school year, regardless of their family's income.

Why it matters: Healthy eating is linked to better grades and test scores, but 12.5% of kids in California are food insecure, according to Feeding America.

Meanwhile, food prices are on the rise, hitting their highest annual rate of growth (10.9%) in about 43 years, Axios' Nathan Bomey reports.

Details: SFUSD schools will offer a "nutritionally balanced" breakfast with fresh fruit and milk, 20-30 minutes before school starts. 

To get a free lunch, schools will require students to pick a fruit or vegetable to go with their entree. 

A.P. Giannini Middle School (my alma mater), for example, is offering students the choice of a turkey sandwich, a Greek chicken quesadilla, or an individual cheese pizza for lunch on the first day of school on Tuesday. 

State of play: The free meal offering is a result of California Assembly Bill 130, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law last year.

The law applies to public school districts, county offices of education and charter schools serving students in grades transitional K-12.

Prior to the passage of the law, a family of four's income could not exceed $34,060 annually to qualify for free student meals, and not more than $48,470 to qualify for reduced-price meals. 

SFUSD offered free meals to students for the first time last school year thanks to financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The support that made it possible for schools to offer free meals, however, expired in June.

Zoom out: Maine last year approved a similar program that will go into effect this school year.

Cities like New York, Boston and Chicago have also implemented free meal programs for students. 

What they're saying: "When children are able to eat healthy meals during their school day, they're better positioned to achieve," Alexandra Emmott, interim executive director of SFUSD Nutrition Services, said in a statement. 

Flashback: From 1969 through the early '70s, the Black Panthers' Free Breakfast for School Children fed tens of thousands of kids nationwide. 

The USDA's free breakfast efforts, which launched in the mid-1960s, "only took off" in the early 1970s, around the time the federal government dismantled the Black Panther Party. 

Norma Amour Mtume, a former Black Panther Party member, said in 2016: "I really do believe that the government [expanded] their program because of the work we were doing."

San Francisco to offer public school students free meals

The meal offering is a result of state Assembly Bill 130, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law last year.

Illustration of a cafeteria lunch tray with a plate and silverware on it and on the plate there are fruits and vegetables making a smiley face.

Education

San Francisco Unified School District students can continue receiving free breakfast and lunch this school year, regardless of their family&#x27;s income.Why it matters: Healthy eating is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="linked to better grades and test scores" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/health_and_academics/pdf/health-academic-achievement.pdf" data-vars-content-id="713aa32a-75a5-4568-b292-d270eeb57a38" data-vars-headline="San Francisco to offer public school students free meals" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/health_and_academics/pdf/health-academic-achievement.pdf" target="_blank">linked to better grades and test scores</a>, but 12.5% of kids in California are food insecure, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="according to Feeding America" data-vars-click-url="https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/california" data-vars-content-id="713aa32a-75a5-4568-b292-d270eeb57a38" data-vars-headline="San Francisco to offer public school students free meals" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/california" target="_blank">according to Feeding America</a>.

Source: California Department of Education

Enrollment at San Francisco public schools has decreased by thousands since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Details: The San Francisco Unified School District’s enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year decreased by 3,574 students, or 6.8%, from the 2019-2020 school year. 

Why it matters: California uses average daily attendance metrics to determine how much funding the state will give to public school districts. Fewer students enrolled means SFUSD will receive less money.

The district's losses over the years could negatively impact it in the future. On average, public school districts in California receive about $10,000 per student from the state. 

SFUSD's enrollment decline from 2019 would have resulted in a loss of about $35.8 million. However, the state allowed school districts to budget for the upcoming school year based on attendance from the 2019-2020 school year due to the impact of COVID-19.

What they're saying: Jenny Lam, president of the San Francisco Board of Education, said the adopted $1.1 billion budget in June "ensures a positive outlook for the next three years."

Lam added: "As we continue to address our ongoing structural deficit, we are committed to making decisions that support our students, their learning and well-being and to move towards stronger financial footing in the long term."

Zoom out: Last school year, student enrollment in California public schools declined by 1.8% from the 2020-2021 school year.

In New York, the state saw a nearly 6% decline in student enrollment from 2020 to 2022, Axios’ Erin Doherty reports.

Between the lines: SFUSD enrollment has been on the decline for nearly a decade, but COVID-19 has exacerbated the trend, with some families opting to leave the city or send their children to private schools.

Of note: The school district has been mired in controversy since 2020, ultimately resulting in the recall of three school board members. The latest drama involves school board member Ann Hsu.

In July, Hsu made "anti-Black and racist" remarks about how it's difficult to educate Black and Latino students because of their "unstable family environments" and "lack of parental encouragement to focus on ... or value learning." The school district is 6% Black and 30% Latino. 

Earlier this month, the school board voted to strongly reprimand Hsu for her comments. However, fellow board member Mark Sanchez told Axios the school board needs to send the message that Hsu is not "fit to be serving our schools."

What's next: The school year kicks off on Wednesday, but the school district will take an enrollment census count in October.

SFUSD received a similar number of applications for the upcoming school year compared to last year, indicating enrollment numbers won't dramatically change.

Public school enrollment declined by thousands since pandemic

Fewer students enrolled means SFUSD will receive less money from the state.

A chart showing a sharp decline in student population.

Enrollment at San Francisco public schools has decreased by thousands since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.Details: The San Francisco Unified School District’s enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year decreased by 3,574 students, or 6.8%, from the 2019-2020 school year.

Business

The Wag Brigade at the San Francisco International Airport has one job. Well, maybe two: Look cute and make airport travel suck less.

State of play: The Wag Brigade program, launched in 2013, partners with the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to train and certify animals to offer emotional support and stress relief for travelers.

The Wag Brigade includes LiLou the pig, a 34-pound rabbit named Alex and a mix of 12 dogs and cats.

The animals undergo rigorous evaluations to determine if they are equipped to handle a chaotic airport environment. The animals must demonstrate they can remain calm in a variety of situations, like when someone is circling them in a wheelchair or on crutches, throws an aluminum chair on the ground nearby or pulls at their ears.

Each animal works a two-hour shift once a week.

What they're saying: "We do meet a lot of people here in the airport who have never met a dog, who've never pet a dog," Jennifer Kazarian, who runs the Wag Brigade at SFO, tells Axios. "As a child might do, they walk right up to the dog and try to stick a finger in the eyeball or in the mouth, or just grab a tail or an ear. So we need to make sure that [the animal is] going to be okay."

She added, animals that qualify for the Wag Brigade are "the unicorns of therapy animals."

Alex, a 34-pound bunny and member of the Wag Brigade. Image courtesy of Wag Brigade

How it works: In all my years flying in and out of SFO, I've never noticed these animals. 

Here's what you, and I, need to know to find them:

They go "where the crowds are," Kazarian says.

What's next: Wag Brigade wants to scale the program by recruiting more animals, Kazarian says.

"We're open to as many teams as we feel are fit for the program," she says.

Meet SFO's Wag Brigade, the "unicorns of therapy animals"

The furry crew has two jobs: Look cute and make airport travel suck less.

LiLou the pig. Image courtesy of Wag Brigade 

Animals

The Wag Brigade at the San Francisco International Airport has one job. Well, maybe two: Look cute and make airport travel suck less.State of play: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Wag Brigade" data-vars-click-url="https://www.flysfo.com/passengers/services-amenities/wag-brigade" data-vars-content-id="f6bd3c13-7f6b-4ec5-ac77-cf029f4626bd" data-vars-headline="Meet SFO&#x27;s Wag Brigade, the &quot;unicorns of therapy animals&quot;" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.flysfo.com/passengers/services-amenities/wag-brigade" target="_blank">Wag Brigade</a> program, launched in 2013, partners with the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to train and certify animals to offer emotional support and stress relief for travelers.

Megan Rose Dickey

Featured stories

Meet SFO's Wag Brigade, the "unicorns of therapy animals"

71% of California kids have had COVID-19

San Francisco to offer public school students free meals

Public school enrollment declined by thousands since pandemic

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins under fire for six-figure disclosure