NBC Cries Racism in San Fran School Board Recall, ABC Flips for Dems

As NewsBusters documented last fall, both ABC’s World News Tonight NBC Nightly News attacked the politically engaged and angry parents in Virginia by claiming they were motivated by Republican Glenn Youngkin’s racist siren song. NBC continued to tell a false story after parents had recalled the San Francisco school board by a landslide on Wednesday. But ABC suddenly changed their mind about the Democratic political action.

Lester Holt, NBC’s anchor, seemed dissatisfied with the local politics leading up to the segment. “In San Francisco, a stunning landslide vote in the Hyperlocal politicsPlaying in this city and elsewhere. Vote out three school board commissioners. Here’s the latest instance of how local politics is sweeping across America,” he whined.

The report was delivered by tech correspondent Jake Ward who called the recall a “historic vote” and “once-in-a-generation.”

But despite noting that the “city sued the board last year over lack of clear reopening plan following pandemic closures,” Ward leaned on school board backers to claim the REAL reason the board was recalled was racism:

WARD: In San Francisco, opponents of the recall say it’s the commissioners’ fight for social justice that got them in trouble.

JAMES SWORD: These three are pushing for a change in San Francisco to be unified. It is a more fair and equitable city. Right?

Youngkin also attempted to tie his parents. “The political arena surrounding schools has become an increasingly important part of the United States. Last fall, Glenn Youngkin rode concerns over Critical Race Theory to the Virginia governor’s mansion,” he said.

And as Ward was wrapping up his report, he rebuked a parent who said a school board shouldn’t mix education and politics. “[T]He and he seem closer than ever before,” he chided.

Over on ABC, anchor David Muir boasted about “local politics in these times” as he highlighted the “[p]arents and their anger over their children’s education in this pandemic.”

Adding: “In San Francisco, of course, It was a liberal community with several parents who live there, and three members of its school board that have been removed. Those parents arguing, they spent more time on other issues including renaming schools than on getting their children back into the classroom.”

Kaylee Hartung was interviewed by multiple parents, who expressed their satisfaction at the recall of school board members. “Voters convinced the board was spending time on the wrong issues,” she reported.

Hartung concluded by noting that each board member got over 70 percent against them and boasted that it was “It is the sign of power that parents have and their frustrations over schools and COVID are reshaping politics..”

But the night after Election Day 2021, ABC congressional correspondent Rachel Scott hinted that Virginia parents were appeased by racist dog whistles in Youngkin’s calls to ban the influence of Critical Race Theory in schools. “[Youngkin] also tapped into frustration with COVID regulations and vowed to ban critical race theory, though it’s not actually taught in Virginia public schools,” she proclaimed.

This double standard from ABC and NBC’s attack on parents looking out for their kids were made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Progressive on ABC and DirecTV on NBC. The following is their contact information.

You can click on “expand to view the transcripts” below.

ABC’s World News Tonight
February 16, 2022
Eastern at 6:46:00

DAVID MUIR (And tonight), to the local politics of these times. The anger of parents over the education of their children in this epidemic. Some parents and three members of the San Francisco school board were forced to leave San Francisco. These parents were so busy arguing that they didn’t have time to focus on getting their kids back in the classroom, but instead on other issues like renaming schools.

This is ABC’s Kaylee Hartung, California.

[Cuts to video]

KAYLEE HARTUNG – In San Francisco, parent anger boils over at the poll box. Voters voted out three school board members, furious that they didn’t do enough to reopen schools.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN : The focus should have been on reopening school like many districts thought and did.

HARTUNG – A remarkable recount election took place in America’s most liberal capital. COVID was a crisis that pitted Democrat against Democrat. Parents saw their children in other countries return to school, but students from San Francisco were left in remote learning.

JENNIE LUCAS (parent). These children had only six weeks in-class instruction last school year. That’s a big loss, especially for kids coming from poor socioeconomic backgrounds.

HARTUNG: The board spent too much time on wrong issues, according to voters. Instead of discussing COVID, the board focused its attention on renaming 44 schools after historic figures, such as Abraham Lincoln and Paul Revere.

ASHEESHA BIRLA, parent: It seemed to me that the school board favored renaming schools than getting students back into school.

[Cuts back to live]

HARTUNG: This was not an even election. More than 70% of voters supported the removal these three school board members. It is evidence of the power of parents, and of how their frustration with schools and COVID are reshaping politics. David?

MUIR: Kaylee Hartung in California tonight. We are grateful.

NBC Nightly News
February 16, 2022
Eastern at 7:08:08

LESTER HOLT – In San Francisco there was a remarkable landslide election in the hyper. This is local politics in San Francisco and elsewhere. Trois school board members were voted out. This is the latest example of local activism that has been sweeping across America. With more, here’s Jake Ward.

[Cuts to video]

JAKE WARD: San Francisco students arrive the day after an historic vote. Trois school board commissioners were ousted during a recall that happened in San Francisco for the first time.

Over a lack of a plan for reopening schools after pandemic closures was a city lawsuit. [Shows Abraham Lincoln]

The moment that many were most concerned about was the decision of the board to switch the admissions system at the school, which is the highest-ranked high school in the city, from one that was based on merit to one that is lottery-based. Many first-time voters seem to be attracted by the large number of Asian American students.

ANN HSU: In the past six weeks, we have signed up 560 voters. These were both Chinese/AAPI Voter Out Reach Task Force members.

WARD: School have turned into a political battlefield across the nation. Last fall, Glenn Youngkin rode concerns over Critical Race Theory to the Virginia governor’s mansion.

GLENN YOUNGKIN : This is my unique privilege and honour.

WARD: He signed today a bill that outlaws school mask mandates.

In San Francisco, opponents of the recall say it’s the commissioners’ fight for social justice that got them in trouble.

JAMES SWORD: These three are pushing for a change in San Francisco to be unified. It is a more fair and equitable city. Right?

WARD: More than 72 percent of voters voted against the commissioners in the final election.

MAYOR LONDON (D),: In selecting new members for the school board, we will be asking many very tough questions.

WARD

HSU: Attention to education is the most important thing. No politics.

WARD: Even though they seem closer than ever, tonight’s broadcast makes it clear that the two are more intertwined. Jake Ward (NBC News San Francisco).