South San Francisco, CA August 21, 2023 by Jeffrey Tong, Advocate District Elections/ Community Leader
Dear SSF School Board Members
It has come to my attention that Patricia Murray no longer lives in the district she allegedly represents.
Either district elections are overturned by the voters, or the rules are upheld by the board.
It doesn’t matter what date in the future Ms Murray alleges she will return (3 days, 30 days, 30 months, 30 years) – time is relative! The moment a member no longer resides in the district she represents, she is no longer qualified to hold the seat – period!
It is therefore prudent that the school board remove her immediately, and appoint a qualified replacement until the next election in Nov 2024.
The moment the school board bends the rules to accommodate one of its members, the board becomes a circus! 
Can the board afford such a reputation?
Can the board afford such a reputation? The past is history, the future is a mystery, but TODAY is the present!
Jeffrey Tong
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Please read the Letter to Editor by Martin Romero, Resident of District A and Community Leader – https://wp.me/p2ZEBO-aM8
PLEASE NOTE: This was sent to Everything South City via email 8.23.23 9am:
Dear Mr. Tong:
Thank you so much for your email. We strive to communicate well with our community. Per our board protocol, I am responding to your email and bcc all our board of trustees including our Superintendent Dr. Moore, so everyone is informed.
From the guidance of our Deputy County Attorney, Sheila Vasantharam and County Attorney, John Nibbelin, Trustee Murray remains eligible to serve as a Trustee. Based on the temporary nature of Trustee Murray’s lodging outside of Trustee Area A and her stated intention to return to her Trustee Area in the near future, she continues to meet the residency requirements for her elected position. There is no legal mandate that she vacate her position as Trustee. Trustee Murray has maintained connections to her Trustee Area residence by not changing her voter registration address, her address on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles, or her mailing address.
You are right that communication is very important, and we want to do so in ways that are clear, compassionate, and consistent.
Thank you again!
Chialin
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Dr. Chialin Hsieh
Board President
South San Francisco Unified School District
South San Francisco, CA 94080
[email protected] | http://www.ssfusd.org
Martin Romero, resident of District A, responds to Dr. Hsieh response – CLICK HERE.
Completely agree !
Every school Board member is elected by the people to represent their respective District in which they RESIDE.
Board members have an obligation to be morally responsible in removing themselves from their elected District position when they no longer meet the election and residency requirements, rather than being “asked” to step down.
The excuse and long explanation from Pat Murray of being a renter, mail delivery, etc. is completely unacceptable when it pertains to a child’s education!!! Every school day MATTERS for students and a child should not be expected to wait for their elected leader to return “home.” It is in best interest of all students, residents and school District for Pat Murray to accept she no longer meets the residency requirements.
It is time for elected officials, entire SSF District and SSF Board to set AN EXAMPLE to children and to take a step back to analyze and reflect on how every day decisions and actions affect human students, not statistic numbers.
Residency requirements have been issue now with District elections. Aside from this particular issue, there should be consideration of setting requirements in place for candidates to have lived in respective District for “x” number of years before becoming eligible for candidacy, otherwise politically driven candidates would just be moving from District to District, not fully understanding the neighborhood in which they claim to represent, without having taken years worth of strolls around the neighborhood, especially when a child’s life is at stake and EVERY DAY MATTERS.
Mr. Tong, thank you for your bravery in open letter writing to ESC, placing best interests of students in forefront.