The winds of political correctness blow swiftly near this area of Pacific storms, and it's sometimes hard to tell whether diversity is in or out.

Here and now, it's both. That is, diversity is in; but the Diversity Index (by which measure school assignments are made) is so controversial that the school board doesn't know what to do about it. So, for the present, they've decided to do nothing. That means--parent protests notwithstanding-- it will continue to be used to decide who gets to go to the most popular schools.

You may remember, we got the Diversity Index when affirmative action went out and racial balancing could no longer be applied. Now, your administrators are mandated to see that your kids' classmates are balanced according to:

• the languages used in the children's homes (yes, lots of languages should be represented);
• the years of formal education of their mothers (again, lots of differences are what they're supposed to select);
• students' proficiency in English, students' test scores, students' overall academic achievement (selecting the greatest range yields mandated balance in the student body).

This may not be what you thought you were getting; but it's what you've got. Practically everybody wants something better, but no single try has gotten enough votes to put something better in place. You're welcome to attend meetings of the School Board if you can stand it.

On a lighter note, we citizens have the heartfelt thanks of SF School Superintendent Arlene Ackerman. In a Viewpoint article in the SF Independent, she acknowledges that the voters' passage of Proposition A had to mean they trust her district to be doing a clean job of accounting for public funds.

The desperately needed building repairs she details have been agonizing for staff and students for years. (Disabled students often lack access to elevators and bathrooms.) The $295 million bond issue will go a long way toward rectifying these problems. A Bond Oversight Committee consisting of parents, accountants, government representatives, and construction experts will monitor expenditures.

"Presented with the facts", she says, "you showed your confidence and trust in the district, and voted for nothing less than high-quality schools. For that, you have my deepest gratitude."