A veteran math teacher at one of San Francisco's most prestigious public high schools has been placed on indefinite leave after allegations surfaced that he included fat-shaming and sexist questions on ninth-grade quizzes.

Tom Chan, who has taught at Lowell High School for more than 20 years, is at the center of an investigation by the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) after a parent raised concerns about the content of Algebra I quizzes distributed to students last month. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Lowell Principal Jan Bautista notified families that Chan "needed to go on leave," with no return date set.

One quiz question, framed around Valentine's Day, read: "The amount of money you spend on a date varies inversely to how much they weigh. A typical girl that weighs 120lbs will cost you $55." Students were then asked to calculate the cost of a date with someone weighing 220 pounds and how much a date would weigh if you "can only afford $5."

Another question was titled "Mr. Chan vs. The Fat Kid (part 2)," which described Chan punting a child into the air and asked students to solve related math equations. One follow-up question asked, "When was the last time you gave candy to a fat kid?" — a question with no mathematical component whatsoever. Additional quiz questions included "How tall are you and how much do you weigh?" and "Pick one: Pretty or Smart. And why?"

A parent, who asked to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation against their family, told the Chronicle that students were reluctant to report the issues. "It's pretty shocking," the parent said. "The fact that nobody has brought this up to the school and he's been there a really long time."

The parent added that older students confirmed similar content had appeared on Chan's quizzes in previous years.

Beyond the quizzes, Chan also reportedly posted videos of students performing silly dances on YouTube under the heading "Grades vs. Dignity," offering extra credit points in exchange for the performances. "They're buying grades from him by humiliating themselves," the parent said. The most recent video was posted in May 2025, with Chan writing in the description, "Kids need an A so I provide an out."

NBC Bay Area spoke with two Lowell seniors, Jayden Grajeda and Ezra Medad, who were in Chan's class last year. Both said some of his test questions seemed unusual but that Chan was generally well liked. "He was just trying to get the kids to focus and engage with the material and actually try to learn it," Grajeda said. Medad added that Chan was a thorough instructor. "He helped us a lot and helped us understand it," Medad said. "Compared to other teachers that are so fast paced. Like when you ask a question, he'd go into depth about it."

According to SFGATE, SFUSD Director of Communications Laura Dudnick confirmed the district is actively investigating. "We take these concerns seriously and are actively investigating," Dudnick said in an emailed statement. "While we cannot share details because this is a personnel matter, we can share that once an issue is brought to our attention, we investigate every report and take appropriate corrective action if required."

Lowell is widely regarded as one of California's top-performing public high schools. The school's demanding academic environment makes the parent's concerns about fairness even sharper. The parent described Chan's use of unannounced "curveball" quiz questions — covering material students hadn't yet been taught but were still graded on — as a troubling form of control in a high-pressure school setting.

"I don't think that school gives the impression they have those open lines of communication," the parent said. "I think the school owes those classes an apology."

District officials stressed that students have multiple ways to report concerns, including the SFUSD's "See Something, Say Something" anonymous reporting system, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Neither Bautista nor Chan responded to media requests for comment. The district has not confirmed whether Chan is on paid or personal leave, and officials have not indicated how long the investigation will take or what sanctions Chan could face.

Bill Handel

The Bill Handel Show

Handel On The Law