Teachers Strike in San Francisco: Schools Shut, Families Struggle

On Monday, San Francisco schools closed when teachers walked off the job for the first time in 44 years. The strike was driven by demands for better health care and higher pay.

Impact

• ≈ 50,000 students affected; parents scrambled for child‑care and meals.
• The district announced schools would stay closed on Tuesday, directing families to the website for learning resources, food assistance, and child‑care help.

Negotiations

• Union leaders and the school district failed to reach an agreement during a weekend meeting.
• Mayor Daniel Lurie urged both sides to keep schools open for three more days, hoping to avoid chaos.
• Negotiations resumed Monday afternoon, but no end date was set for the strike.

Voices from the Front

• Union President Cassondra Curiel: “Teachers are being pushed out by rising health‑care costs.” She cited an affordability crisis keeping many teachers from staying in the district.
• Superintendent Maria Su: “Each day of strike hurts students.” She noted families struggle to find care, and vulnerable kids lose access to food, mental‑health support, and school connections.
• Teacher Cindy Castillo: Stability means full support for special‑needs students, retention of educators of color, and adequate security staff.

Tactics on Campus

• Teachers marched outside schools, rattling cowbells and drums.
• Signs read:
• “On Strike for Safe and Stable Schools”
• “Invest in the Schools Our Students Deserve.”

Financial Context

• The district faces a $102‑million deficit and has lost temporary COVID relief funds.
• The teachers’ union seeks a 9 % pay raise over two years and better health‑care coverage.
• The district offered a 6 % raise over the same period.
• Health‑care premiums for teachers have risen sharply, up to $1,500/month.
• Many teachers now commute from other cities because they cannot afford to stay in San Francisco.
• The union asked the district to cover most or all health‑care costs for teachers and their families.
• The district offered two options: 75 % coverage through Kaiser or a $24,000 yearly allowance.

Wider Implications

• The strike may signal more unrest in California.
• Teachers in Los Angeles and San Diego have also signaled willingness to strike for higher pay, smaller classes, and more resources.
• Lawmakers like Nancy Pelosi and Scott Wiener urged a pause in the strike to keep classrooms open.
• A tentative agreement on sanctuary school policy was reached to protect immigrant and refugee students.

The strike remains ongoing with no clear end in sight.