Historic Teachers Strike Hits San Francisco Schools

Tue Feb 10 2026 01:07:46 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The San Francisco public school district faces significant disruption as teachers strike for better pay and resources, impacting 50,000 students.

In a landmark event, thousands of teachers in San Francisco have initiated their first strike in nearly 50 years, demanding higher wages and better resources for students. The San Francisco Unified School District has closed all schools, affecting around 50,000 students, as negotiations for a new contract stall. Union leaders express the urgency for change amidst an ongoing affordability crisis facing educators.

SAN FRANCISCO – In a historic move, thousands of public school teachers in San Francisco began a strike on Monday, marking the first of its kind in almost five decades. This strike arises from stalled negotiations between teachers and the San Francisco Unified School District over salary increases, healthcare benefits, and better support for special needs students.

As a result of the walkout, the district has closed all 120 schools which serve approximately 50,000 students and instead opted to provide independent study options for some families.

“We are facing an affordability crisis,” said Cassondra Curiel, president of the United Educators of San Francisco, in a statement. “We can no longer accept health premiums of $1,500 a month that push our best educators away from this district. This week, we say enough is enough.”

The negotiations took a last-minute turn over the weekend without agreement, prompting union members to picket outside schools. Mayor Daniel Lurie and U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi had suggested that both parties continue discussions instead of resorting to a strike.

Union leaders are set to hold a news conference and a rally at San Francisco City Hall on Monday afternoon as negotiations are scheduled to resume shortly.

The union has been negotiating with SFUSD for nearly a year, advocating for fully funded family healthcare, salary raises, and filling vacant positions that impact special education services. Currently, the union is asking for a 9% raise over two years—estimated to require an additional $92 million annually from the district, which challenges the district's existing financial constraints.

SFUSD, confronting a $100 million deficit under state oversight, has countered with a 6% increase spread over three years and bonuses contingent on future surpluses.

A recent report by a neutral panel suggested a compromise of 6% over two years, reflecting underlying financial limitations. The union highlighted that San Francisco teachers have some of the least favorable contributions toward their health insurance in comparison to other Bay Area educators, pressuring many to leave.

The district has proposed two options for healthcare: a plan where the district pays 75% of family coverage at Kaiser or an annual allowance of $24,000 for teachers to choose their health care provider. Mayor Lurie plans to coordinate with city agencies to support children and families during this challenging time amidst the ongoing strike.

“All parties involved in this negotiation are dedicated to creating thriving schools for students and supportive environments for our educators; it is my commitment to facilitate that process,” Lurie said via social media.