{"id":46681,"date":"2026-02-13T13:16:29","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T21:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=46681"},"modified":"2026-02-13T13:16:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T21:16:30","slug":"sf-teachers-strike-school-closures-to-reach-fourth-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/02\/13\/sf-teachers-strike-school-closures-to-reach-fourth-day\/","title":{"rendered":"SF teachers strike, school closures to reach fourth day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/users\/profile\/James%20Salazar\">By James Salazar | Examiner staff writer<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feb 11, 2026 (SFExaminer.com)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com\/sfexaminer.com\/content\/tncms\/assets\/v3\/editorial\/b\/d2\/bd2af4e4-303c-4292-8b76-083f50d7b6c2\/698a27e0385f7.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267\" alt=\"Teachers on a citywide strike in front of Mission High School\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>United Educators of San Francisco members and supporters picket in front of Mission High School in San Francisco on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026.\u00a0Craig Lee\/The Examiner<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>San Francisco public schools will remain closed Thursday for a fourth straight day as bargaining teams for San Francisco\u2019s public-school district and its teachers union continue negotiating a new two-year contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su said at a Wednesday morning press conference that talks between both parties broke down the previous night when union leaders sent their negotiators home after receiving the district\u2019s counterproposal just after 8:30 p.m. The offer addressed compensation, health-care benefits and special education concerns, Su said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The United Educators of San Francisco have spent this week picketing&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news\/education\/sf-teachers-strike-public-schools-in-walkout\/article_c1d18b50-b51b-4fe1-9680-e4200c5d96c6.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">after walking off their jobs on Monday<\/a>&nbsp;for the first time since 1979. District and union representatives have been in negotiations since March, and their contract expired in July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As talks have stalled, both sides have stressed urgency in coming to a new agreement and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news\/education\/sf-teachers-strike-day-2-negotiations-continue\/article_c3c71000-0794-4155-9bec-b9bacf694294.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">getting students back in their classrooms<\/a>. Su said she was frustrated talks broke down Tuesday night without an agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur students and parents and the entire school community and city deserve nothing less,\u201d Su said at her press conference. \u201cWe can\u2019t just keep putting forward proposals and not receive a counter. That\u2019s not how this works.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>District and union bargainers remain far apart on health-care benefits. The district has proposed covering 80% of health-care premiums for up to two dependents, while union members are pushing for full coverage for families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Teacher salaries have also been a point of contention. Union negotiators asked for an 8% raise over two years, while the district has proposed a 6% increase. Both sides are also still trying to come to terms on the recruitment and retention of special-education teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Local and state leaders have stepped in to help smooth points of contention between SFUSD and UESF representatives.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news\/politics\/sf-voters-positive-outlook-grows-dramatically-in-annual-chamber-poll\/article_555153f7-0f9a-4c20-a0e3-daa1b849ed23.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mayor Daniel Lurie<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news\/education\/tony-thurmond-could-join-2026-california-governor-field\/article_7f83fb50-1c2c-11ee-992c-078e9c9efa9a.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond<\/a>&nbsp;joined talks Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEvery day that our children are out of school is really impactful on our children and our working families,\u201d Lurie told reporters Wednesday morning during a breakfast with the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. \u201cI love our educators. It\u2019s why we need to get them back in the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When asked to comment on negotiations stalling, Lurie said he didn\u2019t \u201cwant to get into a blame game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat is not my role,\u201d he said. \u201cMy role is to make sure that we get both parties to the table.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other local unions and San Francisco residents have expressed solidarity with the teachers union. Supporters rallied Wednesday afternoon at Ocean Beach, showing their support for the teachers by making a human banner that called for an end to the strike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten spent this week walking the picket line in solidarity with union members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Weingarten said her organization\u2019s members are supporting local teachers because what they \u201care asking for is righteous, because it\u2019s what children and educators need.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Labor talks are about \u201cfully staffed, stable schools, sustainable working conditions, strong special education services and real protections for immigrant and unhoused students,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis fight belongs to all of us,\u201d said Chelsea Fink, a member of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news\/politics\/sf-overpaid-executive-tax-june-2026-ballot-battle\/article_756cd74f-7b47-450a-beb9-4da371f3275a.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Service Employees International Union Local 1021<\/a>, which is staging a sympathy strike alongside the teachers\u2019 union. \u201cSchools can\u2019t function and students can\u2019t thrive without the educators and staff who keep our schools running every day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><video src=\"blob:https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/bf2b2a98-2d5d-41d3-ae1c-1675dbad1877\"><\/video><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As the strike has gone on, the distrit has agreed to adopt protections and policies for undocumented students and to support families experiencing housing insecurity by expanding a shelter program. District officials offered a 10% salary increase for paraeducators earlier this week, Su said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fink said she will support UESF until its members receive \u201ccomprehensive\u201d health-care benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cUnited, we\u2019re seeing that change is possible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bianca Polovina, the president of International Federation of Professional &amp; Technical Engineers Local 21, said The City has \u201cthe means to strengthen our public schools.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In solidarity with UESF, IFPTE Local 21 is calling \u201con the school district to make better choices for everyday San Franciscans, not for consultants,\u201d Polovina said. \u201cFair public education is a right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SFUSD\u2019s precarious financial situation has affected negotiations, Su said. The district will face&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfusd.edu\/announcements\/2026-01-31-status-sfusd-negotiations-united-educators-san-francisco-uesf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a $102 million budget deficit for the 2026-27 school year<\/a>&nbsp;and is in the process of moving out of state oversight. But as long as the district is under California\u2019s watch, the state\u2019s fiscal advisers would need to approve any agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are on the right path to fiscal solvency, and so we need to be responsible with the deals,\u201d Su told reporters Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWherever we increase, we\u2019re going to have to take the cut somewhere else. We\u2019re looking at everything really carefully,\u201d Su said. \u201cAt the end of the day, I want to make sure that we have schools that really will be able to support our students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a statement, union representatives said they have seen \u201cmovement towards an agreement that will bring our students back to classrooms, and made a few important steps on that path. We know there is more work to be done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat comes next is a matter of the district prioritizing classrooms, students and educators,\u201d the union\u2019s statement read. \u201cOur families are watching and waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Su said she \u201cabsolutely\u201d wants to reopen schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI need our kids in the classroom. That is where they belong,\u201d she said. \u201cI cannot reopen schools unless we have staff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether or not the strike extends into a fifth day Friday, San Francisco\u2019s public schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday due to the President\u2019s Day and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/culture\/food-and-drink\/house-of-nanking-collabs-with-senor-sisig-for-lunar-new-year\/article_ce75b545-21eb-421d-a6b0-4d907ea54129.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lunar New Year<\/a>&nbsp;holidays, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the meantime, Weingarten said she and other supporters will spend the foreseeable future rallying for educators\u2019 new contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe solidarity is powerful,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Examiner staff writer Patrick Hoge contributed reporting to this article.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/users\/profile\/James%20Salazar\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com\/sfexaminer.com\/content\/tncms\/avatars\/4\/ef\/917\/4ef917fc-d70b-11ec-a203-bf72021caa8e.9be250065332c15dfd08167abfd38956.png?_dc=1666718661\" alt=\"James Salazar\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/users\/profile\/James%20Salazar\">James Salazar<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Neighborhoods &amp; Culture Correspondent<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>San Francisco public schools will remain closed Thursday for a fourth straight day as bargaining teams for San Francisco\u2019s public-school district and its teachers union continue negotiating a new two-year contract. San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su said at a Wednesday morning press conference that talks between both&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/02\/13\/sf-teachers-strike-school-closures-to-reach-fourth-day\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46681"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46681"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46681\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46685,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46681\/revisions\/46685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}