SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Connor Haught has been juggling virtual work meetings and arts and crafts projects for his two daughters as his family tries to navigate a teachers strike in San Francisco with no end date in sight.
Haught’s job in the construction industry allows him to work from home but, like many parents in the city, he and his wife are scrambling to plan activities for their children amid the uncertainty of a strike that has left nearly 50,000 students out of the classroom.
“The big concern for parents is really the timeline of it all and trying to prepare for how long this could go on,” Haught said.
The San Francisco Unified School District’s 120 schools were set to remain closed for a third day Wednesday, after about 6,000 public school teachers went on strike over higher wages, health benefits, and more resources for students with special needs.
Some parents are taking advantage of after-school programs offering full-day programming during the strike, while others are relying on relatives and each other for help with child care.
Haught said he and his wife, who works evenings at a restaurant, planned to have their 8- and 9-year-old daughters at home during the first week of the strike. They hope to organize play dates and local excursions with other families. They have not yet figured out what they will do if the strike continues into a second week.
“We didn’t try to jump on all the camps and things right away because they can be pricey, and we may be a little more fortunate with our schedule than some others who are impacted,” Haught said.
The United Educators of San Francisco and the district have been negotiating for nearly a year, with teachers demanding fully funded family health care, salary raises, and the filling of vacant positions impacting special education services. Teachers on the picket lines acknowledge the impact of the strike on students but stand firm in their belief that these changes are necessary for the long-term betterment of education.
San Francisco Superintendent Maria Su indicated that although there was progress in recent negotiations, key issues like wage increases remain unresolved, and the gap between the teachers' requests and what the district can offer is still significant.
As parents like Sonia Sanabria navigate the challenges of the strike, many express sympathy for the teachers' cause, hoping for a swift resolution that benefits both educators and students.
