The San Francisco teachers’ strike entered its fourth day Thursday, with piecemeal progress on talks but the sides still apart on some fundamentals. Wages, healthcare, and special education remain the major issues.
District and union officials spent 16 hours bargaining at the War Memorial Veterans Building, ensconced until early Thursday morning. The two sides offered conflicting narratives: Union officials said over 100 people on their bargaining team “waited for hours for the District’s promised counter until 1 a.m., only to be told they had nothing to pass.”
The district, in its own timeline, said it passed a counterproposal to the union at 1:33 a.m., about 12 hours after receiving the union’s previous proposal. Superintendent Maria Su joined the talks Wednesday.
Both sides have expressed urgency to strike a deal. Mayor Daniel Lurie has posted regular updates urging talks to continue, though he only concertedly involved himself last week on the cusp of a strike that has been brewing for months.
In other strike-related coverage:
Mission Local has reporters across San Francisco, bringing you live updates.
Matt Haney hits the picket line
Assemblymember Matt Haney, one of San Francisco’s two State Assembly representatives, stood with teachers Thursday morning.
He walked the picket line at Jose Ortega Elementary School in Ingleside, holding a union-made sign reading “Students need fully staffed, stable schools.” Wearing a grey suit, he stood on a wooden block, megaphone in hand, and urged the strikers on.
Assemblymember Matt Haney on the picket line Feb. 12, 2026, at Jose Ortega Elementary School. Photo by Corey Cain.
Lakeshore Elementary
At 9:55 a.m., parents, educators and children from Lakeshore Elementary were stationed on the corner of Middlefield and Lake Merced Boulevard, greeted by honks.
Evan Litt, 8, was with his mother Janelle.
“I like my teachers and I’d like to keep the Maker’s Space in our class,” he said.
“My brother and sister used to go here,” he added. His mother confirmed, and said the school is “magical.”
Evan Litt at Lakeshore Elementary on Feb. 12, 2026, cheering teachers on during the strike. Photo by Sophia Rerucha.
In a group of other 8-year old boys, Evan spoke with his friends about the strike.
“I don’t know, our moms planned it out,” one of them said about being on the picket line Thursday.
Elementary-aged children pranced around the lawn in front of the school, hanging around with their friends, potato chip bags in their hands and sunglasses on. Some kids threw a football, and 2000s pop artists, like Backstreet Boys and Usher, blared from a speaker. Protestors danced, blew whistles and cheered.
Siblings Nate, 8, and Skylar, 10, are students at Lakeshore. They were with their mother too.
“I like my teachers,” said Nate. He says he and his sister have been staying with their aunt while their parents go to work during the day. Their mother works as a nurse at UCSF, but was able to make it out today.
“I’ve been keeping up with what’s going on through updates from the teachers,” she says. “I’m here to support.”
— Sophia Rerucha
High schoolers joined the picket line at Lowell on Feb. 12, 2026, in support of the teachers’ strike. Photo by Sophia Rerucha.
Lowell High
At 8:15 in the morning, educators were stationed at two different spots around Lowell High School: Lake Merced Blvd and the school’s main entrance.
On the fourth day of strikes, union members circled the main entrance and sang “Hey Su” — aimed at Superintendent Maria Su — in the tune of the Beatles’ “Hey Jude,” with slight lyrical changes.
“Hey Su, let’s open schools,” the crowd sang. “All we want is to make them better, remember to negotiate in good faith, then you can now make it better.”
Singing “Hey Su” at Lowell High School during the teachers’ strike. Video by Sophia Rerucha.
Walking the picket line were two high schoolers on the track team.
“These teachers are awesome,” said Chiara, a junior at Lowell. “They do so much and they answer all of our stupid questions. The least I can do is show up for them.”
Last night, students attempted to have a meeting with Superintendent Su, but were directed instead to her head of communications, Hong Mei Pang.
Sinan, a 14-year old freshman and member of Arab Youth Organizing, said he was at the War Memorial Opera House, where the two sides have held talks, last night.
He asked Mei Pang about dipping into the school’s “rainy day fund” to pay teachers. He says she was unresponsive. “She just sorta looked at me,” he said.
Tristan is a freshman at Lowell. He said he came not only to say hello to teachers he knows, but to show his support.
“This is still work,” he said, referring to the strike. “It might not be as hard as teaching, but they’re still working through the rain, like yesterday at Ocean Beach.”
Cincia Liu, a 16-year old on the track team, went to Galileo Academy in Russian Hill this week to strike. Today is her first day on Lowell’s picket line.
In a low voice, she described feeling confused as to why the district hasn’t been able to meet teachers’ demands.
“The teachers care about me and support me,” she said.
— Sophia Rerucha