{"id":175453,"date":"2026-02-12T20:17:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T20:17:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/175453\/"},"modified":"2026-02-12T20:17:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T20:17:10","slug":"late-night-of-talks-deal-inches-closer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/175453\/","title":{"rendered":"Late night of talks, deal inches closer"},"content":{"rendered":"

The San Francisco teachers\u2019 strike<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

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 \u201cwaited for hours for the District\u2019s promised counter until 1 a.m., only to be told they had nothing to pass.\u201d<\/p>\n

The district, in its own timeline<\/a>, said it passed a counterproposal to the union at 1:33 a.m., about 12 hours after receiving the union\u2019s previous proposal. Superintendent Maria Su joined the talks Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Both sides have expressed urgency to strike a deal. Mayor Daniel Lurie has posted<\/a> regular updates urging talks to continue<\/a>, though he only concertedly involved himself last week on the cusp of a strike that has been brewing for months.<\/p>\n

In other strike-related coverage:<\/p>\n

Mission Local has reporters across San Francisco, bringing you live updates.<\/p>\n

Matt Haney hits the picket line<\/p>\n

Assemblymember Matt Haney, one of San Francisco\u2019s two State Assembly representatives, stood with teachers Thursday morning.<\/p>\n

He walked the picket line at Jose Ortega Elementary School in Ingleside, holding a union-made sign reading \u201cStudents need fully staffed, stable schools.\u201d Wearing a grey suit, he stood on a wooden block, megaphone in hand, and urged the strikers on.<\/p>\n

\"AAssemblymember Matt Haney on the picket line Feb. 12, 2026, at Jose Ortega Elementary School. Photo by Corey Cain.<\/p>\n

Lakeshore Elementary<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Evan Litt, 8, was with his mother Janelle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like my teachers and I\u2019d like to keep the Maker\u2019s Space in our class,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother and sister used to go here,\u201d he added. His mother confirmed, and said the school is \u201cmagical.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AEvan Litt at Lakeshore Elementary on Feb. 12, 2026, cheering teachers on during the strike. Photo by Sophia Rerucha.<\/p>\n

In a group of other 8-year old boys, Evan spoke with his friends about the strike.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, our moms planned it out,\u201d one of them said about being on the picket line Thursday.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Siblings Nate, 8, and Skylar, 10, are students at Lakeshore. They were with their mother too.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like my teachers,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been keeping up with what\u2019s going on through updates from the teachers,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m here to support.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 Sophia Rerucha<\/p>\n

\"AHigh schoolers joined the picket line at Lowell on Feb. 12, 2026, in support of the teachers\u2019 strike. Photo by Sophia Rerucha.<\/p>\n

Lowell High<\/p>\n

At 8:15 in the morning, educators were stationed at two different spots around Lowell High School: Lake Merced Blvd and the school\u2019s main entrance.<\/p>\n

On the fourth day of strikes, union members circled the main entrance and sang \u201cHey Su\u201d \u2014 aimed at Superintendent Maria Su \u2014 in the tune of the Beatles\u2019 \u201cHey Jude,\u201d with slight lyrical changes.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Su, let\u2019s open schools,\u201d the crowd sang. \u201cAll we want is to make them better, remember to negotiate in good faith, then you can now make it better.\u201d <\/p>\n

Singing \u201cHey Su\u201d at Lowell High School during the teachers\u2019 strike. Video by Sophia Rerucha.<\/p>\n

Walking the picket line were two high schoolers on the track team.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese teachers are awesome,\u201d said Chiara, a junior at Lowell. \u201cThey do so much and they answer all of our stupid questions. The least I can do is show up for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last night, students attempted to have a meeting with Superintendent Su, but were directed instead to her head of communications, Hong Mei Pang.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

He asked Mei Pang about dipping into the school\u2019s \u201crainy day fund\u201d to pay teachers. He says she was unresponsive. \u201cShe just sorta looked at me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Tristan is a freshman at Lowell. He said he came not only to say hello to teachers he knows, but to show his support.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is still work,\u201d he said, referring to the strike. \u201cIt might not be as hard as teaching, but they\u2019re still working through the rain, like yesterday at Ocean Beach.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s picket line.<\/p>\n

In a low voice, she described feeling confused as to why the district hasn\u2019t been able to meet teachers\u2019 demands.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe teachers care about me and support me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Sophia Rerucha<\/p>\n

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