Teachers at George Washington High School in the Richmond District were out early this morning with bullhorns and signs. They’re calling on the district to pay them higher wages, cover benefits for dependents, and improve special education support.
Dante Popalisky, a math teacher and soccer coach at Washington, says he's able to make the job work financially because his wife makes double his salary. But even so he says, he's worried about how he'll manage to stay. He's taught at the SFUSD for 16 years.
"People like me — mid-career teachers who are in our prime in terms of the quality of education that we can deliver — we have to choose between either having our families (putting down roots here) or staying," he says.
Contract negotiations between UESF and SFUSD have been ongoing since March. Teachers are working under an expired contract.
The union says 108 schools are holding “practice pickets” today.
"Everyone is angry and everyone is fired up," says Jodie Sheffels, a member of the bargaining team. "The district has made it very clear that they have absolutely no plan to make a deal with us."
The district says it’s committed to negotiations and balancing its budget.
SFUSD teachers received a $9,000 raise in 2023 with an additional 5% salary increase the following year. At that time, classified teachers' salaries were increased to $30 an hour.
If a deal isn’t reached, the union says it will hold a strike authorization vote.
