San Francisco parents scramble as teachers strike leaves 50,000 students out of school

"SAN FRANCISCO -- 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 were 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 San Francisco Unified School District's 120 schools remained closed for a third day Wednesday, after about 6,000 public schoolteachers 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."

"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 goes on 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 of the other people that are being impacted,' Haught said."

About 6,000 public schoolteachers went on strike in San Francisco over higher wages, health benefits, and more resources for students with special needs, leaving nearly 50,000 students out of the classroom. The San Francisco Unified School District's 120 schools remained closed for a third day. Many parents are scrambling to plan child care, with some using after-school programs offering full-day programming and others relying on relatives, play dates, or each other. Some families avoid costly camps due to price. 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 filling vacant positions.

Read at ABC7 San Francisco