K‑12 Education and Schools

San Francisco police uncovered and shut nine covert drug and gambling dens being run out of storefronts disguised as convenience stores. Separately, the city is grappling with its first public school teachers strike in nearly 50 years over wages and health benefits, leaving roughly 50,000 students out of class.

Roughly 6,000 San Francisco public‑school teachers remained on strike Wednesday, keeping all 120 San Francisco Unified School District campuses closed and leaving nearly 50,000 students out of class as year‑long contract talks collapsed. United Educators of San Francisco is demanding a 9% raise over two years, fully funded health benefits and more resources for students with special needs, while the district—facing a roughly $100 million deficit and under state fiscal oversight—has countered with a 6% raise over three years and says its offer is all it can afford. Superintendent Maria Su insists the district wants to avoid a prolonged walkout and says negotiators have made progress on issues like support for homeless families and teacher training and safeguards around classroom use of AI. The union reports turnout of about 20,000 teachers, students and supporters at Tuesday’s picket lines and is planning a large "Strike for Our Students" human banner on the beach, even as Mayor Daniel Lurie and Rep. Nancy Pelosi urge both sides to keep bargaining and reopen schools. Many teachers say soaring housing and health‑care costs are forcing them to work second jobs or consider leaving the city, making this strike a high‑profile test of how far big‑city districts can stretch budgets to retain staff in one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets.