SAN FRANCISCO — Today, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer released the following statement in support of San Francisco Unified School District educators going on strike for the first time in nearly 50 years.
“California is the 4th largest economy in the world — but that prosperity is meaningless if the people educating our children are pushed to the brink. When teachers are undervalued, students pay the price.
“I stand firmly with our educators in demanding fair pay, stable working conditions, fully funded health care, strong special education support, living wages, and housing security. Their struggle must be a wake-up call to our leaders: California must invest more in our schools. As governor, I will fight to make our state a top-10 education leader once again.
“This is about dignity, fairness, and the future of our city. The school district must come to the table and negotiate in good faith — our teachers and students deserve nothing less.”
Steyer has a long history of standing with the people who keep our communities running, recently winning the endorsements of California Nurses Association and California School Employees Association and joining striking UNAC/UHCP nurses at the picket line in San Diego. He has called for the rich to pay their fair share and for closing tax loopholes for large corporations to deliver $15 to $20 billion annually for critical programs like education.