Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
If every week it seems like a new teachers’ strike is happening or threatening to happen, you are not imagining things.
Across the state, teacher unions are coordinating walkouts and school districts must make tough decisions that could affect thousands of students, CalMatters’ Carolyn Jones writes.
To maximize their political reach, 11 local teachers unions of the California Association of Teachers unified their contracts to expire on June 30, 2025. A dozen other districts also joined the effort, leading to a wave of strikes or near-strikes you’ve probably heard about: San Francisco and West Contra Costa teachers on strike; San Diego almost got away; and teachers in Los Angeles, Oakland and elsewhere are either voting to strike or seem headed for strike.
Unions are pushing for higher wages and better benefits, but some also want amenities that benefit students, such as protections for immigrant and LGBTQ students and additional student support services.
- David Goldbergteacher association president: “Everywhere in the state there are people with unmet needs. The conditions are long overdue.”
In addition to budget gaps, school districts must contend with declining enrollment, which could mean less state money because funding is based in part on enrollment. The end of pandemic-era aid money that some districts used to raise teacher salaries or hire permanent staff also means those districts are now struggling to pay salaries.
If districts agree to teachers’ demands, special school programs, such as sports, electives and other offerings, could be cut to offset costs. This may disproportionately affect low-income students, who are more likely to rely on these programs.
CalMatters for Tuition: Lesson plan-ready versions of our explainers on AI in schools, energy costs, tenants’ rights, the state insurance crisis and more – all specially designed for teachers, libraries and community groups, as part of CalMatters for learning initiative.
Other stories you should know
The pipeline dispute continues
A Santa Barbara judge has struck down a Houston-based company that wants to restart a troubled oil pipeline off the coast of CaliforniaCalMatters’ Alejandro Lazo reports.
Sable Offshore Corp. wants to restart a pipeline that spilled thousands of barrels of crude oil along the coast of Santa Barbara County in 2015. After California regulators told Sable it had to repair the pipeline’s corrosion last fall, the company got President Donald Trump’s administration to step in and reclassify the pipeline as “interstate,” shifting oversight from state to federal regulators.
Environmental groups and California sued the Trump administration, and in a preliminary ruling Thursday, a judge said the federal intervention was not enough to overturn an earlier court order to halt the pipeline.
The decision comes ahead of a hearing today as the company faces multiple injunctions and legal scrutiny, including criminal prosecution and a federal securities investigation.
Truck and ICE driver training
Two recent updates to CalMatters’ immigration coverage:
- Truck drivers: A Bay Area judge ruled Wednesday to temporarily allow more than 20,000 immigrant truck drivers to keep their California trucking licenses. The state previously revoked those licenses due to pressure from the Trump administration. After a lawsuit, California extended license expiration dates until March, prompting the Trump administration to say it would withhold federal highway funds as punishment. Attorneys for the state expressed concern that Wednesday’s ruling could risk California’s ability to grant commercial licenses in general. Read more by Adam Echelman.
- Escondido and ICE: After five hours of deliberation and 200 protesters showing up in opposition, the Escondido City Council decided to uphold the contract the city made with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to share the police range. The City Council argued that firearms training would help ICE operate more safely and that canceling the contract would draw the ire of the Trump administration. Read more by Deborah Brennan.
Finally: Catch up with our judging panel
On Wednesday, CalMatters’ Joe Garcia, a former incarcerated journalist, moderated a panel of experts who have either helped bring justice to crime victims or shaped opportunities for incarcerated inmates. As the state tries to direct more resources to rehabilitation programs, panelists discussed the incentives for inmates to seek recovery and voters’ disillusionment with crime. Read more by Adam Ashton of CalMatters and catch a replay of the event.
California voices
CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: The Los Angeles Times’ bombshell reporting on the Southern California wildfires shows that Los Angeles Mayor Bass is ill-equipped to lead the city, but he it is doubtful that he will lose his job.
Ethnic studies help alleviate racial disparitiesbut the 2021 law passed in California requiring ethnic studies in high schools has no means of enforcement, no enforcement mechanism, writes Julia Barzitsagraduate student at UC Davis.
Other things worth your time:
Frustrated families sue state to stop antisemitism in CA schools // EdSource
Sierra Nevada snowpack only 68% of normal but water supply fine, experts say // The Mercury News
Del Monte collapse leaves California peach growers stranded // The Sacramento Bee
How to find out the rise in California winery closures // San Francisco Chronicle
SF judicial officers go on strike over staff and backlog // KQED
Bay area seals are coming down with bird flu, warn researchers from SA // San Francisco Chronicle
Edison will reduce executive bonuses as a result of the Eaton Fire // New York Times
Proposed ballot measure which would heavily tax thousands of second homes in SD removes a critical hurdle // San Diego Union Tribune
