Hundreds of parents with children in San Francisco’s public school system marched on city streets Saturday, demanding that students be allowed back into the classroom amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of those attending the rally and marching from City Hall to the San Francisco Unified School District headquarters on Franklin Street were with their children.
Francesca has two kids.
"My son is in kindergarten and, especially for this age range, distance learning is just a disaster," she told KCBS Radio. "The teacher has been doing the best she can, but he is tired of being on Zoom. We can’t work as working parents and enough is enough."
Brandon, his wife, eight and 11-year-old daughters also came to the rally.
He said it’s been hard.
"I’m working full time and my wife quit her job so she could help the kids with their online schooling," he said. "So, it’s now a full time job of schooling at home for her instead."
He added that it’s put a lot of pressure on the family, and trying to keep the kids engaged in distance learning has been challenging and stressful. Unions representing SFUSD employees said they have resumed negotiations with the district over returning to in-classroom teaching, but are continuing to demand increased safety measures.
Mayor London Breed and City Attorney Dennis Herrera announced Wednesday that the city is taking the school district to court to try and force them to reopen classrooms.
SFUSD campuses have been closed due to the pandemic since last March.
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