Hundreds of educators, students and parents rallied outside City Hall yesterday as San Francisco teachers went on strike, closing schools amid ongoing contract talks with the district.

The big picture: The strike, called by United Educators of San Francisco after months of stalled negotiations over raises and health care benefits, shut down schools citywide this week, affecting about 50,000 students.

• Schools will remain closed today while union leaders and the San Francisco Unified School District work to hash out a deal.

The city's first teacher strike since 1979 comes as San Francisco educators say soaring living costs, rising health care expenses and persistent staffing shortages have pushed an already strained education system to a breaking point.

• Educators are asking for higher wages that align with the city's high cost of living, staffing commitments, fully-funded family health care costs and other protections they believe are necessary to stabilize schools, support students and retain teachers.
• Talks have stalled as the union has spent nearly a year bargaining over a two-year contract while working under a deal that expired last summer.

What they're saying: "This isn't just about respect — this is about being able to live in this community, this is about being able to have health care in this community," said Jeffery Freitas, a math teacher and president of the California Federation of Teachers.

Between the lines: Vanessa Marrero, president of Parents for Public Schools, the city's largest parent advocacy organization, told Axios the strike is a fight not just for teachers but for students' long-term stability.

• She said many teachers are also parents struggling to afford health care while raising families in the city, and she worries the district could lose educators to neighboring counties that offer better pay and benefits.

Superintendent Maria Su met with educators over the weekend, but talks yielded little progress beyond an agreement to strengthen the district's sanctuary school policy.

• The district has maintained its stance that a structural deficit, declining enrollment and budget constraints limit how much they can budge on, though Su has said they're prepared to negotiate "for as long as it takes" to reach an agreement.

What's next: Schools will remain closed until a deal is reached, though it's unclear when that could occur.

• The last time teachers hit the picket lines nearly 50 years ago, classes did not resume for more than six weeks.
• Families in need of childcare, food assistance and other types of support can find resources here.

Tell a parent

While Bad Bunny was the center of attention for millions of people tuning into the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, the walking bunches of grass arguably stole the show.

Why it matters: Hundreds of humans in grass suits brought Benito's set to life in a matter of minutes, uniting with the music icon to create a Puerto Rican village complete with sugarcane, farmers, food carts and a buzzing casita (with Pedro Pascal dancing inside).

The big picture: The 350-plus performers ran onto the field at the end of the first half of the (kind of boring) game.

• They were corralled around the field, in between blocks of fake sugar cane and palm trees, to create a moving set.
• The result was an undulating 13-minute performance that felt like it was shot in the sugarcane fields of Puerto Rico, not in downtown Santa Clara.

They all suited up as shrubbery after answering a cryptic job ad calling for field performers who were 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-1, athletic and able to wear costumes "weighing up to 40 pounds."

💭 My thought bubble: Witnessing Bad Bunny perform in person was a life highlight, but watching the bunches of grass waddling around the field and having their stalks preened before showtime was hilarious.

• I shot a ridiculous behind-the-scenes video of the walking grass — because I am a serious sports reporter — and it is on our Axios SF Instagram. Team #GrassBunny forever.

Pass the grass

⚖️ A federal judge said California cannot bar federal agents from wearing face masks unless the rule also applies to state officers, but allowed the state to require agents to display identification. (NYT)

👀 Large numbers of crows are flocking back to Bay Area cities again this winter, puzzling residents and bird experts alike. (KQED)

🏗️ A stairway meant to connect the Dogpatch and Potrero Hill neighborhoods has remained unfinished for a decade due to bureaucratic delays. (SF Chronicle)

🏙️ City leaders debuted the Larkin Street Revitalization Project yesterday aimed at renovating the stretch between McAllister and Geary streets. (KALW)

Trick Dog, a Mission bar known for its unique seasonal cocktail menus, has launched its newest iteration called "Meet Me In The City," which doubles as a photography book spotlighting intimate portraits of San Francisco.

The latest menu reframes San Francisco through local photographers who have spent decades capturing what makes the city special.

• it features 16 brand-new cocktails (all $18) — each inspired by one of the photographs or the photographers themselves.

Zoom in: Bartender Tone Munguia described it as an "ode to San Francisco," with drinks designed to echo color, mood or place — whether that's the fog, a bridge, a neighborhood or a street-level moment.

• "The Supervisor," named after Harvey Milk, is a non-alcoholic clarified milk punch with strawberry and rooibos tea.
• "Dolores," named after the Mission's most iconic park, is a fizzy gin white Negroni with a hint of green tea, featuring a long ice cube engraved with the menu's title.

💭 My thought bubble: I loved the "International Orange," inspired by the Golden Gate Bridge, naturally. The flavors of the golden beets and raisins perfectly complemented the strong whiskey flavor — it was deliciously balanced.

If you go: Open daily, hours vary at 3010 20th St.