Teacher to Homeless

Etoria Cheeks talking to students

From a Teacher to Homeless

35 year old Etoria Cheeks has a secure job teaching math at a San Francisco Public School. She studied Religion and Psychology at Clark Atlanta University, before earning her Masters in Divinity at the Interdenominational Theological Center. She has a side gig as a badminton coach and instructor for underprivileged communities, and even works to tutor struggling kids after school for just a bit of extra cash. By all accounts, she would be the last person you expect to be sleeping in a homeless shelter.

Etoria first moved to California in 2015, renting a room in a house in Daly City, where she began substitute teaching, until 6 months later, the school district offered her a full time position. Her struggles began in December of the same year, when the house she was renting a room in went into foreclosure. And with only a few days notice, she was quickly evicted. Far away from her family in Georgia, with no savings, Etoria frantically began searching for a place to sleep.

As she searched for a room, or an apartment that she could rent, Etoria was forced to put all of her belongings in storage, sleeping by paying $30 to $50 dollars each night at a dorm bed in a downtown hostel. As her search for an apartment was extended, and extended again, she was forced to keep moving, finding a new hostel to stay in every two weeks, before she was kicked out for exceeding the maximum allowed stay. Etoria made too much to qualify for the below-market-rental lotteries through the Mayor’s Office of Housing, but too little to afford any of the few available apartments on Craigslist and other sites. After two months in hostels drained her savings, Etoria had no choice but to sleep at A Woman’s Place, an emergency homeless shelter in South of Market.

“I was there for a night, and I was so freaked out,” Etoria said. “I finally went to sleep and woke up the next day and went to work. I didn’t let anyone at the school know.” (article)

Thankfully, Etoria eventually found help. After a desperate plea to the Teacher’s Union for help, a retired member set her up in their own house, until she could find permanent housing of her own.

Etoria Cheeks cleaning her classroom after a day of school

The experience did not leave Cheeks unaffected, “San Francisco isn’t geared for me; it’s not built for someone like me.”, she tells the Chronicle. Soon after Cheeks submitted her resignation at Academy High, and began looking for work, and a home, elsewhere.

Etoria’s story is not unique. In San Francisco, a fifth year teacher will spend nearly 70% of their income just to rent a one room bedroom (Bennet). One study from Berkeley found that “For a new teacher at South San Francisco Unified, only 11 percent of studio and one-bedroom units rent at an affordable price” (Manji).

But these problems are just for public schools, our incredible teachers and coaches at Serra are fine right?! To an extent, yes, the crisis is far worse for Public School teachers, but the issue of housing affordability still affects the teachers we all know and love at Serra. In fact, in its West Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) Educational Improvement Plan (EIP), the issue of housing was brought up. According to Dr. Buckle’s who wrote the relevant portion of the EIP, “One of the things Serra says we’re going to do is investigate housing options for faculty, whether it's possible to provide housing for faculty” (Buckles).

A hand turkey made by Etoria Cheeks

Etoria’s story is a stark reminder of the harsh realities that many educators face in the bay area. While she ultimately found temporary relief, Etoria's struggle underscores a deeper systematic issue: even those with stable, full-time jobs are not guaranteed a place to live. The high cost of housing doesn’t just impact public school teachers, it affects all educators— including those at Serra. The fact that housing was identified as a concern in Serra’s WCEA Education Improvement Plan shows that even our own teacher’s are not immune to these challenges. As housing costs continue to rise, schools and communities must work together to find a way for teacher’s ti live stably in the same communities they serve – because no one should have to choose between their passion for teaching and having a place to call home.

WORKS CITED

Bennet, Sydney. “Even Experienced Teachers Can’t Afford to Live Where They Work.” Apartmentlist.com, Apartment List, 18 Apr. 2017, www.apartmentlist.com/research/teacher-salaries-rental-affordability. Accessed 14 May 2025.

"Etoria Cheeks in classroom." San Francisco Chronicle, https://s.hdnux.com/photos/61/05/25/12866904/4/1920x0.jpg. Accessed 12 May 2025.

"Etoria Cheeks on bus." San Francisco Chronicle, Hearst Communications Inc., https://s.hdnux.com/photos/61/05/25/12866905/4/rawImage.jpg.

"Etoria Cheeks' hand turkey." San Francisco Chronicle, https://s.hdnux.com/photos/61/05/25/12866914/4/1920x0.jpg. Accessed 12 May 2025.

"Etoria Cheeks speaking." San Francisco Chronicle, https://s.hdnux.com/photos/61/05/25/12866905/4/rawImage.jpg. Accessed 12 May 2025.

Knight, Heather. “Low Pay, High SF Housing Costs Equal 1 Homeless Math Teacher.” San Francisco Chronicle, SFGATE, 9 May 2017, www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Low-pay-high-SF-housing-costs-equal-1-homeless-11130936.php. Accessed 8 May 2025.

Manji, Shazia. “Struggling to Live in the Communities They Serve: How Housing Affordability Impacts School Employees in California - Terner Center.” Terner Center, 31 Jan. 2023, ternercenter.berkeley.edu/research-and-policy/how-housing-affordability-impacts-educators-and-school-employees-in-california/. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.

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