Philadelphia parents have taken a strong stand against the budget cuts that have decimated their children’s schools. They say, “Don’t open them unless they are fully funded.” Parents were responding to the district superintendent’s statement that the opening of school may be delayed. Last spring the district laid off nearly 4,000 teachers and other staff.
“I am in the unfortunate position today of having to announce that if we do not receive at least $50 million by Friday, August 16, the School District of Philadelphia will be forced to consider alternatives to starting the 2013-14 school year on Monday, September 9,” Hite said in a statement. “This means that we may not be able to open any schools on September 9, that we may only be able to open a few, or that we might be open for a half-day. We will not be able to open all 218 schools for a full-day program.”
This was the parents’ response to the doomsday warning:
With a potential Corbett deal on the horizon, though, a group of parents is taking Hite to task. Along with local congregations and students, they’re organizing a town hall Monday. Even if the first bell does ring on Sept. 9 as scheduled, the Philadelphia school district will be a shell of its former self. Fifty million dollars, they say, is not enough — it’s far less than the $180 million the district had originally asked for. If the $50 million is necessary but not sufficient for educating their kids, they wonder, what’s the point?
“The town hall is a community wide response to the notion that we’re looking at funding schools so that buildings can open, rather than funding schools that can educate children,” said Helen Gym, a public school parent and founder of the activist group Parents United for Public Education. “The money that he’s [Hite] asked for is necessary but not sufficient to operate our schools. That’s just a terrible and dangerous standard for our district to put out there.”
Gym said she would take Hite’s ultimatum a step further. “Unless the schools get what’s needed for them to educate children and not open buildings, we don’t think school should open either,” she said. “We’re asking the district to redo its budget so they can guarantee arts and music, a counselor in every school.”
If Pennsylvania has a state constitution similar to other states, the state government is responsible for funding a free public education for every student. And while critics blame the district for financial mismanagement, the district has been under state–not local–control for more than a decade.
It is time for Governor Corbett and the legislature to meet their responsibilities to the children of Philadelphia. In the meanwhile, the parents are right to exercise the power they have: the power to keep their child home until the state provides a real school, not just a building.
Section III, Article 14 of the Pennsylvania Constitution says:
“The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth.”
What is being prepared in Philadelphia is what is known in the corporate world as a lockout.
http://tinyurl.com/6hu8op
Diane:
Thank you so much for your kind words and support. We’re at a pivotal moment. Someone of your stature getting behind this makes a huge difference! Thanks again.
Joe
My God, this is Philadelphia! I have tears in my eyes as I’m typing because Philadelphia means something in the history of this country. I know the city has inflicted lots of tough times on its education professionals but this is too much. Please let’s send light and love to the Philly teachers and parents because they can use it as they resist. And if they need us to show up in person, just let us know.
I believe the only way to confront the hubris that prompts our governor to even think about asking for financial sacrifice from teachers is through the united efforts of students, parents, and teachers to bring the machinery to a halt as dramatically as possible. This intolerable situation cannot be tolerated: it is not safe, and certainly not productive, for students and teachers to crowd into classrooms that are underfunded and ill-equipped. This is America; this is the 21st century. Corbett and his cronies should be ashamed of their indifference to children and families and the future of this state and this country.
So are you saying that no education is better than some? So we cannot educate without feeding the gates machine ? How in the world Diane did you get so scholarly and educated??
Kids can be educated without bells and whistles, actually better.
How bout suck it up and make it work. Do not further the educrat dialectic leading public schools right into the trap of corporate management! Insider school boards have ill advised. Wake up. Stop taking gates money. Take care of the children of Philadelphia!!! Stop abusing them, their parents, their teachers, the city. Stop blaming just Corbett and Remember ed Rendell?? Former mayor and Governor who signed this city up for all that Corbett is getting blamed for, not that he is innocent either. And current mayor Nutter sucking up to globalists for $$$$$$ please! You all are hurting our precious children and warping our city. Chaput should be ashamed too taking Gates money? Where is the money.? It is absurd to think no one can go to school because the state wont give money to the schools. For garbage common core scam.
Get a pencil and a book and get a life.
Today, Governor Corbett responded with a refusal to give Philadelphia schools any money. He admitted that he has the money, but he refuses to give it to us until the teachers agree to take a 13% pay cut, work a longer day, pay more into our benefits, etc. (These are just a few of the details of their proposed contract. They also think teachers should give up their desks and water fountains.) Obviously, the bottom line is the money. Corbett believes that the teachers should pay for the mismanagement of funds that has been going on in Philly for years now. Our (teacher’s) contract expires on August 31 of this month. The union has been in negotiations for months.Our superintendent announced to the public that he does not want to open schools on Sept 9th because it isn’t safe. On this particular point, he is right. All of the vice principals, noon-time aids, counselors and staff who help maintain order in the classrooms and halls were laid off in June. Samuel Jones, this is Philly. We have a high poverty rate and unfortunately, violence in our schools is common. Without the support staff, it could be dangerous in many schools to try to teach. It’s not as easy as just having a pencil and a book.
Why in the world would Obama do that to Philadelphia School districts, i wont be able to return to school not even sept 9th because of his mistakes, honestly Obama failed his promise when he said in the beginning “schools would stay open while I Am President”, Broke his Promise.
In Philly, the SRC (School Reform Commission) has called an emergency meeting Thursday at 3:00 to change the state school code to eliminate seniority, stop pay increases and hire nurses who are not certified!
Please come to the meeting at 440 Broad Street at 3 pm!
http://weteachpublicschool.com/
Posted on August 15, 2013