“The Notebook” reports on the disgraceful funding of schools in Pennsylvania, especially Philadelphia.
Corporate tax breaks mean more to Governor Corbett and the Legislature than children. Public schools don’t make campaign contributions. Charter operators and corporations do.
Says “The Notebook”:
“It’s hard to overstate the deplorable conditions facing Philadelphia school children again this fall: another year of bare-bones education, overcrowded classrooms, and gaps in essential services like counseling and nursing.
“But Philadelphia is by no means the only Pennsylvania district to see budgets slashed and the jobs of teachers, librarians, nurses, and counselors eliminated. Districts across the state are reeling from four years of austerity. Here’s how some were responding this summer:
“Cutting activities: More than one-fourth of districts were expecting to cut extracurricular activities this year, according to a survey by the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officers.
“Laying off teachers: Allentown’s school district axed more than 60 teaching positions – on top of more than 400 cut in the three prior years.
“Eliminating the arts: A district near Scranton announced it can no longer afford music instruction for students through 2nd grade.
“Something is seriously wrong with this picture. Pennsylvania is not a poor state and is situated in one of the richest countries in the world. But many districts can’t provide our children with school personnel we once took for granted. Not to mention books, technology – and in some cases, soap and toilet paper.
“The Corbett administration would like us to believe that the problem in Philadelphia is that teachers haven’t sacrificed financially. But teachers deserve to be adequately compensated for their vital work and are right to resist a race to the bottom in education spending.”
Corbett is a disgrace.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Dear Dr. Diane Ravitch:
I am delighted to see your feisty and acerbic postings of the past two days! I hope it is because you are feeling well and at the top of your game!
All the best to you!
80% of PA’s school districts had to up their taxes this year, while corporations get tax breaks. I can’t wait to get rid of him in November!
The problem is, being ashamed requires having shame, something which the rephormers utterly lack.
He is indeed a disgrace. Under his governance more than 20,000 teachers have lost their jobs in Pennsylvania, and the last 4 years here have featured an endless stream of anti-teacher legislative proposals to, for example, end tenure, end seniority, expand charters and vouchers, end payroll deduction of union dues, and turn our pensions into 401k plans. Now he is lying on the campaign trail about the obvious, his education budget cuts. Education funding Under Corbett has been cut, and cut to the bone. In desperation, It is reported that the Republicans are distributing a flyer showing Tom Wolf, who is pro-choice, with a picture of Dr. Gosnell, the convicted murderer who operated an abortion mill in Philadelphia.
http://www.politicspa.com/pa-gov-gop-flier-features-wolf-with-kermit-gosnell/60602/
The Republicans are counting on their Christian Right voters to come out and save Corbett. Hopefully, they won’t be enough to keep him in office after January.
Disgraceful.
In Chicago, the union and CORE are just beginning to document the latest attacks on the arts and physical education under austerity budgeting. Many “art” classes are now being privatized, taught by contractors who are “artists” but not teachers. And in “physical education” they are privatizing as well, and playing numbers games with the number of “hours per week” that kids are supposed to be getting PE. At one school, the school is counting the “passing time” (when kids go from class to class) are part of the weekly PE minutes.
We’re working on compiling examples of all this nonsense. Suffice to say, the governor of Pennsylvania is not the only loyal servant of the plutocracy who is pulling this stuff. Chicago’s “Democrat” mayor, Rahm Emanuel, is doing every dirty trick, too.
Well of course… Mr. Gulen resides there. His movement desires more Turkish charters schools to open, so the money keeps flowing back to Turkey and of course supporting this religious leaders life style.
Mr. Gates is excited too. The charter school folks have really jumped on board with Common Core and “Race To The Top.” Micro Soft will have no competition in the future.
The politicians only serve those who contribute the most money and gift abroad to their campaigns. Also no one wanting to move up the ladder in government jobs will rock the boat. They will never move up or get promoted. Government jobs generally start out not paying well until you can prove your worth to keep quiet, and take orders and don’t question anything.