The School Reform Commission of Philadelphia, controlled by the state, recently canceled the teachers’ contract to extract savings from the teachers’ benefits to plug a huge budget gap created by Governor Corbett’s $1 billion in cuts to education in the state. Corbett apparently hopes to privatize as many public schools as possible during his tenure. He likes to blame teachers for budget crises instead of his budget cuts. He is up for re-election in a few weeks. He should lose. He is a disaster for public education.
For Immediate Release
October 15, 2014
Contact:
Kate Childs Graham
202-615-2424
kchilds@aft.org
http://www.aft.org
American Federation of Teachers Launches Political Ad Buy on Philly School Crisis
WASHINGTON— The American Federation of Teachers Committee on Political Education has launched an ad buy that tells the true story of the teachers’ contract in Philadelphia. The six-figure radio ad buy—which features Philadelphia educators Steve Flemming and Sharnae Wilson—started airing in the Philadelphia media market Oct. 14.
“You have to wonder why Gov. Corbett’s School Reform Commission is more determined to misrepresent contract negotiations as a pretext for imposing concessions than to work with the teachers and support staff in Philadelphia who have been the glue holding schools together,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Gov. Corbett has been blaming and attacking them for months on end. Now, weeks before he is up for re-election, his School Reform Commission pulls this stunt. It’s unacceptable and voters won’t stand for it.”
“Something doesn’t add up,” said Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Jerry Jordan. “We put $24 million in healthcare savings and $10 million in wage freezes on the table 14 months ago. The School Reform Commission refused the money and then stopped negotiating altogether in July. If they were serious about helping kids, they would work with us, not try to break us.”
Ad script
Steve: My name is Steve and I teach third grade. I absolutely love teaching.
Sharnae: My name is Sharnae. My passion has always been teaching.
Steve: The budget cuts are having a huge impact.
Sharnae: There are too many students in the classroom. We have to buy our own supplies.
Narrator: From old textbooks to outdated equipment to overcrowded classrooms, our Philadelphia teachers are up against many challenges … and yet they keep going.
Steve: We teach our hearts out every single day.
Sharnae: Hoping things will get better.
Narrator: Gov. Corbett cut $1 billion from Pennsylvania’s schools. Fourteen months ago, Philadelphia teachers put millions in healthcare savings on the table. But Gov. Corbett’s School Reform Commission refused to accept their offer. And now? The School Reform Commission is trying to pull the plug on our teachers’ contract. Choosing to spend money in the courtroom instead of the classroom.
Sharnae: The students are suffering.
Steve: Something must change.
Narrator: Send a message to Gov. Corbett and the SRC. Tell them to stand with our kids, our schools and our teachers. Vote Nov. 4.
Paid for by American Federation of Teachers Committee on Political Education. The American Federation of Teachers is responsible for the content of this ad.
Click here to listen to the ad.
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Diane Ravitch's blog 
This is great news. The SRC may have thought their devious act would help Corbett in the election and make the teachers’ union look bad by suggesting the cancellation of their contract was the only way to get more resources for the city’s schools, but the fact is the resources aren’t there because of Corbett and we can change all of this beginning on Nov. 4 by voting for Tom Wolf. How sad, but how typical, that democrat officials like Mayor Nutter and Ed Rendell, supported the SRC’s action.
With that in mind, please forgive my sending this request out again for signatures to this PFT petition. The support of all friends in this blogosphere is greatly appreciated:
A request on behalf of our Philadelphia colleagues, students, and their families.
Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission (SRC) cancelled its teachers’ contract with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, with no warning, in a unanimous vote cast last week. The SRC took this action to unilaterally take away the teachers’ health benefits package and replace it with one of its own choosing.
Philadelphia’s teachers, including my wife, work in abysmal conditions, without adequate and proper resources and supports, while earning substantially less than their suburban counterparts. They have not had any raises for several years and, according to the SRC and Gov. Corbett, have no right to strike while the SRC simply imposes contract terms and work rules. If they strike, a right protected for all other Pa. Public school teachers, they are threatened with the loss of their licenses.
The School Reform Commission, run by Tom Corbett, has taken away funds from counsellors, nurses, libraries, and other activities that the children of Philadelphia need and deserve. The teachers shouldn’t have to pay for his bad deeds. If the state is going to frack, it should be taxing frackers instead of “fracking”with teachers.
To support my wife and the teachers of Philadelphia I signed the attached petition addressed to Governor Tom Corbett, which says:
“I stand in solidarity with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and condemn Gov. Corbett’s School Reform Commission. Cancelling the teachers’ contract shows how much Philadelphians need to control their own schools.”
Will you sign the petition too? Please click here to add your name:
http://petitions.moveon.org/workingfamilies/sign/stand-with-philly-teachers?source=s.fwd&r_by=11427962
Thanks again.
GST
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Here’s a cartoon that shows the Philadelphia situation: substitute “Philadelphia Schools” for the cat at the bow of the boat and you get the picture….
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It gets worse. Please read this report on conservative think tank Commonwealth Foundation paying people to show up and protest against teachers at their Phila. rally tomorrow.
http://thenotebook.org/blog/147823/confirmed-conservative-think-tank-behind-paid-protestors-philly-teachers-union-event
Please sign the petition (see my comment above) against Corbett and his goons.
Thanks.
GST
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Just checked Real Clear Politics and their Polling Data says that Wolf’s RCP average is 51.3% to Corbett’s 36.2%. In addition, Nate Silver’s Five-Thirty-Eight Blog has the Democratic wining Pennsylvania with an 18.7% lead over Corbett.
538 says, “Still dealing with the fallout from the Penn State sex-abuse scandal (among other problems), Corbett is down nearly 20 percentage points to his Democratic opponent, Tom Wolf. To come back from this deficit, Corbett probably needs Wolf to say something outlandish.”
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That’s good to hear but the polls don’t mean much if the people don’t come out to vote. Hopefully Nov. 4 will be a day for celebration in Pennsylvania (and Wisconsin where I am praying Walker will be defeated).
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Nate Silver’s 538 blog has been 99% correct in the last few elections. It even predicts how much a candidate will win by and is usually correct there too.
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For what it is worth, I signed the petition, but I was not overly impressed with the AFT promo. I don’t think the teachers were used very effectively. The narrator was given the meat and the teachers were left the hand ringing. As professionals, there is no reason why they could not have presented the facts. There was no need for an anonymous voice that carries no authority.
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Thanks for your signature.
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Pittsburgh teachers wore red all over town on Wednesday in SOLIDARITY WITH PHILADELPHIA. Here’s a great photo from Brashear High School colleagues. Watch the PFT400 Facebook page for more from all over the ‘burgh. With gratitude for your commitment to the children and to our profession, and our pledge of support, from “the other PFT”
Today, in Philadelphia, supporters of public schools and of children and of teachers and of unions are mobilizing to respond to the School Reform Commissions attacks. The rest of us can support Philly by signing this petition, and sending messages to the SRC, as in this appeal from the AFT – American Federation of Teachers.
“This Thursday, Oct. 16, students, parents, community members and educators are rallying outside the SRC’s offices to demand the SRC come back to the table and negotiate in good faith with the educators who are holding Philly schools together.
Will you join them by tweeting your support on Thursday? Tell SRC Chair Bill Green that people across the country demand fair treatment for Philly students and educators.
Philly educators deserve better! Tell @Green4Philly to stop misleading, bargain in good faith! #turnupfortruth #phled http://aft.to/truth
Why won’t the Philly SRC and @Green4Philly negotiate in good faith with educators? #turnupfortruth #Phled http://aft.to/truth
I stand w/ Philly students, schools and @PFTLocal3! Tell @Green4Philly enough is enough! #turnupfortruth #phled http://aft.to/truth
Once you’ve tweeted, will you sign our petition to the SRC, too?” http://action.aft.org/c/44/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9229
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Why are we surprised at anything Corbett does? He is not only a disaster to public education, he is one for the general welfare of children. Recall his office’s 3M funding the notorious Second Mile Foundation, Jerry Sandusky’s child sex abuse victim pool, AFTER a grand jury investigation began. Never mind it took three years to act on the allegations under his watch. Corbett functions with a spinning moral compass and, fortunately, many PA voters are going to the polls with that in mind.
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We all have to fight to stop what is happening to public education!!!!!!!! Standing up for what is right!
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