Joint Statement by the Philadelphia Student Union and Youth United for Change

In Response to the School District of Philadelphia’s School Transformation Proposal

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Students and parents’ voices echoed throughout the capital as people from across Pennsylvania chanted,  “Whose state? Our state! Whose schools? Our schools! Whose lives? Our lives!”

On February 14th, Valentine's Day, more than 400 students & parents from several Pennsylvania school districts held a rally for public education at the State Capitol.

They represented people from all over Pennsylvania with folks from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, and Chester.

“Fall Back in Love with Public Education” was the day’s theme. Holding heart shaped signs and wearing Valentine’s Day colors, students spoke out about the devastating effects of last year's billion dollar cuts to education. They demanded that equitable school funding be a priority in the next state budget.

This action came a week after Gov. Corbett announced his plan for the next state budget, on February 7.  He has proposed keeping education spending at about the same level it was last year, carrying over the almost $1 billion in education budget cuts.

Although the Governor’s office is working hard to present his budget proposal in a positive light, the people of Pennsylvania recognize that if the new budget follows the same suit as last year’s budget, the effects will cripple Pennsylvania.

“To our elected officials, where will our state be 20 years from now?”  said Baseerah Watson, a high school senior and member of the Philadelphia Student Union. “Can you rest assured that our state will continue functioning when education is not being invested in? I can tell you that the long term effects will not be pretty.”

Many school districts in Pennsylvania are teetering on the brink of meltdown as funds are dwindling.  Schools are having to cut teachers, services, and programs that enrich the lives and experiences of students.

“In Andrew Jackson School were my children attend, between 2011 and 2012, the school lost half of its teaching staff, and now there are more children in each classroom. We do not have a school nurse, or psychologist or counselors, and next year all the bilingual staff may be cut, in a school where 12 languages are spoken,” said Angelica Victoriano, a parent of two children at Andrew Jackson Elementary and a member of JUNTOS who spoke at the rally.

When students no longer have incentives to attend school and their schools, communities, and teachers are severely under-resourced what society can possibly thrive in Pennsylvania?  

“Politicians claim that we don’t need music or art programs, we don’t need clubs, we
don’t need extra curricular activities. Go ahead cut them from schools. Well what about the students who hate school but are passionate about music?” said Margarita Robinson, a student from Reading High School, “What happens when the program is gone and students have no initiative to come to school?”

As was stated many times at the rally “Education is a human right.”  Students have the right to be educated equitably, and parents have the right to feel secure in the education of their children.

When the rally came to a close, host Shayla Johnson made sure that students’ intentions were known, “We are the students and parents of Pennsylvania. And we will continue to organize around education until we see results.”

The future of the Chester Upland School District In Delaware County is and has been up in the air for quite some time now.

As a result of the devastating state budget cuts to education Chester Upland’s school district went under financially.

Chester Upland gets nearly 70 percent of its annual funding from the state but lost almost 20 percent of its allotment because of severe budget cuts according the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Even with the well being of students on the line the state is not stepping in to rectify the financial instability that many rightfully argue was pushed by the states multi-million dollar cuts to education.

In fact as recently as January 17th, U.S. District Judge Michael M. Baylson ordered the state advance $3.2 million to the Chester Upland School District so it could meet its payroll for the time being.

Regardless of the state’s claims that the Chester Upland School District mismanaged its budget, students shouldn’t have to suffer not knowing whether or not they will be able to keep attending their schools.

Teachers shouldn’t have to question whether they will be paid and whether they will be able to continue teaching their pupils.

Remarkably, before the federal court ruling for the $3.2 million advance of funds the teachers vowed to teach without pay for as long as they could.

That is absolute dedication to not only their profession but also to the  state’s most precious resource: our students.

Why doesn’t the state display such dedication to its students and their instructors?

Furthermore why would any state allow conditions like this to go on this long?

Will you join students & parents from across Pennsylvania to demand that Governor Corbett make equitable school funding a top priority in the next budget?

You must register online in order to reserve a seat on one of the Philadelphia buses: www.showloveforeducation.eventbrite.com

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Recently the School Reform Commission voted in approval of the Philadelphia Great Schools Compact which represents a handful of things for Philadelphia.

To be eligible to receive a grant from Gates, schools districts must agree to his vision of school reform and pledge cooperation by signing a compact which is essentially a contract.

In other words if the School District of Philadelphia wants money from Bill Gates it must follow his vision.

According to the official draft of the Philadelphia Great Schools Compact, the vision for Philadelphia is to strengthen its link between the School District and the charter school community in hopes to expand and simulate the best performing schools while eliminating the lowest performing schools (approximately 50,000 seats) by 2016-17. It will also align the District with the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools and the Philadelphia Charters for Excellence, two of the largest charter school umbrella organizations in the state of Pennsylvania.

I recognize that the Philadelphia School District is still trying come back from its $630 million budget deficit but is this really the path that they should steer Philadelphia education?

I would feel better if this process included more community voice. However this process was orchestrated without opportunity for Philadelphians to weigh in on the proposal and its decision. The plan was completed in a weeks time and was done behind closed doors.

Successful education reform in Philadelphia and abroad has to set aside time and input from the people most affected, the people that navigate through the education system.

We have to engage the entire community when taking measures on education.

For more information click here.

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