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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As 2011 came to a close it was obvious that the power of community needed to be at the forefront now more than ever.

Time and time again changes in education at the local and state level failed to involve community voice; and decisions came from the top down.

One example is the voucher campaign  that Gov. Tom Corbett pushed in Pennsylvania throughout 2011. After slashing Pennsylvania’s education budget, Corbett then decided that the problem with Pennsylvania’s education system was its lack of “school choice.” He then spearheaded voucher legislation that garnered national attention.

Nevertheless communities from all over the state came together in opposition to vouchers and ultimately halted its progress.

Thanks to the resounding voices of countless community champions, vouchers are no longer a looming reality for Pennsylvania
However, often the voices of the community are excluded and don’t get to weigh in on the very proposals and decisions that affect the lives of students.

In Philadelphia, the School Reform Commission recently agreed to a major contract with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where the future of 50,000 seats from the lowest performing schools are at stake. The School Reform Commission made this decision without a single public hearing on the proposal.

Furthermore this private process was completed so quickly the public never had a chance to try and demand input. For this reason it is essential we actively check the powers that be to ensure our seat at the table.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”  Our Students matter and the education that they receive matters.

If we remain silent and allow education to continue to be run into the ground then our lives will have ended. If our students can’t succeed then our future is lost along with theirs.

Gov. Tom Corbett recently revealed his plan for education, pushing for vouchers as the new standard for education reform. On October 24th, the Senate Education Committee approved a vouchers program. Now, the Senate is poised to pass it. The Senate Education Committee’s support of vouchers is happening despite major opposition from students and parents across Pennsylvania.

Why fund private and parochial schools with taxpayer dollars? If public education weren’t always under attack by budget cuts, there would be no need to expand educational “choices” for parents and students. We know the real first choice of every parent and student is a high quality public school in their neighborhood.

If Gov. Corbett’s real goal was the expansion of educational choice for students he would be funding public education instead of vouchers. “Fixing struggling schools like mine is a process. It takes leadership from the principal and the district, student and parent involvement, qualified and effective teachers, engaging curriculum, accountability, and adequate funding. It is a process, but I know that my school can succeed if it is invested in,” said Baseerah Watson, a senior at  Sayre High School in West Philadelphia. There is no better choice for parents and students than a district of well-funded neighborhood schools.

Vouchers will only increase the disparity within already struggling districts. Many students, parents, and taxpayers will be left behind. They will be left behind because there is no guarantee that getting a voucher will lead to a better education. Even students who get vouchers are not guaranteed acceptance at private schools. Private schools can turn away students or kick students out for any reason, including a student’s disability, religion, test scores, background, or status as an English Language Learner. Even with a voucher, many students will be stuck in the same underfunded, under-performing schools, while more and more resources are drained out of their schools.

Vouchers will not benefit all of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, regardless of the promises being made by Corbett’s administration. These promises are empty promises. Can we really afford to leave anymore students behind? And, furthermore, would we want to?