Wednesday, 23 May 2012
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Mar 07, 2012

Muted Voices

kobymurp

On Thursday February 16th The School Reform Commission of Philadelphia (SRC) voted to suspend a portion of the Pennsylvania Public School Code that requires a three-month window between an official public hearing on proposed public school closures and a vote to make them official.

According to legislative functions pdf available on the School District of Philadelphia website “The SRC may, upon a majority vote, cause to suspend at any time the operation of a SRC policy, provided the suspension does not conflict with legal requirements.” Thus granting them power to change the school code when they deem it necessary.

Regardless of why they have the authority to change the school code, the suspension of school code grants the SRC the power to close schools without any opposition from the public. We are looking at a major abuse of power and a complete disconnect from the SRC and the community. The SRC’s change in policy effectively shuts the door in our faces and is a blatant issue of accountability and transparency.

School reform cannot exist when the community is disenfranchised from the process. Who checks and balances the SRC’s power to silence us from school closings? We don’t appoint them. The governor chooses three members and the mayor chooses two. None of our parents or students sit on the commission so I don’t see how the SRC could go through with a major shift in policy like this without allowing our voices to be heard.

Community members were showing up in opposition to school closings, it wasn’t as if they weren’t showing interest. The community made it a point to be at the 21 community meetings around the issue of school closure.  As recently as March 4th, parents, students and other members of the Philadelphia community showed up on a Saturday to voice their opinions against school closings. The SRC’s abrupt change of school code hurts the community’s ability to be involved in the school reform process.

I know the SRC has a code of ethics which should have influenced its membership to make a more sound decision than to suspend such an important portion of school code. According to its code of ethics the SRC is supposed to include stakeholders in all communications, distribute relevant information about the district, as well as lead with respect and take full responsibility for SRC activity and behavior. However, actions speak louder than words and while members of the SRC may say it wasn’t a move to completely disregard the public’s persistence what else could it be viewed as?

In the meantime I hope for the well being of our students at the schools on the closing list. Where will they go? How will they feel when their schools are no longer available to them? Our students deserve better than this and our community needs to be central to the SRC’s decisions. The community can look back and say they did everything they could to keep the doors open but can the SRC?


Posted by: kobymurp
Tagged in: youth , voices , voice , unfairly , The Philadelphia Student Union , Students left behind , Students , School Reform Commission , school reform , school district , School Closings , public hearing , public education reform , public education , PSU , power , Philly student union , philly , Philadelphia Student Union , Philadelphia Education , philadelphia , pennsylvania , parents , PA , opposition , Neighborhood schools , Leadership , Leaders , harm , excluded , ethically wrong , Education Stakeholders , Education Reform , district , decisions , crisis , Community Voice , Community Input , community , Communities , closure , Behind Closed Doors , Alliance for Educational Justice , AEJ , Accountability , 2012
Jan 12, 2012

Creating Nonviolent Schools & Communities: MLK Day 2012

kobymurp

Since 2009 the Campaign for Nonviolent Schools (CNS) has been working to engage leaders of the School District and the community in  addressing school climate issues that don’t push students into the criminal justice system .

The Campaign for Nonviolent Schools believes that by ending bias violence, the school to prison pipeline, and using restorative justice practices we can heal our schools and communities.

The work CNS does is important because nonviolent schools and communities can lead students to successful lives and as a result successful communities. The Campaign for Nonviolent Schools also brings together 11 diverse organizations from around the city all the while keeping youth voice and youth-created solutions at the forefront.

In honor of Dr. King’s legacy of nonviolence, youth and adults from around Philadelphia are coming together to take action to create nonviolent schools and communities.  

On MLK Day, Monday, January 16th, from 1pm-4pm at  Arch Street Methodist Church (55 N Broad St), join the Campaign for Nonviolent Schools for an expert panel of youth and adults, and workshops that will give you concrete skills and steps you can take to reduce violence.  

Some of the panel speakers will be Steve Korr from the International Institute for Restorative Practices, Ayesha Imani of Freedom Schools, Helen Gym of Asian Americans United and youth leader Joshua Glenn of CNS and the Youth Art & Self-Empowerment Project (YASP).

Workshops will include: Implementing Restorative Practices, Ending Bias Violence, Creating Nonviolent Schools, and Ending the School to Prison Pipeline.  This event is free and open to the public.  

Pre-register for the event at: www.endingviolence.eventbrite.com

King quote regarding the urgency of helping others


Posted by: kobymurp
Tagged in: Youth Organizing , Youth Leadership , voices , voice , Violence , transformation , The Philadelphia Student Union , Students , Special Events , school safety , school reform , school district , rev. dr. martin luther king jr. , quality education , public education reform , public education , PSU , Philly student union , philly , Philadelphia Student Union , Philadelphia Education , philadelphia , Neighborhood schools , Neighborhood safety , Martin Luther King , local , lives , learning , Leadership , Leaders , issues , Historic , future , fair , Equality , environment , empowerement , Education Stakeholders , Education Reform , Education for Liberation , district , Disparity , decisions , Community Voice , Community Input , community , Communities , champions , Campaign , buliding a youth movement , Alliance for Educational Justice , AEJ , 2012
Apr 28, 2011

Students Rally for National Youth Investment on May 19th

purple17

The phrase “young people are the future” is often used by many adults and Americans in general. If this is what adults in America believe then why are elected officials approving budgets that cuts billions of dollars from education? By saying they believe in young people then taking money from education to invest in prisons proves that if it isn’t demanded, education will be pushed to the side for another agenda. Big budget cuts in education is something that cannot be acceptable and is a prime example of why students, parents, teachers and allies need to be participants in the decision making.

On May 19th the National Campaign for Quality Education, Alliance for Educational Justice, and the Leaders Investing for Equality (LIFE) Campaign will have the National Rally & March for Youth Investment in Washington DC. People from all over the country will rally and march for increased investment in the nation’s youth. Here are the list of demands:

1. Making an investment in the quality of public education by passing the National Campaign for Quality Education’s bill

2. Making an investment in youth jobs by passing the Youth Jobs Bill (authored by congressman Bobby Rush)

3. And by investing in youth voice and youth participation in federal policy decisions by creating a Grassroots and Congressional Youth Caucuses

Young people should be treated as the future leaders of this country. Young people need to be invested in and the White House, U.S. Congress and other legislators should be those investors. This needs to start with creating more youth jobs, access to an equal and quality education and decision making power in our education. Youth need all of this support to prepare them for meaningful and excellent careers. To secure these things, we need to take action and hold our nation’s leaders to specific demands.

Buses will be going from Philadelphia to Washington DC on the day of. If you'd like to come down with us please visit investinyouth.eventbrite.com for details.












Posted by: purple17