Save Our Schools ... Don't Cut Services



           Shortly after the welcome, of the AFL-CIO MLK Celebration there was a panel discussion on saving public education in Philadelphia. The panel included Pete Mathews, President of AFSCME District 33; Jerry Jordan President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and other important labor leaders and working people. Pete Mathews felt, “ Martin Luther King knew he was going to die so that we could achieve the things we had to today. He feels Mayor Nutter has the money to pay the workers and merely wants to break the union. Pete Mathews further stated the “mayor has given us January 30th as the deadline to make a contract. He has given us an ultimatum. Although he did not specify what steps would be taken if we did not comply. He added, “It’s not about color it’s about something else.”

Ethelene Baker, a correctional officer works to get inmates their Graduate Equivalency Diploma; felt Mayor Nutter is a mayor for the 1%. Another panelist felt the mayor attacked retirement by decreasing their pensions.

One panelist, who was a librarian, felt that the mayor wants to cut public services and the number of library patrons. 

“As great as people are”, said one panelists, “we all can succumb to sin. “ He said that in reference to the statement made by the Executive Vice President that Thomas Jefferson was a slaveholder; “despite the greatness of the man” He felt Mayor Nutter and other people in city government have committed grievous wrongs but cutting back on essential services and not paying city workers decent wages. He added that anyone who does not have collective bargaining in this day and age is a fool.”

Jerry Jordan , President of the Philadelphia Federation stated “ the School Reform Commission,” a body selected by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to run the Philadelphia School system, “has hired one CEO who left the school system in one million dollars of debt. Then hired another who left the school system in over $700,000,000 in debt. Jerry Jordan further added that he felt “the goal has been to underfund the system so that children receive less and to privatize the system.” He further added. “There has been no increase in the budget but to charter schools and that increase has been for more than $800,000,000.” Jerry Jordan feels that “they are attempting to close public schools without any input.”

“Testing data does not tell the whole story,” said one panelist. One has to ask oneself about the value of the children returning from college; the amount of them that come back and thank teachers and staff. One can not measure the amount of success that comes out of the Philadelphia Public Schools. How many have gone on to become doctors, lawyer, writers, dancers, singers and scientists? Testing data cannot measure how many times a person is willing to study from a text to learn a particular subject. Testing data cannot accurately measure talent or creativity.

Anna Perez, a community activist with Youth United for Change and organization that is a part of PCAPS, Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools believes that “class warfare has been waged and Philadelphia is ground zero.” She felt that solidarity in the community among diverse groups was essential in fighting for public schools in Philadelphia. “PCAPS is made up of union, parents, teachers, and student unified strategy rooted in the community. We are rank in file members. We attend the same churches, schools and bars. We can build a movement for change. Together we will win!”

 

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