Yesterday, two media events regarding the fate of the Philadelphia Public School District occurred. Early in the day, Angela Couloumbis from Philly.com reported that rumors of privatizing the whole entire school system are swirling around Harrisburg. She reported that State Senator Vincent Hughes heard from places on high – or the Corbett administration – that the district has a giant for-sale sign posted on its property. She noted:
Sen. Vincent Hughes says he heard from “high-placed sources” over the weekend of “charterizing Philadelphia’s school district in its entirety,” a plan he likened to “a holy war.”
“That’s untenable, unacceptable,” Hughes told reporters during a press availability. “That abrogates contracts, that changes the entire dynamic of what would happen in a school environment. And it takes the school discussion to a whole other level.”
He would not give details on just who those high-placed sources are, or whether they are even in the Corbett administration.
“They don’t get too much higher,” Hughes would only say.
Then last night, Mayor Nutter made an appearance on All In with Chris Hayes. Chris Hayes planned on discussing Governor Corbett’s policies towards public education, the draconian budget cuts from 3 years ago, the $400 million prison expansion outside of Philadelphia and the 23 school closings and 4,000 layoffs that were just handed out. Quickly the segment went downhill. In a guise to get funding from the Governor, Mayor Nutter was cordial towards the governor, blaming the tough economic times. Then Mayor Nutter went into defending his education cuts, the 4,000 layoffs and 23 school closings. What was most absurd about the venture was that he deemed himself an avid supporter of the systems charter school expansion, which would break the teachers union and so on.
After last night’s segment with Chris Hayes, selling the Philadelphia School System to the highest bidder is something he wouldn’t openly object to.
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