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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Nutter and Corey Booker(New Jersey) as well as Arne Duncan (and Obama) are all privatizers of public schools. Lots of money to be made off charter schools, cyber charters, vouchers.
As a Democrat, I find them to be unfit to be in my Party……they should switch to the other Party! At least the Republicans generally are up front about disaster capitalism and Shock Doctrine theories (see: Naomi Klein’s book, The Shock Doctrine).
Oh trust me, I read that when I got involved in Occupy.
The Lincoln Park Charter School for the Performing Arts in Midland, Beaver Cy. PA. has spent untold Millions there building a new school and expanding last year, buying 10 or more buildings in town remodeling all or tearing some down and building new ones. But Midland does have a High School any more and has not had one for a long long time. The kids go to Beaver High or East Liverpool Ohio. How does Lincoln Park Charter School for the Performing Arts get that kind of money???
Have you seen the Philadelphia School System? Please, consider sending your child to a Philadelphia Public School, save for a very few (Central, Masterman, Meredith, Girls High) and then tell me the system is currently fine. You must be completely ignorant of anything remotely connected to the Philadelphia School System.