Update [9:48 PM] : Student Involved in Philly Student Union Action on Wednesday Night Speaks Out
Update [8:38AM]: Video of Sylvia Simms yelling at school students is online.
Update [12:37 AM]: Mother of student speaks out
Update: It looks like Sylvia Simms yelled “You must go to failing schools…you all belong in jail” at a screening of Won’t Back Down, the movie that promotes right-wing stereotypes of public school teachers and attacks teachers unions.
Families at the # Won’t Back Down Movie. Yes We Care. pic.twitter.com/KAzVwzoNKo
— Sylvia P. Simms (@Spsimms1) October 15, 2014
Last week, the School Reform Commission cast a 5-0 vote to dismantle the Philadelphia School District’s contract with 12,000 public school teachers. School teachers who make less than their suburban counterparts will lose more of their pay to healthcare costs and retired teachers lost their dental, vision and prescription coverage, and wouldn’t you know, that pissed off a lot of people. So here’s a refresher of what happened afterwards. Hundreds of students went on strike in support of their teachers, protests were held, someone was arrested outside of Tom Corbett’s office and educators from all over the region and country (a few from Canada) are expressing social media support for those teachers. Then at a protest, SRC Member Sylvia Simms yelled “you must go to failing schools” at school students supporting their teachers.
S. Sims, SRC member, yells @ stu. activists: “You must go to failing schools, you belong in jail” #stuvoice #phled pic.twitter.com/Myza2ewCwW — Nikki Adeli (@nikkiadeli) October 16, 2014
Commissioner Simms ridiculing our students by saying they “probably go to failing schools.” #phled
— Philly Student Union (@215studentunion) October 15, 2014
I don’t think there’s anything to say.
The fact you actually used the word “casted” instead of “cast” suggests you, too, might have gone to a failing school.
I went to catholic school, but thanks for spotting the typo.
Catholic schools are failing! Tax them, no, shut them down! Replace them with for-profit schools!
I am so proud of the students from Philadelphia Student Union! We, as parents, support you and will vote to have a new governor! You will support us by learning to speak up for yourselves and become even better citizens of the world.
The SRC is attempting to “divide and conquer” by canceling the contract with the teachers union. It is all part of the plan to eliminate public education. By promoting charter schools, vouchers, home schooling, Common Core Standards with no new sources of revenue or funding, and blaming poor test score performance on unionized teachers, the net result is the further decline of and support for public education. While enrollment and performance declines in public schools, for profit charter schools suck all of the tax payer money with no accountability. Students with special needs and the remainder students are all left behind, while politicians lambast public education as not working and should be “de-funded” or eliminated because government can’t run them, the “evil” teachers unions are preventing any change, and there is not US Constitutional mandate for a free and comprehensive education for all children. Only in Pennsylvania’s Constitution is their a state mandate for public education. There may be other states but I am not aware of them. Besides the Tea Party mentality is also at play here. They say why should I pay for other people’s children’s education? They should take “personal responsibility” to pay for their kids education and not expect taxpayers to pay for them. It all becomes a vicious circle.
My son is a bit to old for high school at this point, but I would have been proud to have seen him in a demonstration like this…fighting for a good education and the rights of both students and teachers. We hear a lot about kids today being detached and uncaring…this is proof that their community spirit is still alive.
I think the scene at the SRC movie screening last (Wednesday) night was sadly indicative of just how far over the cliff these folks have fallen. It’s not enough to spend public dollars on antI-union propaganda and fake protesters, hey let’s insult a group of young people expressing their views, the very people you’re supposed to be working for!
A few mutual acquaintances have suggested this outburst is not characteristic of Ms. Simms, and I see tweets from her asking to meet with the Student Union. Whether this is sincere or damage control, she owes our kids a public apology.