On the heels of yet another “doomsday” school budget for 2013-14 that has no funding for things as basic as paper and new books, the Philadelphia school system is now laying off 3,783 employees, including 676 teachers and 283 counselors, effective July 1. Unbelievable!!!!
Superintendent William Hite Jr. announced that the pink slips were in the mail on Friday, while calling the layoffs “nothing less than catastrophic for our schools and students,” according to this Philadelphia Inquirer story.
Along with teachers and counselors, those losing their jobs include 127 assistant principals and 1,202 aides who monitor the cafeteria and playgrounds. Among the targeted teachers are those that teach reading, math, English, special education and music. Teacher layoffs are being conducted based on seniority, according to the current district-union contract. ARE YOU KIDDING ME????
And get this!! more jobs are expected to be lost on top of these if the city doesn’t find more money for the school district, which is said to be trying to deal with a projected $304 million deficit. Mayor Michael Nutter said he is looking for ways to raise more revenue for the schools, but so far, nothing has been definitively done to stop the cuts.
In March the Philadelphia School Reform Commission voted to close 23 public schools at a meeting where American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten was arrested for protesting the action. About a week ago, the commission approved what was called a doomsday budget for the next school year because it includes no money for items such as new books, paper, counselors, assistant principals, arts and music programs, athletic programs, secretaries and librarians
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Randi Weingarten released this statement after the news of the layoffs:
"What was Superintendent Hite brought in to do? Mass-close schools even though it makes the corridors and streets less safe for kids and destabilizes neighborhoods? Make draconian budget cuts that strip schools of nurses, libraries, guidance counselors, art, music and after-school activities, and rob children of the rich learning experience they deserve? And now impose nearly 3,800 layoffs that public schools can’t function?"
Even though Hite is my fraternity brother, I want to ask him the same thing!
This is a damn travesty. What we have before our very eyes the evisceration and destruction of public education in the City of Brotherly Love as we knew it. And what really galls me is that instead of an all-hands-on-deck approach, instead of investing in our children’s futures, we see Gov. Corbett and Mayor Nutter sit on their hands while Superintendent Hite and the School Reform Commission have the gall to strip our schools to the bone and blame the very people who work closest with kids—the very people who devote their lives to helping children achieve their dreams,Teachers, for this mess. Where are the priorities of the governor, the mayor, the superintendent and the SRC? It's for damn sure that it's certainly not with the children of Philadelphia!!!...Certainly not with the parents and taxpayers....
All this and my property taxes are still going up....What the f^&%???
SHAME! SHAME ON THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA!!! OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER!!!
2 comments:
Tell Us how you really feel Keith!-LOL! Good hard hitting peice my friend!
Keith, I'm with you! I'm both sad and angry! The staus of our Philly schools is deplorable. The blame can be spread from the top down: our governor, mayor, superintendent, parents and the children themselves!
Let's not forget the whole premise of free public education is directly linked to our emancipation. Most of us took advantage of the learning opportunities we got as children. We got a good education because our parents saw to it. No one asked us if we wanted to go to school. No one asked if we wanted to get up on time, have breakfast, put on clean clothes, and follow directions in the classroom. We had better cooperate and advance. There was hell to pay if we didn't.
I don't understand parents today! Anything is acceptable. Kids say and do just what they want. The problem comes when they're 18, can't read, add, or write and have 4 children to support. Then the children become someone else's issue.
The streets of Philadelphia and Harrisburg should be jammed with protesters now. I'm cynical enough to believe that the streets will be filled with our children who have been denied even the basics of a decent education. They'll be lined up to march to the new prison being constructed just north of the city. I'm SMH!
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