Good
morning,
My name is
Kristin Luebbert. I am a community member, teacher, proud member of the PFT,
TAGPhilly, and the Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools.
I stand here today astounded and saddened that you, the people charged
with making sure our children have available to them a “thorough
and efficient system of public education (Sec.14of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Constitution)," have decided to funnel
yet more money away from the true public schools and give it over to charters. I am hearing that this will cost the district
at least 3.9 million. Even though these
are Renaissance charters and are supposed to serve the same students that the
SDP schools they replace served, we know from experience that this will not be
the case.
Meanwhile, I and every other
teacher in a District School will arrive at school in August and September with
an impossible situation: No counselors, no lunch-time personnel, and no
secretaries. How will my students be
kept safe in school? Whom will I call when a student threatens suicide, or
confesses that they are being abused? These things happen often! There will
also be very few opportunities for Music, Art, and other crucial forms of
enrichment. How does this situation
provide our students with a good education (or in your odious term
“high-performing seats”)?
I guess I would really like you
to answer these questions: You always say there is no money, yet you have hired
two high-salaried executives recently, and you have ads in job-search forums
for two more high-salaried positions.
There seems to be money for executives, but no money for the things that
directly help the children you are supposed to serve. Why is this?
Has the Special Education issue
at Mastery Clymer been resolved? If not,
why give them another school?
Has the rent issue with
Universal for Audenried and Vare been resolved?
If not, why give them another school?
I await your answers.
