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"A teacher affects eternity, he can never tell where his influence stops." Henry Brooks Adams

Friday, July 26, 2013

Comments to the School Reform Commission today 7/26/13


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.

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