Last Thursday, City Council decided democracy was inconvenient. Faced with a deluge of phone calls and an unprecedented outpouring of parent action around the progressive Use & Occupancy tax, City Council President Darrell Clarke shut down an expected vote on the tax and instead announced that the City would seek over $74 million for schoolsContinue reading “Lessons from a budget battle”
Monthly Archives: June 2013
City Council final session today
Today is City Council’s last session. It isn’t lost on us that City Council plans to end its year without giving our children a guarantee about school funding. The good news is that the activism of parents and community members on the ground has sent a clear signal all the way to the governor’s officeContinue reading “City Council final session today”
Parents United statement on proposed education funds from City Council
This is a defining moment for public education in the City of Philadelphia. Never has so much been on the line – from thousands of essential jobs for Philadelphians to fundamental educational programs and services. In the past month, thousands of Philadelphians have marched at City Hall and lobbied City Council on behalf of supportingContinue reading “Parents United statement on proposed education funds from City Council”
Video of the Day: Investing in schools creates twice as many jobs as military spending
Say what? UMass economist Bob Pollin argues against “austerity” and heightened militarism, saying that education is by far the better investment. “Spending on education is one of the best ways to create jobs, and it’s maybe the best way insofar as we already have an infrastructure in place called the system of public education atContinue reading “Video of the Day: Investing in schools creates twice as many jobs as military spending”
Hey City Council: You’re Supposed to Be Better than Harrisburg
Today over 100 parents, students, and community members packed City Council chambers—in the middle of a workday afternoon—and testified for over three hours to demand movement on the liquor-by-the-drink tax. For weeks, parents and other community members have made thousands of phone calls, sent hundreds of letters, spent hours on lobbying visits, and gathered countlessContinue reading “Hey City Council: You’re Supposed to Be Better than Harrisburg”
Parents United for Public Education 