This statement is in response to news that the School District of Philadelphia may begin disciplinary action toward teachers who had informed parents of their opt out rights around high stakes testing. The District move follows this City Paper article announcing that 17% of students at Feltonville School of Arts and Sciences refused to take … Continue reading
Author Archives: parentsunitedphila
Tomika Anglin to PA officials: Reduce inequity. Don’t reinforce it.
Today the Basic Education Funding Commission held the second part of a controversial two-day visit to Philadelphia to collect testimony that will inform the possibility of a funding formula for Pennsylvania’s schools. The Commission had refused to hear from parents, students or community members representing concerns about adequate funding in the Philadelphia public schools. According to a spokesman, … Continue reading
Statement: Students deserve an apology – not insults
Last month the School District of Philadelphia hosted a screening of the controversial film “Won’t Back Down” (read Helen Gym’s review of the movie here) shortly after the School Reform Commission took unprecedented action to revoke the teachers’ contract. Students conducted a protest of the film screening. It went downhill from there. According to this video, … Continue reading
Why we vote: Voting has the power to restore
Voting day is today November 4 . Polls are open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. (Find your poll location here). By all accounts the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race for the first time, will hinge primarily on how voters feel Governor Tom Corbett has served the Commonwealth’s public schools, its children, and the communities who support them. This is a … Continue reading
We sued the PA Dept of Ed. Here’s why we should keep filing complaints
(File a complaint here!) As Philadelphia schools open under a second year of Doomsday budget proportions, Parents United for Public Education, the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia, Media Mobilizing Project, and State Sen. Vincent Hughes announced the re-launching of the website http://www.myphillyschools.com and encouraged parents to file formal complaints with the Pennsylvania Dept. of Education … Continue reading
Parents United files suit against PA Dept of Ed
(This press release was published by our attorneys at the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia. Read more about why we filed here. The full filing is published below.) Philadelphia Parents’ Lawsuit Challenges Failure of PA Dept. of Education PDE neglects to investigate hundreds of allegations documenting severe effects of underfunding Philadelphia, Pa. – Today seven … Continue reading
A Victory on School Transportation
According to our research, the anticipated district savings of $3.8 million would have been dwarfed by the $6-7 million a year minimum that families would have to put out – an enormous burden. Thousands of high school students will continue receiving free SEPTA transpasses thanks to the work of Parents United for Public Education in partnership with the … Continue reading
Smart read of the day: Lisa Haver on why real accountability goes both ways
“The question then is: Is accountability applicable only to those in the classrooms? Why do we not hold those in leadership positions accountable? It is the responsibility of the Superintendent and the SRC to make sure that we have a functioning system which meets all of the needs of our students. It is their responsibility … Continue reading
Press Release: Schools will open but are they schools?
(On Friday, Superintendent William Hite, after weeks of speculation, announced that the Philadelphia schools will open on time. He also announced another $30 million in additional proposed cuts. An SRC vote on reducing SEPTA transpasses for high school students will be on Thursday.) Parents United for Public Education appreciates Superintendent William Hite’s stand to support … Continue reading
Sabotaging our children and our schools
This afternoon, the House GOP leadership announced that it would not return to Harrisburg to vote on a proposed cigarette tax bill that had been delayed in the state Senate. The failure to pass the bill means Philadelphia schools are more than $83 million short of last year’s inadequate funding. This is Parents United’s statement … Continue reading
