School District and teachers union: Not even close

This may take some time.

The Philadelphia Teachers Union conceded Wednesday that members would be pay into their health-care coverage, as The Inquirer's Sue Snyder reports.

How much? Leadership isn't saying.

Oh, also, that members will forgo raises. For a year.

Most teachers work very hard, and will even more with the elimination of so much support staff. But who was even discussing raises with a school district lacking millions in necessary funding?

As I wrote in today's column, the Philadelphia School District remains a perpetual disaster movie. The district specializes in the three C's: crisis, conflict, chaos.

But it's clear the union isn't even close to getting the $103 million in concessions the state is demanding to release more funds.

The union contract for 15,000 teachers and staff expires Saturday, two days shy of Labor Day.

Students report to school Sept. 9. The crisis appears to have no end in sight.

--Karen Heller