Around the city, teachers protest
Around the city on Tuesday morning, teachers stood outside public schools and waved signs, chanted and handed out flyers detailing the impact of $629 million in proposed budget cuts.
Around the city, teachers protest
Kristen Graham
Around the city on Tuesday morning, teachers stood outside public schools before classes began and waved signs, chanted and handed out flyers detailing the impact of $629 million in proposed budget cuts.
It was part of a citywide “informational picket” planned by the Philadelphia School District’s teachers’ union.
PFT president Jerry Jordan stood on the lines himself at two schools in the Northeast, Lincoln High and Mayfair Elementary.
“These cuts would be devastating,” Jordan said. “It would be the beginning of the total end here in Philadelphia.”
Cars honked as teachers held up brightly colored signs that said “Art, Music, Libraries, Teachers, Counselors Aren’t Frills” and “Yale or Jail? Fund Our Schools, Not Our Prisons.”
Jordan said that his staff reported turnout was good at pickets around the city. In some cases, administrators joined teachers on picket line.
“It’s a really strong showing,” said Jordan.
District officials have proposed a $2.8 billion budget that includes deep cuts to programs and employees. More than 3,000 jobs would be cut, including about 1,200 teacher positions; full-day kindergarten would be eliminated; virtually all transportation money would vanish.
There would be less money for special education, English language-learner services, facilities, athletics and other programs.
“Philadelphia is not funded at the same level as many of the surrounding districts,” Jordan said. “If we get cut more, our kids are not going to be as successful as they have been over the past eight years.”
About 30 parents joined teachers outside Dobson Elementary in Manayunk, a small K-8 school of about 250 students that would lose 27 percent of its budget, including five teachers, a full-time librarian and a graphics program that was just implemented.
“These cuts are brutal,” Dobson Principal Patricia Cruice said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do.”
House Republicans are expected to propose a new budget Tuesday in Harrisburg that would restore some of the cuts to education, but it’s not clear how much support the new spending plan will have.
District officials say they cautiously cheered by the proposal, which restores money to a grant previously used to pay for full-day kindergarten. Chief Financial Office Michael Masch said the proposal, if passed, “means that the prospects for restoring the cuts in kindergarten are getting better.”
I agree that the cuts would be a real hardship & very unpleasant - BUT whats the alternative? I hear a lot of these PFT union reps, politicians, teachers & parents complaining, but are they offering up anything in the way of solutions? If so I haven't seen them. & BTW if the Philly school district wasn't so poorly managed they wouldn't be in this type of hole & the state cuts would hurt a lot less. I think the PSD need to be held accountable at the same time. (There's NO excuse for a $650 million shortfall)— noname75
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- Please don't tell me these teachers and kids were out protesting during school hours. I don't want to hear that it was during lunch, homeroom, or study hall. Save it for after school.— dglass1
- It was before school hours, so there was no disruption to any instructional time. And yes, we as teachers come early to school, stay late after school, and even do work at home on nights and weekends. — jkhoop
- Are you kidding? These people are professionally contracted to educate your children. Do you really think that they did this during the school day? Your comment is beyond ignorant. — dim-5
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- Good for teachers. A fine civics lesson for their kids.— Paul Deon
- Maybe they should do more TEACHING and less protesting. Unions and teaching are a bad combination. Corbett is right, vouchers are the only way to go to give parents and children a choice of which school they want THEIR tax dollars to go to. Competition is the BEST motivator.— Citizenc92
- Maybe you should do more parenting and less complaining. The informational picketing was before school hours, so it did not effect any instructional time. SHOULD I ONLY TYPE IN BIG LETTER SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT? — jkhoop
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- What $650 million shortfall are you talking about, noname? The $650 million is the cut is funding to the Philadelphia school district compared to last year. It's not debt. It's the projected shortfall after Federal stimulous has been eliminated and Corbett's cuts in state funding. The whole thing is bogus anyway. During the current recession, social service demands have increased. Corbett and his Republican co-conspirators are saying "We either cut social services or education funding". BS. They knew there would be an out cry against cutting school funding so the state legislature is coming back with "That only leaves us with the option of cutting social services. That's what the voter wants."— MikeP
- I guess what I meant to say was that they knew this was coming... they received Stimulus $$'s the last year or two to balance their budgets.(Although doubt that’s what the money was intended for) They should've known that wasn't going to be an every year thing. & whether you’re a republican or a democrat the answer CAN'T be to just keep raising taxes every time your short. I know that’s the PHILLY way but it just can’t continue - not in these tough times. (The public can only be taxed so much) — noname75
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- yo dglass. It was before school you idiot.— phil80
- When the SDP makes teacher cuts, Is the Union, The PFT going to cut union staff, I don't think so, They are in a position where their Jobs & lives are not in turmoil unlike the Teachers whom will be laid off, no job, or transford to the unknown.What has the PFT done for anyone lately?
That allow Ackerman & SRC head Archie to Lead the way To Corruption of the New Created Charters & going ons of the SDP.Remember Ackerman played the RACE CARD AND NOT A WORD FROM PFT'S PRESIDENT JERRY JORDON.
I say cut the staff within the union and Then & only Then, will you see some action from the PFt. Otherwise PFT Staff don't care about its members who pay their dues, Time for a Change, ELECT a NEW PFT PRESIDENT & AFT PRESIDENT......TED KIRSCH Su&#s also.
— Allen15 Fan - Cleanupphilly, you have it wrong. They spend about $200,000 per child. I know I go the facts from ...... I forgot. Please don't spew your non fact based stupidity on these sites. You obviously just make up what you want to believe. There is so much that people like you don't understand or know. Obviously, we as teacher failed you. The Republican legislature won't restore all the cuts just some. If you think that will benefit public education you are even dumber that I 've already stated.— skolman
- I am a teacher in the Philadelphia School District. When I read the email from the Financial Office talking about the massive number of cuts, I was appalled and disgusted. Then I read in the paper that the Union is NOT going to re-open negotiations and was flabbergasted.
I wrote a letter to the union, suggesting that they propose 1) Salary freezes for all employees, 2) a $2000 salary cut for all non-administrators, 3) a $5000 salary cut for all administrators, and 4) early retirement incentives with no penalties for employees who have 3 or less years until retirement.
The salary cut alone saves the district approx. $100 million. However, I was told that even if the Union made these proposals, it was not guaranteed that it would save anyone's job.
When I pay for a service, I have high expectations of that company. The Union is a service I pay for who has pretty much said that they do not care about my business.
As a teacher, I was willing to take a $2000 pay cut. Every teacher in my school said the same thing. Why are these proposals not being considered?
— JaimeBrigham - hey jamie: let the top take the cuts..they p***ed away the money on pet projects like imagine 2014 instead of decreasing class size. i've worked for 30 years and started at 8000$. let the top cut their jobs and salary. did ackerman take a real cut?? how many 6 figure people is she surround with? a lot........ — joegrink
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- JerryD, what's a srike? Did you mean strike? We were not and are not on strike. We just want to let the parents of our children know that state budget cuts are going to take away many programs that their children enjoy. These cuts could include things like school plays, music programs, art departments, libraries, counselors, nurses, and more. How many times have you used that "intellectual molestation" line? I read it twice today. We are not using children. Almost all of us take this job because we care very deeply about children.
Citizenc92, students don't compete for grades. Schools shouldn't compete for money. Competition is not the answer. Private and Catholic schools are not assessed the way that public schools are. Furthermore, vouchers are not the cure that some of you believe they are. Just because a student from Overbrook gets a voucher to attend another school, do you think that student will be allowed into Episcopal Academy? It's more likely that E.A. will take the voucher and expel the student later. And I wonder how the parents at E.A. will feel about that? Many of them send their children to private school to get them away from children in public schools.
The bottom line is that the PFT, comprised of educators that work in an area where many children don't enjoy the same benefits as those enjoyed by children in suburban schools, wants the best for both its members and the students that they serve.— dblose - Dglass- Excuse me, the informatinal picketing was before school started,and you don't dictate our hours to begin with. Allen honey, Kirsch will never be president again, he has moved on.— Filly5
- I'm going to crack my sides laughing here- Ackerman's use of the race card has nothing to do with Jerry Jordan who has too much class, much like Obama,to address such a charge. Only SHE is responsible for her mistakes.— Filly5
- Are people understanding the implications of a child entering the system at 7 years of age, never having had ANY prior instruction? Half day kindergarten is not an option.— Filly5
- No name>> "I agree that the cuts would be a real hardship & very unpleasant - BUT whats the alternative?"
Less cuts.— Filly5 - Comment removed.
During the school year, you’ll frequently find her hosting live chats about the district on Philly.com. Please do pass along the scoop about what’s going on at your Philadelphia public school; Kristen welcomes tips, story ideas and witty banter at kgraham@phillynews.com or 215-854-5146.
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