Wild SRC meeting; Jordan calls for Ackerman's ouster
PFT President Jerry Jordan calls for the ouster of Arlene Ackerman; a rowdy SRC meeting; cutbacks to Promise Academies and more.
Wild SRC meeting; Jordan calls for Ackerman's ouster
Kristen Graham
UPDATE, 4:10 p.m.
Just received this statement from the district: "The School Reform Commission remains committed to working with Superintendent Arlene Ackerman as stated under her employment agreement with the School District of Philadelphia."
What that terse statement doesn't address, of course, is how long that commitment will remain.
UPDATE, 3:30 p.m.
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Jerry T. Jordan just told me that "as long as that superintendent is in place we will not discuss concessions." The district is banking on $75 million in givebacks from its five unions. The PFT has long said it will not negotiate; Jordan's statement that the PFT won't negotiate givebacks as long as Superintendent Arlene C. Ackerman is in place is a new wrinkle.
Jordan also called for Ackerman's ouster. "I think that it’s time for new leadership at the school district," he said. Jordan also said that the PFT had not been informed of the decision to cut back Promise Academies prior to Wednesday's SRC meeting, and the district has not told the union how the changes will affect members. So teachers who were force transferred because their schools were to become Promise Academies but now aren't going to become Promise Academies are still in limbo. Jordan said he believed those teachers should get a choice on whether they want to stay at their old schools or move elsewhere, but nothing official yet.
No statement yet from SRC Chairman Archie on the superintendent. More to come on that; keep checking back here and on Twitter @newskag.
Update, 1 p.m.
Embattled Superintendent Arlene C. Ackerman said she wants to remain as chief of the Philadelphia School District, saying she was passionate about giving back to students. But, she acknowledged, "I have to have the support of the people who hired me. But I am going to fight," she said. She also said that she's "really not sorry that I'm not a politician. I am an educator. I'm not going to back down." She also told reporters to ask those who hired her - namely, the School Reform Commission, if she still had their support.
Chairman Robert L. Archie Jr., who has been a staunch supporter, said: "Dr. Ackerman has a contract, which the SRC extended for an additional year Her contract is not even up. She has another year, until 2014." Commissioner Johnny Irizarry declined to comment. A district spokeswoman said Archie will issue a statement on the subject later today, so check back here.
Promise Academies will be dramatically scaled back, with only three new schools joining the turnaround program this year, instead of the planned 11. The three are West Philadelphia High, Germantown High and Martin Luther King High. The six existing Promise Academies will remain in the program, but all Promise Academies will lose Saturday school and one day of an extended school day per week. There will be less money for central office Promise Academy support, and instead of extra professional development for all Promise Academy teachers, only teachers at the new Promise Academies will get the extra training. The move saves the Philadelphia School District about $18 million.
The audience at a special School Reform Commission meeting Wednesday exploded when Chief Financial Officer Michael Masch announced this - mostly pro-Promise Academy folks angry that the program's being scaled back, but also someone angry about Dr. Ackerman's salary. The meeting was paused until the audience calmed down; security came to stand at the back of the meeting but did not remove anyone. Still, it was a raucous meeting, with people standing up, clapping, waving hands and shouting out.
Promise Academies are Ackerman's signature initiative. "We'd love to keep them," Archie said after the meeting. "We just don't have the money." He suggested that parents who angrily denounced the SRC's move to cut back Promise Academies to go the district's funders in Harrisburg and City Hall.
Masch also announced that more cuts will be made to close a $35 million budget gap that is in addition to the $629 million gap already closed with layoffs and deep trims to programs and school budgets. More school nurses will be cut; the district's central book budget will be cut; there will be less money for in-school suspension programs and a reduction of the Parent University budget by $500,000. Two Parent Resource Centers will be closed - four will remain - and a regional Early Childhood Education Center pilot will be cut.
The district has put Masch's full presentation - with lots of detail - online. You can see it here.
PREVIOUSLY:
A special meeting of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission is scheduled for today at 10 a.m. (Find the agenda here.)
Planned is a financial matter - a bond resolution - and a presentation from Michael Masch, the district's Chief Financial Officer, who's expected to give an update on the "gap-closing plan." A $629 million budget gap was closed early this summer with much pain - more than 2,700 layoffs, and big cuts to programs and school budgets. A new, $35-million shortfall has been subsequently announced though, and the district has yet to say how it will find the money to plug that hole. The district is legally obligated to have a balanced budget, and arrived at the $35 million gap because the state declined to give the district funds district officials had been planning on.
Speakers are also expected to testify before the SRC on general topics, and we don't yet know how many will appear or what topics they'll speak about. Though the list of speakers is not yet public, I would imagine some will talk about Superintendent Arlene C. Ackerman, whose departure has been the subject of much speculation over the past month. Her spokespeople have said that the superintendent wants to stay, but Ackerman hasn't addressed the matter herself since the SRC's last special meeting July 1. A spokeswoman said yesterday that Ackerman planned on attending this meeting.
(By the way, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers' president Jerry T. Jordan just said on the local Fox morning show that Ackerman should resign, by the way...)
I'll post more as I have it. Follow along here, or on Twitter, where I'm @newskag.
Scam artist Arlene knows a good thing when she can con the city out of taxpayer mega bucks. Now she'll use the race card and threaten law suit at any hint of being "removed" forceably. Time for her buddy Nutter and state administrators to get some cajones and get rid of this disgusting woman whose phony "concern" for the students translates into "concern" for how much money she can milk the city. Purge time.— dogman5- The nerve of AA to refuse to leave!!! Alright, Philadelphia, you know what you have to do. If she won't leave voluntarily, start a movement to get her removed involuntarily - - as in fired!— puzzled2
- why would anyone stay where they're not wanted?— tulipwalk
Comment removed.- Tulip, she has over 300,000 reasons to stay.
— sdp_parent - Read between the lines. Ackerman said quite clearly she wants to remain as chief of the Philadelphia School District, but "I have to have the support of the people who hired me. But I am going to fight,"
You know what that fight means to us, don't you? Ackerman won't leave until she wrings gets every last penny she can get from this District. According to the contract signed by SRC that comes to $1.5 million dollars.
We're broke, but maybe it's worth the money to get rid of her.— I Teach in Philly - She's a joke and the reason that I will be moving out of the city when my children get to middle school.— FairmountFrank
When she was politely but firmly told "enough" by the people of Washington DC and San Francisco money wasn't tight like it is these days. Those people could throw any amount of money necessary down her figurative neck line just so she could buy a one-way ticket out of line.
Things are different here and now. The SRC may have hired her but any fund they try to use to either keep her or dump her won't be coming without a real fight from their perceived cash cow - the tax payers.- The school district is in a state of shambles like never before. Ackerman must resign or be fired. She is the root cause of the district's failures and scandals. The present mess is because of her and Archie who also must be forced to step down.
Her promise academies are nothing more than get rid of the teachers and teach students test taking over and over again. Cheating on the test is epidemic in our schools and everyone knows it. One of the people she gave a bonus to is well known for cheating on the PSSA's.
What a disgrace.....— readingspecialist - First off, it should describe her as "entitled" not "embattled." Next, please do your report-ly duties (or just Google!) and you'll see that it always ends this way for Ackerman -- in every city. She comes in to high salary/high hopes --- quickly everyone is onto her game --- she "vows to fight" --- and then leaves with another bag of gold. Sorry poor kids of Philly --- but it ain't over til the fat lady gets her bag of gold.— maude
- This is outrageous. Ackerman can and should be fired for cause. She drove us into this hole. Fire her!— nikki1231
Ask her to relinquish her $100,000 bonus for making the Phila Schools the worst in the country. She stinks to high heavens.— ZOSO- Then we need to get the src on board and tell them they no longer support her use her own words against her now if she says ; "I have to have the support of the people who hired me. But I am going to fight," she said. She also said that she's "really not sorry that I'm not a politician. I am an educator. I'm not going to back down." She also told reporters to ask those who hired her - namely, the School Reform Commission, if she still had their support.; that means if they as a body in whole do not support her anymore she will step down and give up anything she in or should get in the future thats what the above statement means to me she said it we need to take her words and use them against her. lets start calling the src board on it. And if they refuse to change their mind on her replce the whole board the gov and mayor have that power. disband it for one day and re start it the next pick new members.— matthews
- She's an educator? Really? An educator who scores a sweet half million a year when you factor in bonuses and housing. Know any other public school "educators" who do a fraction as well? An educator who discounts and disrespects other educators on a daily basis, mocking them when they express concern for their students. An educator who fires 1,600 teachers, while keeping on two drivers who are paid as well as second-year teachers with master's degrees, knowing they could fund two more reduced-sized classrooms? Whose 20-person PR department includes many staffers who make much more money than teachers - and were hired instead of teachers?
I do believe she'll "keep fighting." She fantasizes herself as a lone heroine against the odds and will fight to stay not because she cares about children - they aren't on her top 10 list of things she cares about - but because her monstrous ego won't let her quit.— Devoted Teacher
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.
You can also follow Kristen on Twitter here.
