PFT irked by Council's failure to put referendum on the ballot

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and its national arm came out swinging against City Council on Friday.

Leaders from the unions said they were shocked and insulted by Council's failure to pass a bill that would have put a question on the November ballot asking voters whether they believe the School Reform Commission should be replaced with an elected school board.

The nonbinding question was widely expected to make the ballot, and the stage was set Thursday, with a large rally before the Council session, for the bill's passage. But the bill's sponsor, Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell, pulled the bill, saying she did not want to jeopardize the state legislature's passage of a $2-per-pack cigarette tax that the Philadelphia School District needs to make ends meet.

The "community submitted tens of thousands of signatures demonstrating they want a referendum on local control of their school district," American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten said in a statement. "In denying them this chance, the City Council is letting the community down. This begs the question, 'Why are they afraid of a vote?' "

PFT president Jerry Jordan appeared equally disappointed by Council's move.

"Given the support for local control expressed in the past by our city's elected officials, Council's failure yesterday to put the referendum up for a vote was not only shocking, it was insulting to the 40,000 citizens who signed on in support of the measure," Jordan said.

Both Jordan and Weingarten said the union would continue to push hard on the issue.