Parents' groups protest SRC at district offices

About two dozen members of parent advocacy groups and their supporters rallied Wednesday outside Philadelphia School District headquarters to protest last week's canceling of the labor contract with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

Under cloudy skies, they scolded the School Reform Commission over its unprecedented unilateral action.

Cheri Honkala, 53, an antipoverty advocate and the parent of a child who recently graduated from Moffet Elementary, a K-5 school in North Philadelphia, said the commission underestimated the will of district parents.

"They made one big mistake," Honkala told the crowd. "You don't mess with our babies."

While their supporters were gathering, the protesters' tone was casual, resembling a cordial meeting. But once a bullhorn sounded, parents turned their ire on the SRC.

Gerald Wright called for the SRC to disband. "They have broken the public trust," he said. "It's time for local control to come back."

Wright, 58, cofounded Parents United for Public Education in 2006 and is the parent of a student at J.S. Jenks in Chestnut Hill and another who graduated last year from Constitution High. He questioned the timing of the SRC's decision to void the teachers' contract: "Why would you wait until a month into the school year to cancel a contract?"

Mark Meola, speaking for Masterman Advocates for Public Schools, which represents parents of students at one of the highest-performing schools in the state, said the SRC's action would steer teachers to other districts and would impact future hiring of top teachers. Meola told the gathering that the parents' group was a strong supporters of teachers in this fight.

"We know firsthand," he said, "that teachers are not the enemy."

The rally ended with several chants of "We'll be back," before someone added, "Tomorrow."

The PFT has planned a large rally for 4:30 p.m. Thursday at district headquarters, 440 N. Broad St., to coincide with the SRC's regularly scheduled meeting. The union has asked all its members and parents and community leaders to turn out.

The Commonwealth Foundation, a Harrisburg group advocating limited, said in a statement Wednesday that it would also be at the rally, spreading the message that the PFT was protecting its interests over district teachers and students.

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