Inquirer Editorial: School cuts hit hard
At Bartram High, a school in one of the city's toughest neighborhoods, a social studies teacher says, "Here, you lock your door and pray no one comes in." A student was recently charged with aggravated assault for knocking out school staffer Alphonso Stevenson, who suffered a concussion and a fractured skull. That Stevenson is a conflict-resolution specialist made the attack even more emblematic for a deeply troubled school.
At Bartram High, a school in one of the city's toughest neighborhoods, a social studies teacher says, "Here, you lock your door and pray no one comes in." A student was recently charged with aggravated assault for knocking out school staffer Alphonso Stevenson, who suffered a concussion and a fractured skull. That Stevenson is a conflict-resolution specialist made the attack even more emblematic for a deeply troubled school.
While Bartram and other Philadelphia schools have struggled with violence before, recent staff cuts have exacerbated a volatile situation. The state's aid formula is shortchanging Philadelphia and other districts. Gov. Corbett has restored some lost funding, but not enough. The legislature has failed to pass a city cigarette tax approved by City Council, while Council has refused to pass an extended sales-tax increase approved by Harrisburg.
Meanwhile, adults and children in schools like Bartram are suffering for the failures of our leaders.