Blackwell: Glad for West Philly delay
by Benjamin Herold on May 31 2010
It can seem that all roads in West Philadelphia eventually run through City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell.
Increasingly, it appears that the long and winding path to determine the fate of West Philadelphia High School under Superintendent Arlene Ackerman's Renaissance Schools initiative is no exception.
Asked if her office was the source of the information that led to the surprising last-minute postponement on May 26 of the School Reform Commission vote on West’s future, Blackwell demurred, but added that she was “glad to see the delay.”
“My office is always involved in these issues and concerns,” said Blackwell, who chairs City Council's Education Committee and who represents the district in which West is located. “In that regard, I hear a lot of things. It would be counterproductive for me to be more specific at this time.”
She added that she’s “glad we have the opportunity to review this so that community members, [West] alumni, parents [and others] can all feel we had a positive process. It's better to make sure it’s done well and done right.”
On May 24, after more than two months of deliberations, the West School Advisory Council (SAC) voted to recommend that West be matched with Johns Hopkins/Diplomas Now. The council was strongly in favor of Hopkins, which received nine votes, compared to two votes apiece for Mastery Charter and Ackerman's own District-run Promise Academy model.
Asked if her office was the source of the information that led to the surprising last-minute postponement on May 26 of the School Reform Commission vote on West’s future, Blackwell demurred, but added that she was “glad to see the delay.”
“My office is always involved in these issues and concerns,” said Blackwell, who chairs City Council's Education Committee and who represents the district in which West is located. “In that regard, I hear a lot of things. It would be counterproductive for me to be more specific at this time.”
She added that she’s “glad we have the opportunity to review this so that community members, [West] alumni, parents [and others] can all feel we had a positive process. It's better to make sure it’s done well and done right.”
On May 24, after more than two months of deliberations, the West School Advisory Council (SAC) voted to recommend that West be matched with Johns Hopkins/Diplomas Now. The council was strongly in favor of Hopkins, which received nine votes, compared to two votes apiece for Mastery Charter and Ackerman's own District-run Promise Academy model.