Churches criticize transformation plan
by Dale Mezzacappa on Apr 30 2012 Posted in Latest news
Gerald Wright of Parents United for Public Education addresses the meeting at Mother Bethel during an audience speakout. City Councilman Mark Squilla (lower right) listens.
Several hundred people gathered at historic Mother Bethel AME Church on Lombard Street Sunday night to decry plans put forward by the School Reform Commission to close dozens of schools, expand charters, and reorganize the School District into “achievement networks” primarily run by private entities.
A succession of preachers roused the gathering and put public officials on notice that their voices would be heard before any such radical restructuring would be allowed to take place.
“This system is being designed to fail, and fail our children,” said the Rev. Kevin