Head of national teachers union: Touring Philadelphia schools, assessing political obstacles
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Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, with new Superintendent… (CHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer )
Walking and driving around Philadelphia on Monday, Randi Weingarten was struck by the vibrant, dynamic city she saw.
"This is a booming town," the American Federation of Teachers president said.
The reality inside the city's public schools doesn't match, said Weingarten, who visited Philadelphia as part of her national back-to-school tour.
"People are really upset at the relentless budget cutting and the pitting of charters against a public school system that has been buffeted by state takeover and by the cuts," she said in an interview.