Philadelphia School Closings: The Struggle To Make High School Work Pits Sentiment vs. Data
Philadelphia School Closings: The Struggle To
Make High School Work Pits Sentiment vs. Data
For almost an hour, Frank Thorne stood in line, waiting to denounce Philadelphia Superintendent William Hite. It was early January. Nearly a thousand angry people were packed into a school auditorium. Along one wall, looking unhappy, stood a handful of North Philadelphia politicians, including Darrell Clarke, the president of City Council.
A first grader, then a teacher, then a parade of parents and activists blasted Hite’s unprecedented plan to close 37 city schools, including Strawberry Mansion, their neighborhood high school. By the time Thorne got to the microphone, he could barely contain his anger.
He graduated from Mansion in 1994. He still lives less than a mile away.
“Strawberry Mansion is a community,” said Thorne. “Why are you closing a school that’s been around since
Make High School Work Pits Sentiment vs. Data
For almost an hour, Frank Thorne stood in line, waiting to denounce Philadelphia Superintendent William Hite. It was early January. Nearly a thousand angry people were packed into a school auditorium. Along one wall, looking unhappy, stood a handful of North Philadelphia politicians, including Darrell Clarke, the president of City Council.A first grader, then a teacher, then a parade of parents and activists blasted Hite’s unprecedented plan to close 37 city schools, including Strawberry Mansion, their neighborhood high school. By the time Thorne got to the microphone, he could barely contain his anger.
He graduated from Mansion in 1994. He still lives less than a mile away.
“Strawberry Mansion is a community,” said Thorne. “Why are you closing a school that’s been around since
