In the news: Philly’s budget crisis goes national, Parents United co-founder a commenter on Gallup poll, more! | Parents United for Public Education
Philadelphia’s budget crisis makes national news
Philadelphia’s budget crisis made the front page of the New York Times under the headline “A City borrows so its schools open on time.” The story featured the voices of Parents United members Tomika Anglin, Leslie Tyler, and Helen Gym. An accompanying photo essay highlighted a town hall on education at Mother Bethel A.M.E.. Mark Tyler, pastor of Mother Bethel A.M.E. and a leader of P.O.W.E.R. – a 41 member interfaith coalition, is featured in photos along with Mark and Leslie’s two daughters, Madison and Sharon. Helen Gym was the New York Times ”Quote of the Day” with this piece:“The concept is just jaw-dropping,” said Helen Gym, who has three children in the city’s public schools. “Nobody is talking about what it takes to get a child educated. It’s just about what the lowest number is needed to get the bare minimum. That’s what we’re talking about here: the deliberate starvation of one of the nation’s biggest school districts.”
Philadelphia also was the subject of a significant piece at Salon.com and theWashington Post Answer Sheet. Salon’s piece “Indescribably insane: A public school system from hell” was a no-holds barred takedown of Governor Tom Corbett’s purposeful and relentless underfunding of public school districts