Statement on Philadelphia delegation call for $45 million: It’s not enough
“It’s not enough.”
Parents United for Public Education supports the call of the Philadelphia delegation for the state to immediately release the $45 million due to the Philadelphia public schools, but we want to be clear: It’s not enough.
The $45 million is federal money already due to the Philadelphia schools. For the state to hold hostage the money in order to force unreasonable demands on hardworking teachers and staff is an outrage. Moreover, even when the state releases the $45 million, its emergency contribution to addressing the crisis remains a pathetic $2 million.
As parents, we call upon the city and state to fund the schools according to the demand the District laid out clearly last spring and summer: $120 million from the state (of which it has delivered $2 million), and a minimum of an additional $50 million from the city (it has already delivered $28 million). The District must re-do its school by school budgets to demonstrate how these funds will adequately, equitably and safely staff our schools for the entire school year. We want assurances that there will be a guidance counselor in every school