PCAPS Statement in Support of Steel Parents and the Nicetown Community
Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools, a labor-community coalition representing school workers, parents, and students, stands firmly with Steel parents and the Nicetown Community in opposing the conversion of the last public school in the neighborhood to a charter school.
First the District starves our schools, then faults them for not performing and sells them off to charter operators as if they were bankrupt real estate. Renaissance schools cost the district thousands of extra dollars per student over traditional neighborhood schools, but students don’t see any of this money. During a time of extreme budget cuts that have decimated counselors, arts programs, sports, teachers, and schools staff, the district wants to send some of its scant funds to Mastery Charter which wants to control all the schools in this part of the city.
As Steel parent Nikki Bagby said ““Charters should be a choice of individual parents – they should not be forced on entire school communities.” Charter schools are run as private businesses with little accountability to the public. Charter conversion means Steel’s experienced staff, many of whom have been there for decades, would be lost and PCAPS Statement in Support of Steel Parents and the Nicetown Community | WeArePCAPS: