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Description
From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held Thursday, February 13, 2020:
Councilmember Kendra Brooks (At Large) speaks on communications issues relating to ongoing closures of Philadelphia's public schools over asbestos contamination.
A
Yes,
yesterday,
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
announced
that
it
would
be
temporarily
closing
two
more
schools
due
to
asbestos,
I'm
Clara
Barton
Elementary
in
Felton
Ville
and
James
J
Sullivan
and
with
Sonoma.
This
brings
the
total
of
schools
temporary
closed
this
year
till
nine,
with
every
closure
announcement,
families
are
forced
to
scramble
to
find
childcare
and
they
are
filled
with
anxiety
about
their
children's
health
and
safety,
and
all
of
this
chaos
and
anxiety
week
after
week
could
be
avoided.
The
district
is
systematically
testing
all
schools
for
asbestos
as
it
does
to
uncover.
A
It
will
uncover
issues,
but
the
district
has
failed
to
communicate,
is
testing
plan.
They
could
easily
inform
parents
each
week
of
the
schools.
They
are
testing
and
a
plan
that
will
help
if
they
identify
an
issue.
We
all
know
the
schools
need
fund,
a
funding
and
I
support
the
call
to
declare
a
state
of
emergency
so
that
our
schools
get
the
funding
they
deserve,
but
lack
of
funding
is
no
excuse
for
why.
We
cannot
make
sure
that
Philadelphia
school
public
school
students
and
families
are
informed.
Dr.
A
Hyde
has
acknowledged
that
the
district
needs
a
better
communication
plan
and
now
I
am
asking
him
public
to
create
that
plan.
This
failure
to
communicate
continues
the
history
of
excluding
and
traumatizing
vulnerable
communities.
Our
kids
deserve
better.
Our
families
deserve
better.
Our
teachers
and
school
staff
deserve
better
and
they
deserve
the
better.
Now,
thank
you.
Thank
You
Councilwoman.