►
Description
The Joint Committees on Children & Youth and Education of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Monday, May 6, 2019, at 3:30 PM, in Room 400, City Hall, to hear testimony on the following items:
190300 Resolution authorizing the Committee on Children and Youth and the Committee on Education to conduct hearings evaluating needs and identifying priorities for services and supports to strengthen Philadelphia schools.
190301 Resolution authorizing the Committee on Children and Youth and the Committee on Education to conduct hearings exploring the creation of a School District of Philadelphia “community connector” position to further enhance connections between families, caregivers, and school communities.
Committee on Education
Chair: Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell (3rd District)
Vice Chair: Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown (At Large)
Committee on Children and Youth
Chair: Councilwoman Helen Gym (At Large)
Vice Chair: Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown (At Large)
A
A
All
right,
good
morning,
every
afternoon
everybody
welcome
welcome
to
the
people's
house.
This
hearing
is
now
called
to
order.
This
is
a
public
hearing
of
the
joint
City
Council
Committee
on
children
and
youth
and
education,
I'd
like
to
recognize
and
thank
my
wonderful
chair
of
the
Education
Committee
Councilwoman
Janie
Blackwell
who's
here
today.
Thank
you,
so
much
Councilwoman
Blackwell
for
being
so
supportive
of
all
these
issues.
The
purpose
of
this
public
hearing
is
to
hear
testimony
on
resolution
numbers,
one:
nine,
zero,
three:
zero
zero
and
one
nine
zero
three
zero.
A
A
Thank
you
very
much
so
to
our
audience.
Members
today,
I
want
to
thank
each
and
every
one
of
you,
especially
our
young
people
and
students
who
came
out
today
to
talk
about
the
state
of
our
schools.
Four
years
ago,
the
Councilwoman
and
I
held
a
hearing
very
similar
to
this
one.
It
was
in
2016,
and
our
schools
were
just
coming
out
of
a
series
of
budget
cuts.
We
were
still
under
the
governance
of
a
state
takeover
Commission.
We
were
struggling
with
many
of
the
budget
cuts
that
had
existed
during
the
corbett
era.
A
A
And
it's
important
to
remember
that
that
work
just
doesn't
happen
on
its
own.
That
happens
when
the
people
speak
and
when
our
leaders
listen
to
all
of
you
and
that's
why
it
matters
that
students,
parents
and
community
members
and
educators
know
we
know
what
works
and
most
often
we
know
it
doesn't
and
I
know
that
as
a
lifelong
community
activist
that
is
going
to
take
all
of
us
all
of
us
in
this
room
to
make
our
schools
and
our
children's
lives
and
our
educators
the
top
priority
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
A
Because
when
you
speak
up
and
speak
out,
your
agenda,
your
voices
and
your
experiences,
we
can't
turn
away
and
that's
the
most
important
thing
so
I
want
to
thank
everybody
for
coming
out
today.
I
also
want
to
especially
acknowledge
our
school
board
members
Mallory
fixe,
Lopez,
Julia,
Danzig
and
Angela
McIver,
who
are
here
today
and
I-
think
that
latisha
might
be
joining
us
a
little
bit
later.
But
thank
you
for
being
here
and
listening.
A
I
know
you
do
this
every
month,
but
it's
also
a
different
venue
for
people
to
open
up
about
what
their
priorities
are.
So
thank
you
for
being
partners
in
this
and
we're
looking
forward
to
that,
and
I
also
want
to
add
that
our
work
is
not
done
very
clearly.
We
have
a
long
way
to
go
after
decades
of
financial
instability,
though
the
school
district
is
in
a
position
to
invest.
That's
what
this
City
Council.
A
We
were
no
longer
going
to
be
having
conversations
about
school
aides
versus
school
police.
That
is
not
the
conversation
that
we
need
to
have.
Our
conversation,
though,
does
need
to
be
about
priorities.
What
are
the
most
important
things
that
we
need
in
our
school
right
now
and
how
can
we
make
sure
that
they
become
priorities
not
only
for
this
city
but
for
the
state
of
Pennsylvania?
A
Even
as
we
speak
in
Harrisburg,
there
is
a
discussion
right
now
on
the
books
to
expand
the
state
budget
by
a
hundred
million
dollars
not
to
go
to
our
public
schools,
but
to
go
to
a
ITC,
which
is
many
of
us
believe
to
be
a
back
door
voucher
program.
Now,
if
there
is
a
hundred
million
dollars
to
go
towards
a
back
door,
school
voucher
program,
there's
a
hundred
million
dollars
that
need
to
go
into
public
school
facilities.
A
There's
a
hundred
million
dollars
that
need
to
go
into
lowering
cloth
size
to
making
sure
that
there
are
sufficient
counselors
in
our
schools
and
to
making
sure
that
our
kids
and
our
families
go
to
school
buildings,
free
of
lead,
asbestos
and
mold,
and
in
modern
modern
school
facilities,
and
over
the
past
year,
over
the
past
year,
I've
been
to
every
corner
of
the
city
listening
to
families
and
school
staff
and
what
philadelphians
want
isn't
anything
magical?
It's
not
rocket
science.
A
The
truth
is,
is
that
what
we
want
is
very
simple:
there's
no
parent
in
this
room
who
doesn't
want
immediate
repairs
made
to
their
schools,
so
that
the
toxins
that
impact
the
health
of
our
teachers,
school
staff
and
students
do
not
continue.
There's
not
a
person
in
this
room
who
doesn't
believe
that
our
kids
have
a
right
to
fully
funded
schools
and
that
the
state
is
not
fulfilling
that
mission.
A
There's
not
a
person
in
this
room
that
does
not
see
a
need
for
air
conditioning
and
temperature
control
in
our
school
buildings
or
for
playgrounds
or
for
counselors,
or
a
dedicated
staff
member
at
each
school
to
build
bridges
between
schools,
communities
and
families.
These
investments
are
what
local
control
is
about.
This
is
why
we
fought
so
hard
to
end
that
state
takeover,
because
your
needs
come
first
and
what
that
looks
like
is
going
to
be
up
to
you.
So
I
want
to
thank
this
entire
room
for
taking
this
afternoon
to
set
the
priorities.
A
Next
week,
the
school
district
will
come
before
City
Council
to
talk
about
what
is
needed
and
what
they
are
looking
for.
But,
ahead
of
that,
we
want
your
voices
to
come
first
to
our
young
people
who
are
here
today
who
are
bravely
stepping
forward.
Thank
you,
we're
listening
and
we're
proud
to
uplift.
You.
A
And
I
just
want
to
offer
a
little
bit
of
time
for
my
council
colleagues
to
come
up
here
to
say
just
a
few
brief
remarks:
Councilwoman
block
well,
you've
done
so
much
for
our
school
district
and
for
our
city.
Thank
you
for
co-hosting
this
hearing.
If
you'd
like
to
give
any
brief
remarks,
please
feel
free.
C
Thank
you,
madam
chair
Councilwoman
gammon.
We
won
too
as
well.
Thank
the
school
board
members
and
thank
all
of
you
are
here
to
talk
about
where
we
are
and
where
we
can
go
with
regard
to
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
and
our
students
we're
going
to
also
have
other
committee
hearings
at
least
one.
C
We
want
to
talk
a
little
bit
about
curriculum
and
about
what
we'd
like
to
see
so
we'll
have
a
resolution
with
regard
to
that
and,
as
Councilwoman
Gilliam
has
said,
we're
looking
forward
to
having
our
hearings
on
next
week,
because
there
is
much
we
need
to
discuss
much.
We
need
to
talk
about.
That
makes
us
feel
that
we're
in
sync
about
where
we
are
and
where
we'd
like
to
go.
So,
thank
you
very
much
everyone
and
we're
looking
forward
to
these
hearings.
Thank.
A
C
And
to
council
lady
Janey
Blackwell,
the
chair
of
our
city
council
committee
on
education,
I,
come
to
you
this
morning,
as
vice-chair
of
both
the
committee
on
children
and
youth
and
the
vice
chair
of
education,
and
this
may
be
the
first
opportunity.
I
will
have
had
to
commend
a
councilman
Helen
Ginn
for
making
the
recommendation
when
she
arrived
to
City
Council
that
it
might
be
wise
of
us
and
very
prudent
to
have
a
committee
that
is
squarely
laser-beam
focus
on
children
and
youth
and
that's
what
this
committee
represents.
C
While
there
was
overlap
between
education
and
da
yes
and
amongst
those
committees
in
the
past
to
know
now
that
we
have
a
committee
that
is
purely
about
what
PCC,
why
does
it
does?
Every
year,
nine
days
a
week,
looking
out
and
figuring
out
how
we
can
improve
the
lives
and
life
chances
of
our
city's
children?
C
This
committee
works
with
PCC
y
and
a
host
of
others,
but
they
come
to
mind
most
readily
for
me
because
our
office,
oh
my
a
lot
of
Cooper's
here,
come
to
come
to
Miami
more
readily
or
most
readily
because
of
the
work
we've
done
in
the
past.
While
there
has
been
incremental
progress,
and
we
know
revolutionary
progress
is
not
always
within
our
reach
is
expensive
and
it
takes
time
to
pull
people
along
or
pull
the
elephant
up.
C
The
hill
in
surp
trying
to
get
other
people
to
come
to
grips
with
the
change
you're
trying
to
make,
but
incremental
progress
does
have
its
value
and,
as
we
look
at
listening
to
the
school
district
about
a
week
from
now,
yeah
is
that
it's
actually
a
week
from
now.
What
you
share
with
us
today
and
tell
us
today
will
inform
how
we.
C
Work
with
the
school
district
to
I,
guess
more
readily
champion
and
and
shout
out
those
areas
that
we
continue
to
have
serious
concerns
about
I'm
I'm,
also
other
belief
that
we
should
see
the
glass
as
half
full
and
be
possibility
thinkers
when
it
comes
to
our
children,
because
we
don't
have
a
choice.
We
have
to
see
the
glass
as
half
full
and
and
seek
and
insist
on
the
best
for
our
children.
C
A
You
so
much
Councilwoman
Reynolds
found
and
again
thank
you
for
your
leadership
on
children
and
youth.
Always
it's
been
really
wonderful
and
you
know
we
will
continue
on.
We
will
continue
on
in
your
name
and
I'd
like
to
recognize
the
presence
of
councilman
Derrick
Green,
who
is
here
today.
Thank
you.
Will
the
clerk
please
call
the
first
witnesses
to
testify
to
the
bill
Hilary.
A
Good
afternoon,
and
thank
you
very
much
to
all
of
you,
and
especially
to
miss
Leonard
Ovilus.
Thank
you
so
much
for
this
breakdown,
which
we
will
try
to
make
publicly
available
to
everybody
about
data.
That's
been
prepared
by
the
Philadelphia
Federation
of
Teachers
about
environmental
hazards
in
our
schools.
We
really
appreciate
it.
So
thank
you.
If
you'd
like
to
start
with
your
testimony,
please
recite
your
name
for
our
stenographer
thanks.
D
For
the
record
good
afternoon,
I'm
Hilary
Leonard
appleís
good
afternoon,
council
members.
Thank
you
for
being
here.
Thank
you
for
holding
this
hearing
and
thank
you
for
your
leadership.
On
behalf
of
the
more
than
12,000
educators
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
We
appreciate
at
the
Federation.
We
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
testify
today
and
we
thank
you
for
always
centering
the
discussion
regarding
our
schools
on
a
deep,
unwavering
commitment
to
bettering
the
lives
of
our
young
people
and
supporting
the
educators
who
work
diligently
to
do
just
that.
A
budget
is
a
reflection
of
priorities.
D
As
council
members,
you
are
in
the
midst
of
setting
forth
your
priorities
for
the
coming
year
and
in
turn,
developing
your
roadmap
for
moving
Philadelphia
forward.
Councilmember
greens
is
on
his
desk.
Is
that
what
you're?
Looking
for
yeah
it's
on
his
desks?
The
facilities
crisis
I
believe,
has
it
across
the
board
consensus
in
being
a
defining
component
of
not
only
the
discussions
around
the
budget,
but
in
terms
of
shaping
and
investment
agenda
at
the
PFT
we
work
every
day
to
demand
equity
for
our
public
schools
and
in
the
poorest
big
city
in
the
nation.
D
In
a
school
system,
educating
largely
students
of
color
facing
poverty,
how
we,
as
a
union
and
as
a
city
prioritize,
this
fight,
defines
the
work
that
we
do,
but
for
too
many
of
our
children
and
for
too
many
communities
across
our
city.
The
vision
of
a
thorough
and
efficient
public
education
remains
elusive
and
the
facilities
crisis
we
are
currently
facing
is
emblematic
of
years
of
systemic
negligence
of
our
children.
D
I'll
share
some
of
the
statistics
from
our
data,
but
before
I
do
so
I
want
to
note
some
of
the
good
work
that
has
taken
place
within
this
body
and
some
of
the
collaborative
efforts
that
we've
undertaken
with
the
school
district
council
members,
green
and
squalor
should
be
commended
for
authorizing
authoring.
Some
of
the
most
rigorous
lead
testing
requirements
for
schools
anywhere
in
the
nation,
councilmember
Gimmes
tireless
work
to
install
water
hydration
stations
is
making
a
real
difference
for
young
people.
D
The
establishment
of
the
facilities
task
force
as
well
as
Philly
Healthy,
Schools
Initiative,
with
councilmember
green
councilmember,
Reynolds,
Brown
and
councilmembers
Blackwell.
Being
founding
members
is
very,
very
significant
work.
The
school
district
and
the
PFT
have
also
taken
a
number
of
important
steps
to
improve
collaboration
on
maintenance
issues,
and
the
PFT
is
involving
the
district
in
efforts
like
the
utilization
of
our
smart
phone
to
document
problems
in
schools.
But
the
sobering
reality
is
that
there
is
much
work
to
be
done
of
the
roughly
two
hundred
and
twenty
schools,
for
which
we
have
data
a.
E
D
D
D
Those
155
schools
represent
88,000
students
who
are
learning
an
environment
that
is
literally
poisoning
them
every
day.
It
represents
thousands
of
educators
experiencing
the
same
when
you
look
at
the
presence
of
asbestos
and
lead
roughly
190
schools
are
affected.
I
should
note
that
there
are
abatement
efforts
underway
on
both
toxins,
particularly
surrounding
lead,
and
additionally,
the
presence
of
asbestos
in
in
and
of
itself
is
not
necessarily
an
indication
of
a
problem,
but
when
deferred
maintenance
has
plagued
our
districts
so
long,
it
is
certainly
a
risk
and
a
likely
one.
D
Those
190
schools
represent
more
than
a
hundred
and
ten
thousand
students
learning
an
environment
where
lead
and
asbestos
are
present.
Additionally,
another
environmental
hazard
mold
affects
roughly
142
schools
and,
in
turn,
more
than
88,000
students
and
finally,
we've
made
estimates
on
some
additional
critical
hazards
and
their
presence
in
our
schools.
The
estimates
that
we
have
made
are
formulated
based
on
decades
of
research
and
observation
on
the
part
of
our
environmental
scientist,
Jerry
Rose
and
I
invite
you
to
look
through
those
on
your
summary
sheet.
This
data
tells
us
a
story.
D
It
tells
the
story
of
just
how
pervasive
the
problem
is
just
how
many
students
and
educators
are
affected
every
day,
many
in
irreversible
ways.
Surely
the
story
of
Dean
peg
on
the
calmly
elementary
student
featured
in
The
Enquirer
as
toxic
cities
series
is
not
an
isolated
incident.
He
got
poisoned
by
lead
at
his
desk
in
his
school
and
his
life
is
forever
altered
and
that
should
horrify
us
all.
The
scope
of
this
problem
is
massive,
but
real
steps
to
move
forward
are
at
our
fingertips.
D
That's
why
the
PFT
convened
a
coalition
of
elected
officials
and
other
partners
to
coalesce
around
an
immediate
ask
for
facilities
remediation
and
with
the
work
of
our
environmental
scientist.
The
funder
futures
coat
facilities
coalition
was
able
to
use
real
figures
to
determine
that
for
170
million
dollars
we
can
abate
the
most
pressing
needs,
including,
but
not
limited
to
water
intrusion,
remediation
abatement
of
lead
and
asbestos
replacement
of
windows
and
ensuring
that
schools
are
on
line
to
be
able
to
have
air
conditioning.
D
It
would
help
address
the
rodent
issues
that
affect
roughly
three-quarters
of
our
schools,
and
it
would
help
us
invest
in
good-paying
cleaning
jobs
that
would
attract
and
retain
additional
staff.
It's
not
going
to
solve
everything,
it
won't
bring
our
schools
to
equity,
but
it's
a
critical
start
and
I
am
encouraged
that
so
many
council
members
and
state
officials
are
committed
to
finding
this
money
and
to
finding
it
this
year.
I.
D
Thank
you
for
your
continued
work
in
engaging
educators,
parents
and
community
in
the
process
of
setting
forth
our
collective
priorities
and
I,
encourage
you
to
look
through
the
data
and
feel
free
to
contact
pft.
If
you
have
any
questions
or
need
follow-up.
Thank
you
very
much
and
thank
you
for
the
water
councilmember.
A
Thank
you
so
much
I
did
want
to
just
like
caretakers
know,
because
we
love
and
appreciate
having
so
many
young
children
here,
but
if
you
at
all
need
any
kind
of
quiet
space
for
children
or
water
room
for
de
91
across
the
hall
is
available
to
anybody
who
needs
just
a
quiet
space
for
for
anyone
who
needs
it.
Alright,
thank
you
very
much
and
if
you
could
just
please
state
your
name
for
the
record
and
proceed
with
your
testimony.
Thank
you.
Good.
F
Afternoon
my
name
is
Andrea
Moselle
and
I'm.
The
co-chair
of
the
education
strategy
team
for
power
interfaith
I,
live
in
the
eighth
Council
District.
Over
30
years
ago.
I
walked
my
eldest
child
to
kindergarten
at
Henry
school
around
the
corner
from
my
Mount
Airy
home,
where
we've
lived
since
1978
as
a
parent
and
an
early
childhood
educator
I
believe
deeply
in
the
importance
of
quality
public
schools
for
all
of
our
chilies
children.
That's
why?
F
We
cheered
city
government
when
they
took
this
important
step
now
in
this
election
season,
we
are
entering
the
first
budget
cycle
with
the
new
school
board
in
place
and
we
have
an
opportunity
to
make
good
on
the
promise
of
that
moment.
Power
applauds
the
premise
that
advocacy
groups
and
council
must
work
together
with
community
stake
to
achieve
key
priorities
for
Healthy
Schools.
F
It
dovetails
with
our
own
congregation
based
organizing
and
our
strong
belief
that
those
closest
to
the
pain
must
be
leaders
in
the
solutions,
critical
that
the
success
of
this
work
is
identifying
ways
for
districts
with
high
poverty
levels
and
a
majority
of
non-white.
Students
like
ours
to
get
their
fair
share
of
funding
power
is
working
statewide
for
full
and
fair
funding,
state
funding
to
eliminate
striking
disparities
and
racial
bias
and
funding
between
districts
locally.
F
It's
time
for
Council
to
schedule,
hearings
around
tax
abatement
and
pass
legislation
to
return
the
money
to
our
school
budgets
to
create
safe
and
healthy
schools.
We
are
encouraged
by
the
recently
announced
alliance
between
state
and
local
elected
representatives
and
the
PFT
to
identify
a
hundred
and
seventy
million
dollars
in
funding
to
fix
our
facilities.
That
investment
would
be
a
critical
step
toward
keeping
children
safe,
but
we
cannot
stop
their
power.
F
Also
supports
calls
for
stronger
parent
and
community
engagement,
smaller
caseloads
for
counselors
who
support
students
and
a
strong
focus
on
safe
school
yards
as
community
members,
and
advocates
committed
to
supporting
our
schools.
We
look
forward
to
once
again
cheering
on
City
Council
and
the
school
district
as
you
connect
to
making
investments
in
these
top
priority
environments
of
the
communities
you
serve.
Thank
you
very
much
for
having
me.
G
Good
afternoon
I'm
Donna
Cooper
I'm,
the
executive
director
of
public
citizens
for
Children
and
Youth
and
I'm.
So
appreciative
of
the
council
members
who
are
here
I
wish
all
the
council
members
were
here,
but
obviously
the
four
of
you
councilman
green
blond,
eminence
Brown,
Blackwell
and
Jim.
We
know
you
have
the
back
of
our
kids.
So
thank
you
very
much.
G
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
present
testimony
providing
the
urgent
needs
of
the
students
attending
the
Philadelphia
School
District.
Today,
as
I
opened,
the
Philadelphia
Inquirer
I
read
the
full
throated
pitch
by
representative
Torres
I,
seeking
to
build
public
support
for
providing
an
additional
hundred
million
dollars
in
vouchers
for
students
attending
private
and
parochial
schools
for
the
Commonwealth.
Instead,
that
funding
should
be
directed
to
meet
the
crushing
needs
of
our
public
schools.
G
If
this
movie
was
distributed,
if
this
money
was
distributed
via
the
school
funding
formula,
Philadelphia
public
school
students
would
stand
to
benefit
from
25
million
dollars
in
new
state
spending
or
if
all
the
money
went
to
public
schools
we'd
be
able
to
hire
at
1250
additional
teachers.
Here,
the
overwhelming
share
of
students
are
in
poverty.
Tens
of
thousands
of
students
have
a
first
language
other
than
English,
and
far
too
many
of
our
students,
education
has
been
stunted
by
attending
an
inadequately
funded
public
school
system.
G
Our
students
defer
differ
dramatically
from
the
families
representative,
terzi's
voucher
expansion
would
benefit
those
families
earned
foot
will
be
earning
four
times
the
median
income
in
Philadelphia
as
much
as
two
hundred
and
eighty
four
thousand
dollars
for
a
family
of
four
will
benefit
from
this
scholarship
program.
In
contrast,
this
City
Council
made
sure
we
are
meeting
and
you
are
meeting
our
public
obligation
to
our
public
school
students
for
the
record.
G
It's
important
to
understand
that
our
City
Council
increase
the
city
contribution
of
the
school
district,
and
now,
as
local
taxpayers,
we
are
outpacing
the
amount
of
revenue
the
state
is
contributing
to
one
of
the
poorest
school
districts
in
the
state.
Philadelphia's
local
tax
effort
based
on
the
state's
own
calculation
is
the
17th
highest
in
the
state.
Philadelphia's
City
Council
is
to
be
commended
and
obviously
the
state
must
do
much
more.
G
There
is
one
thing
we
must
keep
squarely
in
our
sights
just
because
the
district
is
not
in
fiscal
turmoil
does
not
mean
the
district
yet
has
the
funds,
infrastructure
or
talent
needed
deliver
a
world-class
education.
The
new
normal
inflicted
on
us
by
the
Corbett
budget
cuts
and
are
just
now
getting
back
to
balance
is
something
we
must
all
consider
resist.
Consider
considering
acceptable,
and
that
brings
me
to
our
discussion
today.
The
district
will
end
this
year,
like
laughs,
with
a
positive
fund
balance
this
year
with
about
a
hundred
and
sixty
million
dollars.
G
Strong
reserves
reduce
the
cost
of
borrowing,
and
this
year
marks
the
fifth
highest
level
of
spending
on
capital
improvement
since
1993
and
I
just
want
to
say
the
other
four
years
when,
when
Edmond
L
was
governor,
but
given
the
urgent
needs
of
our
students,
the
districts
should
expend
at
least
half
of
its
fund
balance
that
it
has
on
hand
in
a
responsible
manner
for
the
urgent
one-time
facility
upgrades
that
we
know
are
needed
to
go
or
keep
our
children
safe
and
remote.
They're
learning.
G
We
can't
have
students
in
classrooms
coated
with
cracking
lead,
paint,
moisture,
soap,
floors
and
ceilings
boozing
with
mold
or
crumbling
asbestos
lated
insulation.
While
we
have
the
funds
in
our
bank
account,
the
district
must
accelerate
the
removal
of
environmental
hazards
in
every
school
and
we
are
only
weeks
away
from
the
dog
days
of
June
and
the
heat
waves
in
early
September
are
unavoidable.
Students
can't
won't
learn
when
they're
boiling
hot
I'm
heartened
to
hear
the
district
is
considering
adding
air
conditioning
to
certain
schools.
G
Clearly,
where
sites
are
ready,
we
need
to
continue
the
progress
on
rebuilding
our
school
yards
and
making
sure
they're
safe
places
for
recess
and
fun.
Amazing
individuals
like
Elaine
Lindy
who's
here
today
and
the
William
Penn
foundation
and
companies
like
Comcast
and
Ameri
health,
have
partnered
with
our
schools
to
make
our
school
guards
great
places
and
great
play
and
learning
spaces.
I
commend
them
for
helping
us
respond
to
the
number
one
request
made
by
elementary
schools
rebuild
our
school
yards.
G
These
projects
are
inexpensive,
one-time
money
and
more
money
should
be
should
be
spent
to
get
a
tip
should
commence
with
a
portion
of
the
projected
year-end
fund
balance,
which
I
repeat,
is
a
hundred
and
sixty
million
dollars.
With
respect
to
recurring
costs.
The
district's
budget
proposal
includes
six
million
dollars
to
expand
student
counseling
services
and
an
additional
50
Cal
answers
added
to
the
staff
and
it's
at
the
same
time.
G
The
budget
includes
seventy
seven
point:
five
million
to
pay
for
educational
services
for
children
who
are
living
in
institutions,
three
million
more
than
is
being
spent
in
the
current
year.
Often
these
students
are
sent
there
by
the
court
who
orders
them
for
delinquency
or
dependency
places,
but
I'm
certain.
The
district
could
avoid
a
substantial
portion
of
these
costs.
G
Within
the
plans,
the
district
have
I
believe
adjustments
are
necessary
to
busi
supports
and
give
the
courts
DHS
and
the
students
the
confidence
needed
to
avoid
harmful
institutional
placements
I
command
the
district
for
presenting
a
very
sobering
picture
of
what
lies
ahead.
Given
the
state's
failure
to
fund
the
schools
while
at
the
same
time
imposing
enormous
unfunded
mandates,
rising
pension
payments
continue
to
take
a
bite
out
of
the
budget
and
I
support
teacher
pensions,
but
these
costs
are
now
over
three
hundred
million
dollars
and
the
state
should
be
picking
up
more
of
it.
G
For
this
year,
the
school
district
and
Knapp's
will
pay
an
additional
compared
to
this
year.
They'll
pay
an
additional
11
million
dollars
for
cyber
charters,
all
of
which
are
failing
in
the
next
five
years.
Seventy-Five
percent
of
all
state
funds
received
by
the
district
will
be
transferred
to
charters
for
payments,
as
their
enrollment
grows.
Consuming
one
point:
three:
six
billion
of
the
district's
budget:
what
a
tragedy
that
the
sky
riding
rising
costs
rise
unabated,
while
the
Speaker
of
the
House
proposes
to
expand
funding
for
private
and
parochial
schools,
neither
of
which
carry
this
burden.
G
The
district
is
counting
on
81
million
dollars
by
the
linker
by
the
drink
tax,
which
was
imposed
when
Anne
Mendel
was
mayor,
not
governor.
It's
a
correction
that
beverage
tax
was
maligned,
but
certainly
the
opposition
left
the
deep
pockets
of
the
soda
industries
beloved
restaurant
tour
has
claimed
that
they
would
leave
the
city
if
the
tax
was
in
fact
imposed.
In
fact,
two
E's
in
Chestnut,
Hill
and
burns
in
Port
Richmond
led
the
chorus
to
tell
us
at
the
fist.
G
Philadelphia
restaurant
revival
would
die
if
that
tax
was
imposed,
they're
both
still
here
and
they're
doing
well,
and
it's
obvious
that
others
have
joined
them
to
swell
the
ranks
of
employment
in
the
restaurant
sector.
In
what
is
now
one
of
the
hottest
restaurants,
cities
in
America,
I
urge
council
and
all
candidates
council
to
turn
their
back
on
the
steep
sweetened
beverage
tax
naysayers.
Our
school
district
is
more
efficient
and
our
students
are
more
successful
because
we
had
dedicated
tax
in
place
to
support
high-quality
PK.
G
A
H
You
Thank
You
counsel,
for
having
me
here
today
to
speak.
I
want
to
say
up
before
I
get
started.
One
of
the
main
reasons
why
I'm
here
before
I
get
started.
I
have
my
testimony
here,
written
two
pages
I'm,
a
struggling,
read
it
I,
love
with
dyslexia.
I
will
kind
of
face
my
own
hair,
but
I'm
not
for
me.
Reading
this
in
public
and
anxiety
I
get
around
reading
in
public
I'm,
just
going
to
speak
from
the
heart
here.
Oh.
H
And
I'm
going
to
speak
in
in
three
ways
and
briefly-
and
one
has
a
kid
who
came
through
the
Philadelphia
School
District,
okay
in
school
in
the
community,
who
didn't
really
get
resources
for
us.
My
reading
disability,
also
as
a
person
who
worked
in
the
school,
not
for
the
school
district,
but
in
the
school
district
schools
in
several
different
positions,
mostly
dealing
with
behavioral
health
therapeutic
staff
supports
in
my
earlier
career,
then
also
as
a
person
who
is
now
owner
of
a
non-profit
started.
H
A
non-profit
fathers
read
365,
that
is
a
community
resource
that
engages
and
inspires
fathers
to
commit
to
their
children's
education.
I
mean
early
ed
literacy
and
not
only
their
children
in
communities.
Early
literacy
and
fathers
read
365
is
actively
trying
to
work
in
schools
in
our
community
because
we
offer
we
built
off
of
four
pillars
on
four
pillars
on
active
reading
program.
We
do
book
distribution
and
we
create
original
content.
For
early
childhood
years,
we've
published
two
childhood
books
and
we
also
do
community
engagement
and
parent
engagement.
H
Seventy
five
hundred
of
those
books
were
given
out
through
our
partnership
with
United
Way
and
a
Chris
Long
Foundation,
and
read
by
forth,
where
we
are
able
to
have
seven
book
fairs,
where
we
gave
out
seventy
five
hundred
books
in
the
month
of
April
through
that
just
that
program
and
the
speak
to
that.
A
lot
of
that
was
done
by
just
us,
knowing
people
in
schools
and
say
hey,
we
have
books
to
give
you.
There
was
no
partnership.
H
H
But
they
how
can
I
get
in
a
school?
They
won't
talk
to
me
after
school
there's.
No
one
I
can
talk
to
and
eventually
when
I'm
trying
to
help
someone
and
I'm
keep
running
up
against
a
wall.
I
stop
trying
to
help.
So
if
we
can
have
those
people
in
place,
a
community
connector
that
is
actively
engaged
in
that
community,
because
what's
working
in
North
Philly
and
the
resources
in
North
Philly
may
not
be
the
same
resources
in
South
West
Philly,
every
community
is
different
into
the
self.
H
It
has
its
own
resources
and
a
way
that
we
can
truly
connect
is
by
using
a
school.
As
that
meeting
place.
A
lot
of
things
aren't
even
a
cause
that
thing
we
have
programs
that
are
already
funded.
We
just
need
to
be
able
access
to
the
children
to
actually
deliver
the
service,
and
you
would
think
that
you
know
father's
actively
engaged
in
other
fathers
to
read
with
children
to
be
active
in
the
school.
H
Would
you
know
they're
real
kind
of
easy
to
get
in,
because
there's
noting
that
is
needed
when
we
go
there,
we
read
with
children
and
then
we're
also
building
fathers
and
Families
back,
and
do
that
saying
work
they
commit
to
coming
back
and
reading
to
the
children
and
be
active
in
their
day.
Cheered.
We
were
reread
from
pre-k
and
through
kindergarten
and
I
just
want
to
say
that
we
need
the
fund
and
we
need
to
out-of-the-box
ideas.
We
need
to
think
how
can
we
truly
move
our
community?
H
The
community
is
going
to
move
our
community,
we
can
help
ourselves,
but
we
need
the
back
end
of
this.
Of
you
know
that
the
council,
the
people
who
decide
where
money
goes
we
need
to
have
set
of
schools
in
September
I've
set
of
schools
in
June
and
just
FC.
Kids
have
asthma
attacks
after
an
attack,
feigning
people
refusing
to
come
to
school
because
why
will
I
come?
Is
going
to
sit
in
our
heart
building.
H
Nothing
is
being
learnt
that
day,
because
everyone
is
irritated
I've,
set
in
school
and
see
a
shooting
that
has
happened
on
a
block
that
everyone
knows
about
that
children
have
seen
and
it's
never
addressed
in
the
school
is
never
know.
Trauma
services
are
given
to
these
children,
and
these
children
are
are
literally
running
around
the
school
talking
about
people
being
killed
in
front
of
their
eyes
and
as
I
Wow.
This
is
bad
and
we
need
help
and
we
can
help
each
other.
We
just
have
to
dedicate
ourselves
to
doing
it.
H
A
community
connector
is
one
way,
knowing
that
we
need
to
connect
with
community
organizations
is
just
a
thought
that
we
all
should
have
and
be
rallying
around
to
make
our
schools
a
better
place
for
all
of
us
in
this
city,
when
we
make
every
community
better,
every
community
is
better
and
again.
Thank
you
guys.
Thank
you.
A
A
You
know
in
particular
thank
you
for
all
the
work
you've
done
to
bring
reading
and
books
into
the
hands
of
young
people
right
now,
we're
struggling
with
making
sure
that
our
library
systems
are
even
open
on
regular
days
in
every
single
neighborhood
branch,
and
we
can't
get
a
commitment
towards
that,
but
we're
working
to
change
it
I
think
we're
down
to
less
than
a
dozen
librarians
and
the
entire
School
District
of
Philadelphia
I
know
it's
even
lower
than
that.
How
low
is
it
Donna.
A
A
The
call
for
that
is
really
important
for
us.
We're
down
to
I.
Think
one
out
of
four
schools
has
a
home
in
school
association.
Now
so
we're
not.
We
don't
have
the
kind
of
vibrancy
that
we
ought
to.
Families
need
a
way
in.
As
you
mentioned,
a
lot
of
people
would
like
to
support
our
schools.
They
need
a
path
in
and
they
can't
always
go
to
the
principal
to
do
it
and
not
every
school
has
a
community
school.
A
So
the
community
connector
position
is
a
is
an
entry
level
way
for
people
to
connect
in
with
their
local
public
school,
ensure
that
resources,
or
that
there's
communication
back
and
forth?
So
we
can
do
that
so
I
want
to
thank
you
for
that.
I
have
questions
for
the
other
audience
that
I
want
to
turn
it
over
to
my
councilmember
council
member
Reynolds
Brown
good.
B
C
For
the
work
that
you
do
every
day,
I
often
say
it's
nine
days
a
week
that
we
have
to
work
to
keep
up
with
the
demands
of
our
children
and
youth.
I
would
like
to
know.
I
have
I'm
doing
multiple
things
up
here
on
there
too
I
have
a
few
questions
for
Donna
Cooper,
but
mr.
Brent
Johnstone.
How
are
you
funded?
Well.
H
We
started
with
what
we
like
to
say:
uber
and
lyft
80%
of
the
wheat
we
just
went
out
in
community
and
into
work.
We're
not.
Eighty
percent
of
what
we
do
haven't
been
funded
is
just
to
father's
me
and
my
partner
keep
staples,
and
we
made
a
commitment
to
our
city
to
our
communities
that
we
were
going
to
attack
literacy
and
eventually,
funding
and
everything
that
we
needed
to
continue
would
come.
So
we.
H
C
B
H
C
B
C
Donna
you,
you
raised
a
really
for
me,
brilliant
idea
around
rebuilding
our
school
yards.
Now
we
have
to
recognize
that
the
academics
come
first
arts
and
music
in
athletic
programming
as
possible
libraries
for
sure
what
I
know
PCC.
Why
has
done
in
the
past
is
the
homework
where
you
you,
then
help
us
cuz.
You
come
with
the
perspective
budget.
Some
type
of
survey
that's
already
been
done.
Have
you
all
had
a
chance
yet
to
give
us
some
data
on
what
that
might
cost?
G
Have
not,
but
that
data
does
exist,
so
I'd
be
happy
to
share
that
with
you.
Councilman
I
think
it's
a
great
question
to
understand
the
scale,
so
the
partnerships
that
have
been
developed
are
kind
of.
We
have
a
hundred
and
eighty
elementary
schools
and
sand.
You
know
rebuild
some
of
that
is
being
done
jointly
with
rebuild
and
rec
centers
all.
E
I
C
C
H
C
J
You,
madam
chair
I,
thank
the
panel
for
their
testimony.
Unfortunate
have
to
go
to
another
appointment,
but
I
want
to
follow
up
on
a
couple
things
that
was
stated.
One
follow
up
on
the
question
from
council
member
Brown
I
know
Elaine
Lindy
from
Italy
Family
Foundation
is
here
to
testify
about
some
of
those
initial
additional
concepts
of
regarding
providing
capital
dollars
for
a
school
district
playground.
That's
something
we've
started
to
investigate.
In
my
understanding,
based
on
the
research,
that's
been
done
that
there
is
the
ability
use
city
capital
dollars
for
schools.
J
Your
playground
today,
I
just
met
with
the
school
district
before
I
came
down
here
on
this
afternoon.
The
challenge
is
getting
those
dollars
out
of
the
city's
capital
budget,
but
I
think
there
is
a
commitment
from
a
number
of
council
members
who
have
an
interest
in
doing
that
to
provide
some
additional
dollars
that
can
leverage
some
of
their
private
dollars
that
are
going
towards
this.
J
However,
our
General
Assembly
has
been
I
would
say,
woefully
inadequate
using
a
word
that
councilman
Brown
likes
to
use,
which
is
woefully
inadequate
in
meeting
the
standard
of
our
state
constitution,
which
most
people
in
this
room
know
that,
under
article
3
section
14
is
a
requirement
of
the
General
Assembly
provide
their
own
vision
system,
public
education
to
meet
the
requirements
for
the
citizens
of
our
Commonwealth.
Hopefully,
the
General
Assembly
will
be
able
to
do
that.
My
understanding
can
be
coming
out
of
the
budget
session
early
this
year,
I'm
hearing
early
June.
J
They
may
actually
finish
before
we
do,
but
they
do
have
a
robust
revenue
at
the
state
level.
So
I
think
that
should
provide
all
of
us
to
put
some
additional
pressure
on
our
state
elected
officials,
not
just
those
in
the
city
of
photography
but
throughout
the
region,
because
all
school
districts
and
in
comments
Pennsylvania
need
more
funding.
J
I
think
this
is
opportunity
to
have
a
broader
conversation,
not
just
here
at
the
local
level,
but
in
Pittsburgh
allocated
County
Lehigh,
Valley,
Erie,
Lackawanna,
ELQ
Potter,
all
the
best
carving
all
the
various
counties
throughout
the
Commonwealth,
because
local
school
districts
are
being
impacted
in
a
negative
way
by
not
getting
the
funding
that
we
should
be
getting
at
the
state
level.
So
thank
you.
Thank.
J
G
Again,
would
you
permit
me
on
to
tell
councilman
green
that
my
school
yard
in
Adair
is
one
of
the
water
runoff
school
yards,
that
was
a
city,
capitol
water
department
and
so
council,
council
President
Street
was
the
person
who
sort
of
create
that
created
that
sort
of
tripartite
of
funding?
So
he
obviously
has
the
template
on
how
to
move
those
funds.
So
thank
you
for
bringing
that
up.
Yeah.
A
Thank
you
very
much,
so
I
had
a
couple
of
quick
questions
for
mr.
Johnston
and
especially
for
Donna
Cooper
and
Hilary
Leonard
appleís.
Do
you
recall
like
at
a
time
as
Hilary
and
and
Donna
in
particular?
Do
you
remember
a
time
when
the
school
district
had
a
similar
position
to
the
community
connector
position.
G
G
Used
to
have
a
well
our
Holman,
we
had
a
we
had
like
a
parent
on
buds
men
in
my
in
the
neighborhood
schools,
with
my
neighborhood,
all
I
used
to
have
somebody
who
was
half-time
that
was
sort
of
the
person
that
you
would
go
to.
If
you
were
gonna.
Do
the
books
meet
with
the
parents
manage
the
home
in
school
I,
don't
know
what
that
was
formally
called.
D
We
had
only
school
coordinator
right,
yeah
yeah
there
was
there
was
the
coordinator.
There
was
also
the
the
Ombudsman,
but
then,
after
that
there
was
the
sizzles,
and
that
was
a
similar
role.
So
I
can
go
and
I
can
go
back
and
figure
out
exactly
the
historic
job
descriptions
for
all
of
those.
But
then.
A
D
A
I
think
part
of
it
is,
is
that
we've
historically
had
that
position
there,
and
what
we're
looking
for
is
that
this
is
not
something
that
is
a
brand
new
creative
position
that
that
it
was.
It
has
been
traditionally
recognized
as
an
important
position
within
schools.
It's
a
loss
when
we
don't
have
them,
especially
when
we
don't
have
alternatives
and
as
we're
looking
to
fill
in
and
get
some
support
into
our
schools.
So
that's
helpful,
thank
you
and
then
mr.
Johnson
did
you
have
like.
A
If
there
were
a
community
connector
position,
could
you
list
off
maybe
a
couple
of
things
that
you
think
would
be
helpful,
for
example
in
the
work
that
you
do,
that
would
improve
services.
Do
all
the
different
schools,
not
just
a
handful
of
schools
where
you
happen
to
have
a
good
relationship.
But
what
what
do
you
think
would
be
helpful
for
that
position?
Sure.
H
I
think
actively
engaging
in
seeking
out
resources
that
will
benefit
the
children
but,
more
importantly,
the
families
in
the
community
to
focus
on
some
adult
education.
I
mean
excuse
me
adult
literacy,
to
also
focus
on
the
community,
businesses
that
are
in
the
community
and
how
can
they
support
the
children
that
basically
fund
their
scores
of
families
that
fund
their
stories
and
actively
engage
in
that
community?
That
sector
and
funding
activities,
resources
for
for
the
schools?
Also
that
person
having
a
keen
awareness
of
what
are
some
of
the
negative
and
positive.
H
Connectors
in
the
community,
they
have
to
be
able
to
connect
with
the
power
players
in
that
community
and
meet
them
where
they
are
in
order
to
bring
them
into
a
school
that
they
normally
have
figured
out
how
to
work
in
their
community
without
the
school.
So
I
think
the
person
has
to
understand
what
that
community
needs
and
how
to
find
that
in
that
community
or
in
the
city
overall
to
bring
back
to
the
school.
But
I
also
think
that
actively
trying
to
engage
that
business
most
city
schools
are
surrounded
by
business,
some
more
than
others.
A
You
very
much
and
Donna
I,
don't
know
if
you
had
any
other
thoughts
about
how
to
add
to
that,
but
it's
in
part
I
think
we're
trying
to
convey
the
importance
of
having
some
type
of
external
connector
between
the
school
and
the
and
community.
So
thank
you.
That's
very
helpful
and
I
want
to
thank
Hilary,
Leonard,
appleís
and
especially
the
PFT
for
bringing
forward
a
fantastic
document
that
breaks
down
in
very
clear
terms,
the
need
for
the
reason
behind
the
fund,
our
facilities
campaign.
A
That
would
not
happen
had
there
not
been
so
much
noise
on
the
ground
and
that
this
had
become
a
major
priority
for
for
City.
But
that
being
said,
I
think
your
document
speaks
to
something
greater
I
mean
for
one
thing:
if
we're
gonna
invest
thirty
million
dollars
to
let
abate
our
schools,
we
want
to
protect
that
investment
by
making
sure
there's
not
leaking
pipes
that
the
humidity
and
the
temperature
is
an
out
of
control,
because
that
will
for
sure
ruin
a
great
paint
job.
D
I
think
that
one
of
the
important
things
that
we
are
developing
and
have
been
developing
with
the
school
district
is
improved
collaboration
on
some
of
these
abatement
issues
and
improved
transparency
on
on
some
of
the
work
that
is
being
done.
Our
environmental
scientist,
Jerry
Roseman,
has
helped
to
set
the
standard
for
exactly
how
the
work
is
being
done
and
some
of
the
follow
up
on
it
and
I
know
that
there
has
been
a
real,
a
real
increase
in
the
ability
to
work
collaboratively
on
that
work.
D
We're
not
where
we
need
to
be,
of
course,
but
I
would
say
that
the
you
know
the
lead
is
absolutely
critical,
but
there's
so
much
else,
there's
so
much.
There
are
so
many
additional
concerns
when
you
look
at
the
asthma
rate
for
our
students,
when
you
look
at
mold
in
the
buildings,
when
you
look
at
three-quarters
of
the
schools
being
exposed
to,
you
know
rodent
droppings,
and
things
like
that,
you
know
I
remember
in
my
kindergarten
classroom,
it
was
like.
D
A
A
K
A
L
Afternoon,
good
afternoon,
council
committees
on
education
and
children
and
youth,
my
name
is
dr.
Cristina
Jackson
and
I'm,
a
parent
of
twin
kindergarteners
at
Henry
Sealy
Elementary
School,
representing
district
3,
who
is
also
a
member
of
our
school
Advisory.
Committee
I
am
currently
an
assistant
professor
of
sociology,
at
Stockton
University
in
South,
Jersey
and
community
and
cultural
advocate
in
West,
Philly
I'm,
a
proud
product
of
the
Philadelphia
School
District,
completing
quick
K
to
12
grades.
L
Here,
I'm
happy
to
be
here
today
to
talk
about
the
great
things
going
on
in
my
local
elementary
schools
and
how
all
Philadelphia
students
should
have
similar
opportunities.
Henry
Seeley
school
is
a
great
public
school
and
my
children
and
I
are
happy
to
be
a
part
of
the
community
as
we
call
it.
They
are
our
family.
L
This
is
a
slogan
that
I
mostly
hear
from
mr.
Brown.
Our
school
community
liaison
mr.
Brown
has
cemented
himself
as
one
of
the
most
valuable
members
of
our
school
community
with
support
from
our
staff.
He
hosts
volunteer
orientations,
plants
field
trips
that
opened
the
classroom
to
the
larger
Philadelphia
community,
advertises
local
swim
opportunities
on
classdojo
host
talent
shows
and
provides
support
at
English
language
learner
meetings
most
exciting
mr.
Brown
hosts
the
quote
family
fun
night,
complete
with
carnival
games,
raffles
and
fun
I.
L
Remember
my
son
wari
wrapped
me
up
in
toilet
paper
for
our
mummy
making
contest
hosted
by
mr.
Brown
I
didn't
win
though,
but
that's
okay.
While
we
are
happy
that
the
Family
and
Community
Engagement
office
has
expanded,
we
know
that
all
schools
are
not
as
fortunate
as
Li.
We
believe
that
each
school
deserves
the
support
of
a
staff
member
who's
committed
to
support
the
school
community.
Investing
in
engagement,
builds
trusts,
provides
support
and
fosters
an
environment
conducive
to
learning
and
building
community.
For
so
many
families,
but
particularly
black
brown
and
immigrant
families.
L
L
Part-Time
positions
will
not
accomplish
the
goal
of
building
stronger
community
thanks
to
the
West
Philly
Coalition
for
neighborhood
schools,
neighbors
local
organizations
and
grants.
The
league
community
has
a
green
and
sustainable
playground
at
lea
with
plants
and
trees
and
playground
equipment
that
actually
works.
The
playground
serves
as
a
common
space
for
kids
to
gather,
play,
socialize
and
a
safe
and
developmentally
appropriate
space.
These
playground
was
the
location
that
hosted
my
eagerly
awaited,
but
anxiety-inducing
kindergarteners
play
day.
L
As
my
children
took
the
leap
into
kindergarten
next
Saturday
our
playground
will
be
or
this
Saturday
our
playground
will
be
the
site
of
our
Lee
school
clean-up
yard
and
yard
sale.
Fundraiser
I
am
eternally
grateful
for
the
West
Philadelphia
Coalition
for
neighborhood
schools,
and
so
many
community
members
who
make
the
space
possible.
But
I
can't
help
to
wonder
about
children
and
neighboring
schools
who
don't
have
the
same
resources.
We
do.
L
It
is
difficult
to
explain
to
kindergarteners
why
some
kids
have
things
and
others
don't
I
think
that
the
district
must
make
a
bold
commitment
in
schoolyards
that
is
guided
by
equity.
I
urge
us
to
practice
what
we
preach,
using
democratic
principles,
to
promote
equitable
funding
for
our
children
and
not
allow
companies
and
corporations
via
tax
abatements
to
avoid
contributing
to
our
economic
base.
Why
is
it
that
quote
economic
growth
as
touted
through
tax
abatements
have
come
at
the
expense
of
taking
away
millions
of
dollars
from
our
schools
and
neighborhoods.
L
We
don't
think
that
students
can
walk
in
and
through
their
communities
and
see
where
the
city's
priorities
lie
when
their
school
buildings
are
crumbling.
How
about
we
invest
in
working
air
conditioners
and
stronger
building
infrastructures
that
don't
possess,
lead
and
abstinence
best
those
we
cannot
afford
to
provide
handouts
to
huge
developers
when
Philadelphia
is
already
economically
prospering.
Let's
invest
in
our
children
in
the
environments
they
learn
in
socialize
in
and
first
begin
to
learn
about
who
they
are
many
times.
L
It
is
the
first
or
second
place
in
which
they
can
learn
to
actually
critically
think
about
the
communities
they
live
in,
like
myself,
in
closing,
coming
from
and
benefiting
from
a
higher
resource
public
school
growing
up,
Mount
Airy
notice,
the
one
mentioned
Henry
I'm
here
to
support
investments
in
our
public
schools
across
the
board.
Investment
in
one
school
shouldn't
be
at
the
expense
of
other
schools
in
our
community.
We
urge
you.
L
M
Gem
and
Councilwoman
Blackwell
for
calling
this
important
hearing
on
the
state
of
our
schools
and
thank
you
to
other
council
members
who
are
here.
My
name
is
Rochelle
McCool
Solomon
I
am
a
lifelong
Philadelphian
and
my
two
grandsons
currently
attend
Pao
elementary
school.
They
represent
the
fourth
generation
in
our
family,
attending
Philadelphia,
public
schools,
I.
M
As
a
result
of
our
activism
budget
guidelines
were
changed
and
PAL
secured
an
additional
$50,000
in
its
general
budget,
and
while
we
celebrate
this
win,
we
acknowledge
that
despite
dedicated
teachers
and
a
strong
principal
and
a
healthy
school
and
community
relationship,
our
school
struggles
to
make
up
for
overall
grossly
inadequate
school
funding.
Today,
I'm
here
in
Council
to
advocate
on
behalf
of
all
students
in
our
district,
we
have
arrived
for
the
first
time
in
a
very
long
time,
at
an
auspicious
opportunity
to
create
schools
that
show
our
children
that
we
deeply
care.
M
That
means
providing
dedicated
and
targeted
resources
that
will
improve
school
climate
and
expand
opportunities
for
quality
teaching
and
learning
these
resources
represent
the
ones
we
here
about
time
and
time
again
in
formal
and
informal
exchanges
with
parents,
schools
and
community
members
all
over
this
city,
they
include
supports
to
close
the
gap
and
build
stronger
bridges
between
home
and
school
communities
at
Pal.
We
are
fortunate
to
have
an
excellent
active
parent
community,
but
the
future
of
our
schools
should
not
be
left
to
look
or
rely
on
flyers,
emails
or
text
messages.
M
They
include
adequate
funds
to
add
counselors
and
mental
health,
and
wellness
supports
for
students
in
every
school.
More
affluent
school
districts
are
awash
with
these
kinds
of
supports.
Why,
with
the
challenges
facing
so
many
of
our
families,
are
our
schools
and
students
simply
given
less,
and
they
include
funding
to
fix
our
urgent
facility
needs
providing
working
air
conditioners
for
every
class,
creating
safe,
healthy
and
clean
buildings
and
transforming
our
playgrounds.
The
deplorable
conditions
and
our
facilities
are,
in
a
word,
unacceptable.
M
M
For
too
long
all
over
the
city,
the
people
have
called
for
critical
resources
for
art,
schools,
I
hope,
Council,
and
our
new
school
board
will
stand
with
us:
families,
teachers,
community
and
faith
members,
organizers
and
education
advocates
and
commit
today
to
supporting
these
targeted
investments.
Thank
you
thank.
N
Two
things
that
most
conversations
about
our
public
schools
in
Philadelphia,
sorely
lack
I've
spent
the
last
year,
working
with
the
school
district
on
the
lead
and
paint
and
plaster
stabilization
protocol,
which
is
as
exciting
and
glamorous
as
it
sounds
as
part
of
the
Philly
Healthy
Schools
Initiative.
So
this
working
group
was
born
out
of
tragedy
like
yeah
and
and
talking
about
it
is
very
hard.
Our
schools
were
poisoning
our
students
and
causing
lifelong
brain
damage,
because
our
youngest
and
most
at-risk
students
were
eating
paint
chips
that
flaked
off
of
their
classroom
walls,
so
everyone.
N
N
Additionally,
City
Council
passed
legislation
that
further
codified
that
we
must
make
sure
our
schools
are
led,
safe.
Certified.
We
began
to
do
the
work
to
make
the
changes,
because
the
risk
to
our
students
was
real.
It
was
documented
and
it
was
incredibly
harmful.
We
had
urgent
see
because
the
risk
sorry
and
we
had
some
optimism
as
additional
spent
is
allocated
to
make
sure
that
all
of
our
schools
are
safe
and
the
work
is
getting
done,
albeit
I'd,
say
too
slowly
in
my
opinion,
but
we're
making
progress.
So
we
actually
had
a
problem.
N
Everybody
found
out
about
it.
It
got
urgent
and
then
actual
money
and
a
prioritization
happened,
which
is
the
same
thing
I'm
asking
for
today.
We
should
not
wait
for
more
tragedies
before
this
body
through
its
budget
decisions
and
the
school
districts
make
providing
safe
and
healthy,
clean
schools
to
all
of
our
students
a
priority.
This
requires
money,
as
does
everything,
but
we're
only
asking
for
a
modest
amount,
and
frankly,
our
students
deserve
it.
K
N
Hundred
and
seventy
million
dollars,
which
it
sounds
big
in
my
world,
sounds
big
in
my
kids
world,
but
with
the
budget
decisions
you'll
have
to
make
it's
it's
a
small
small
amount.
You
could
vastly
improve
our
school
cleaning
staff
and
equipment
begin
to
work
on
some
of
the
much-needed
repairs
and
start
to
create
a
learning
environment
that
our
students
need
and
deserve
mouse
droppings
chipping
paint,
asbestos
and
mold
send
the
message
that
our
kids
don't
deserve
anything
better.
N
Additionally,
I
want
to
remind
you
to
act
urgently.
We
are
fast
approaching
the
hottest
time
of
the
year
in
Philadelphia.
Many
of
our
schools
are
not
equipped
with
functioning
adequate
HVAC
system
and
I
know.
There
are
teachers
and
students
here
who
experience
that
we
want
to
at
least
double
the
number
of
working
AC
units
in
our
school
and
helps
them
maintain
and
replace
the
ones
that
are
no
longer
working.
N
We
also
need
to
develop
a
comprehensive
plan
for
accomplishing
the
goal
of
air
conditioning
in
every
classroom
that
needs
it,
including
performing
all
the
electrical
upgrades
that
are
needed
over
the
next
three
years.
So
urgent
action
get
our
schools
and
our
classrooms
prioritizing
cool
for
this
season
and
then
make
a
priority
of
fixing
this
in
the
long
term.
N
We
should
immediately
engage
in
joint
planning
efforts
to
figure
out
where
to
start
what
schools
and
what
rooms
are
the
most
critical
need
of
air
conditioning
and
how
to
move
forward
in
the
most
equitable
and
efficient
way
possible.
Don't
wait
to
read
about
it
again
on
The
Enquirer,
like
don't,
don't
wait
for
us
to
come
to
you
and
tell
you
that
our
kids
are
sweating
in
105
degree,
classrooms
and
act,
surprised
because
we're
telling
you
now
don't
further
increase
the
inequity
we
see
in
our
schools
by
making
something
this
parents
have
to
fundraise
for
right.
N
N
And
I
promise
you
that
if
we
act
urgently
and
with
proper
input
and
oversight
from
parents
and
teachers
and
the
PFT,
this
council
and
others,
we
can
show
that
there
is
plenty
to
be
optimistic
about
in
our
schools.
I've
seen
this
happen
already,
I
truly
believe
I
actually
believe
it
that
we
can
make
things
better
and
I.
Believe
that
my
request
and
the
rest
of
my
fellow
folks
who
are
speaking
today
are
realistic
and
attainable.
N
N
And
your
child,
who
has
mouse
droppings
in
their
cubby,
our
students
will
notice
when
we
start
to
make
them
a
priority,
and
if
we
act
with
urgency
and
make
real
measurable
change,
then
we
will
all
start
to
share
the
optimism
that
I
have
that
our
schools
can
be
a
source
of
pride
for
all
of
us.
There
are
no
silver
bullets.
The
path
to
transformation
is
a
long
game.
We
can
walk
and
chew
gum,
and
that
means
we
can
push
for
more
councilors,
better
schoolyards
and
true
investment
in
community
engagement.
All
at
the
same
time.
Thank.
A
C
Well,
thank
you
and
I
want
to
say
a
special
thanks
to
all
of
you.
We
work
closely
with
pals
school
always
have
at
least
school
will
always
be
special
to
me.
It's
where
I
met
the
late
great
Lucien
Blackwell
when
I
was
teaching
his
children
there
as
a
school
teacher
and
of
course
we
are
very
proud
of
all
that's
happening
now
with
Lee
school,
your
your
good
principal
as
well,
and
all
the
attention
that's
been
happening
after
a
long
time.
So,
thank
you
all
very
much
and
thank
you
for
being
here.
Thank
you.
I.
A
Want
to
acknowledge
all
three
of
you
for
your
heroic
work
at
all
of
your
different
and
all
your
individual
schools,
but
also
because
you're
advocating
for
every
school.
That
is
tremendous
to
do.
I
want
to
thank
Rachelle,
Nichol
Solomon
for
the
work
that
you
did
for
the
small
schools
coalition
to
bring
a
group
of
small
schools
populations
of
under
300.
Is
that
right
to
come
together?
O
A
A
Thank
you
Rory
and
Christina
I'm
curious.
Could
you
talk
a
little
bit
about
one?
Do
you
have
enough
cleaners
in
your
schools?
Are
you
do
you
know?
Can
you
speak
to
what,
whether
you
are
fully
cleaned
or
whether
the
schools
feel
really
clean
in
the
morning?
This
is
one
of
the
areas
that
we're
trying
to
just
make
clear
for
for
our
understanding.
N
So
we
have
I
think
we've
been
we're
fully
staffed,
but
it's
still
an
inadequate
number
and
we're
out
a
teacher
or
sorry
a
cleaner
every
couple
weeks,
and
so
we
we
tend
to
have
teachers
who
are
saying
after
hours
and
cleaning
up
our
schools,
and
it
means
that
our
building
engineers
and
the
other
folks
aren't
spending
time
on
on
issues
like
water
intrusion
and
things
like
that,
because
they're
having
to
deal
with
classrooms
that
are
unclean.
Okay,.
L
Yes,
so
we
also
do
have
a
school
nurse
and
two
counselors
and
I
would
say
that
we
that
our
school
is
pretty
clean,
but
we
also
do
struggle,
especially
with
the
classrooms
and
I,
always
thought
it's
interesting,
since
you
know
I'm
new
at
this,
and
we
just
started
in
kindergarten
that
the
the
school
supply
list
includes.
All
these
things
that
have
to
a
cleaning
the
room
which.
O
L
Different
than
when
I
was
in
school
and
I
think
that
that
is
a
big
sign
that
now
this
burden
is
being
put
school.
Teacher
so
and
I
have
twins,
sometimes
I
bite
too
so
I
have
to
come
over,
for
my
saw
containers,
hand,
sanitizer,
galore,
so
I
just
think
that
that
says
a
lot
also
about
like
the
burden.
That's
now
put
more
on
the
teachers
as.
A
A
It
was
almost
four
or
something
I
mean
one
of
the
things
we're
trying
to
make
is
that
air
conditioning
isn't
exactly
a
luxury.
We
have
school
systems
in
the
suburbs
that
get
to
start
two
weeks,
I
had
a
Philadelphia
school
kids
and
get
that
kind
of
two-week
headstart
on
their
learning,
and
we
all
take
the
same
state
tests
in
April
so
for
us
to
get
delayed
for
two
weeks
and
to
lose
two
weeks
of
learning
time,
simply
because
our
schools
are
too
hot
is
actually
a
very
serious
learning
issue.
A
L
A
G
P
P
Thank
you
for
inviting
me
to
speak
today
on
the
state
of
our
public
schools.
My
name
is
Jessica
way
and
I'm,
a
teacher
in
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
and
an
organizer
with
the
caucus
of
working
educators
and
I'm
here
today,
because
when
the
toxic
schools
report
came
out
from
the
Philadelphia
Inquirer
I
was
shocked
by
the
extensive
lead
paint
and
asbestos
being
detailed
in
my
own
building,
I
had
no
idea.
P
We
knew
there
was
flaking
paint
all
over
our
building,
especially
on
the
third
floor,
where
we
have
suffered
the
most
from
water
damage
from
a
kneeling
roof.
We
didn't
know
it
was
lead
paint
flaking
freely
from
holes
in
the
ceiling
from
window
sills
and
from
walls
coating.
The
balcony
in
our
auditorium,
covering
the
coffee
pot
on
a
colleague's
desk,
lining
the
table
where
another
colleague
stored
her
breast
pump.
I
also
want
to
tell
you
something
else
about
one
of
the
hallways.
On
our
third
floor.
P
In
the
past
four
years
we
have
had
multiple
teachers
on
one
wing
of
the
third
floor,
developed
cancer,
one
of
those
teachers,
the
one
who
has
been
on
the
third
floor.
The
longest
is
now
experiencing
cancer
for
the
second
time
in
the
past
five
years,
having
survived
brain
sir,
she
was
recently
diagnosed
with
Hodgkin's
lymphoma.
Three
of
the
teachers
are
under
the
age
of
50.
P
P
P
It's
important
that
we
take
these
stories
seriously.
It's
important
that
we
value
the
people
who
spend
every
day
in
Philly
schools,
the
students,
the
staff
and
the
teachers.
That's
why
over
2,500
pft
members
signed
a
petition
stating
that
we
wanted
the
school
district
to
immediately
remediate
all
of
the
lead
hazards
in
all
of
our
buildings.
P
We
want
to
temperature
control
and
rodent
control
in
our
schools,
some
of
the
primary
triggers
of
childhood
asthma,
a
major
cause
of
absenteeism,
and
we
want
the
money
to
come
from
those
most
able
to
pay
it
by
ending
the
tax
abatement
and
asking
mega
nonprofits
like
Penn.
To
do
the
right
thing:
stop
acting
like
they're,
a
real
nonprofit
and
pay
payment
in
lieu
of
taxes.
P
A
Q
All
right,
so
I
will
let
this
off
by
thinking
councilmember
Helen
jam
in
your
office
for
organizing
this
hearing.
My
name
is
Leticia
Destin
I'm,
a
senior
at
Paul
Robeson,
high
school
I
am
I,
am
also
a
member
of
the
Philadelphia
Student
Union
and
have
been
working
with
other
members
on
raising
awareness
of
the
challenges
that
have
come
from
having
police
in
our
schools.
Over
the
past
several
years,
our
organizations
have
led
trainings
for
school.
Q
Police
officers
led
the
work
to
create
the
second
school
police
officer
complaint
system
in
the
country
and
have
supported
some
and
time
again,
students
who
have
been
assaulted
by
spos.
We
have
testified
and
shared
our
research
with
your
elected
officials
and
decision
makers
in
Philadelphia,
Harrisburg
and
Washington
DC.
All
with
the
same
message.
If
you
want
to
make
school
safe,
you
can't
simply
rely
on
options
are
not
proven
to
work
enough.
They
make
the
ability
for
brown
and
black
students
harder,
some
students
would
say
they
feel
safer,
which
we
understand.
Q
However,
if
you
ask
most
people
why
they
would
speak
about
the
feeling,
this
is
not
a
spring.
What
is
actually
being
done?
It
does
not
exclude
the
harm
caused
that
many
students
are
carrying.
We
have
shared
this
several
times
in
the
policy
has
changed
school
police
in
school
policy,
including
the
recent
passing
of
policy
805,
which
we
were,
which
will
make
middle
detectives
in
school
police
ministry
in
our
schools.
Q
Another
problem
caused
by
this
is
the
29
million
dollars
spent
when
school,
policing
and
security
in
the
district.
That
does
not
receive
the
full
amount
of
money
needed
to
manage
their
schools
and
Philadelphia.
How
we
spend
the
money
is
even
more
important
right
now.
There
are
still
three
hundred
and
forty
two
officers
in
our
schools
and
only
267
school
counselors.
Q
That
means
the
students
are
kills.
The
ratio
is
one
counselor
for
every
395
students,
which
is
not
the
record.
What
is
not,
which
is
not
at
the
recommended
ratio
of
having
one
camp
set
to
every
200
students
and
the
school
districts
God
set
a
budget.
They
noted
that
they
assign
Cal
States,
based
on
the
one
counselor
to
every
950
students
ratio.
The
district
has
been
hiring
other
low
level
staff
like
college
surveyors
of
advisors.
Q
That
only
do
some
of
the
work
of
councils,
because
it
cost
less
but
Cal
says,
but
CalSTRS
do
a
lot
more
in
need
to
be
listening.
Instead
of
hiring
us
instead
of
hiring
necessary
cells
such
as
counselors
nurses
and
restorative
justice
coordinators,
who
can
all
work
as
a
team
to
provide
the
safety
needed.
The
district
continues
to
prioritize
spending
on
us
videos
without
even
studying
how
effective
their
offices
are
being.
It
is
a
choice
to
spend
millions
on
school
police
salaries
instead
of
taking
a
hard
look
at
how
to
improve
school
environments.
Q
We
believe
that
it
is
important
to
send
a
strong
message
that
the
safety
of
students
is
being
taken
seriously
and
that
this
includes
adjusting
the
harm
caused
by
police
officers
in
our
schools.
I
feel
safe
when
I
know
that
myself
and
other
students
are
respected,
and
there
are
adults
in
our
corner
supporting
our
well-being.
We
believe
that
another
plan
for
safety
can
and
should
be
developed,
but
this
will
take
time
and
money
from
the
budget
to
make
it
possible.
Q
Minda
ratio
of
700
school
psychologists
per
student
and
increase
the
school
nurses
to
meet
the
recommended
ratio
of
750
school
nurses
per
student,
an
increase
in
a
number
of
professional
support
staff
who
are
trained
to
de-escalate
conflicts
between
students
and
student
teacher
conflicts
and,
last
but
not
least,
all
new
funding
for
any
school
police
or
security
infrastructure
must
be
similar
along
an
assessment
of
car
spending,
ovulation
of
effectiveness,
studying
of
potential
harm
and
may
cause
and
options
for
alternators.
Thank
you.
Thank.
B
Good
morning,
good
afternoon,
everyone,
my
name,
is
Jason
whoo
I'm,
a
student
leader
from
Viet,
Lee
and
I
live
in
the
second
district
I'm.
Currently,
a
junior
at
Furness
high
school,
a
server
is
severely
underfunded.
Public
school
in
South
Philadelphia
today
I'll
be
asking
City
Council
to
support
council
member
Helen
Jim
Jim's
budget
packet
to
fund
Philly's
schools,
and
this
is
why
a
debate
but
where
public
money
should
go
is
a
debate
that
people
have
been
having
for
a
long
time
and
I
believe
there
are
school.
B
Money
should
go
towards
repairing
facilities
and
finding
essential
resource
for
students.
Why
so
school
should
be
an
environment
where
students
can
feel
safe
and
be
hundred
percent
focused
on
learning,
but
based
on
whatever
experience
the
school
environment?
That
I'm
learning
in
does
not
provide
what
students
need
in
order
to
learn
coming
from
a
different
school
in
environment
Indonesia.
Barely
a
year
ago,
I
was
surprised
with
the
condition
of
furnace
building.
B
There
is
nasty
mold
on
the
walls,
chipping
paints
everywhere,
I
go
and
we
suffer
from
sitting
really
in
a
really
cold
classes
in
winter
and
really
hot
classes
during
the
summer.
Just
try
to
imagine
learning
in
a
really
cool
class,
because
the
heater
doesn't
work
properly.
Many
student
refused
to
take
notes
because
their
hands
are
so
cold.
During
the
summer.
Many
student
can't
focus
because
of
the
severe
temperatures
in
the
classrooms.
Some
of
the
issues
in
the
public
school
can
actually
cause
death.
B
I
know
a
teacher
who
develop
asthma
because
of
toxic
air
in
their
classroom.
This
toxic
school
environment
is
a
trickster
distraction
and
not
conducive
to
learning,
coming
from
Indonesia
I
plan
to
focus
in
school
and
eventually
at
Penn
College,
but
instead
of
focusing
on
my
education,
I
have
to
be
I
have
to
be
concerned
with
the
with
my
health
in
this
toxic
environment.
My
friends
and
I
often
ask
each
other:
will
you
make
it
out
alive
and
healthy
by
the
time
we
graduate.
B
Sadly,
I
know
furnaces
are
the
only
school
that
experienced
his
toxic
conditions
and
we
need
fund
fundings
to
fix
it.
Instead,
the
City
Council
has
a
lot
developers
to
profit
at
the
expense
of
the
school
10
year.
Tax
abatement
I
demand
that
every
single
student
in
Philly
have
a
healthier
and
better
environment
to
learn.
I'm
asking
the
City
Council
to
vote
in
support
of
the
Burke
budget
package
proposed
by
concert,
person,
Helen
game
and
the
tax
abatement
and
demand
and
demand
school
district
to
prioritize
fixing
the
schools
in
their
budget.
Thank
you.
B
B
B
B
The
school
system
was
totally
new
to
me,
but
I
will
see
little
help
to
navigate
navigate
this
system.
When
immigrant
student
come
to
this
country
and
start
school,
will
we
rely
on
each
other's?
We
rely
on
ones
with
the
stronger
groups
of
English
to
interpret
for
the
rest
of
us.
Our
peers
help
us
find
our
first
class
figure
out
how
to
choose
classes
and
what's
the
SI
g,
sh
ER
will
be
kind
each
others
gather
this.
This
work
should
not
be
understood
on
the
shoulders
of
students.
B
B
She
walks
she
walks
seventh
day
of
week.
She
has
no
time
to
come
to
school
for
meetings,
but
she
does
one
the
information
she
want
to
be.
She
want
to
be
a
part
of
my
education,
but,
as
note
has
too
many
barrier
in
the
way
we
have,
we
have
a
dedicated
button
girl
consider
who
rich
risks
all
our
families
never,
but
never
none
ever
school
has
school.
B
None
ever
has
school
come
now.
Not
every
school
has
this
resource.
Each
community
has
different
needs
and
different
barrier
to
assessing
the
school
community.
School
liaisons
can
play
the
role
of
reaching
out
to
those
communities
to
bring
in
school,
commit
community
condition.
I'm
a
college
student
against
all
odds,
I
met
here.
I
say
this
because
I
had
a
hard
time
tracking
down
my
college
counselor
my
senior
year
I,
remember
tracking
down
for
to
wait
for
my
school.
Just
chess,
/
I
find
finally
find
her
after
one
week.
He
said
he
will
send
it
out.
B
Is
the
nothing
I
spent
another
way
tracking
him
down
it?
Wasn't
he
wasn't
dead
is
was
dhakini,
he
had
so
many
weight.
He
had
a
weight,
meaning
student
and
not
enough
time.
I
will
I
rely
on
help
from
hae
and
other
peers,
father
application
and
to
Rai
another
peers
to
navigate
the
ecology
caused
us
to
know
that
that
deadline
to
complete
the
very
complicated
application
and
to
write
and
to
end
my
essay
I,
have
appeared
that
was
Richard
from
temple
because
he
was
missing
based
up
Ken
information.
B
He
is
the
ESO
student
as
well
as
as
well
the
issue
help
with
this
process.
This
struggle
with
the
ecology
process
isn't
just
for
immigrant
student,
it's
a
school
of
meaning
of
my
friend
who,
as
an
immigrant
student,
also
struggled
to
find
the
support
any
with
college
application
process
be
oncologist
for
consider,
also
support
to
be
there
for
our
emotional
help.
I
still
see
that
our
high
school
counselor
are
so
busy
with
their
student
loan,
ecology,
application
and
other
things
they
have
no
time
for
us
as
individual
people.
B
We
all
left
to
find
our
own
way
to
cope
I'm
here
today
to
ask
thus
this
city
star,
to
invest
in
us
in
students
against
I
support,
a
healthy
school
agenda,
investment
in
community
school
liaisons
in
cancerous
and
a
safe
and
sound
school
building.
We
are
the
next
generation
we
are.
We
are
you
future
and
we
are
both
of
investment.
Thank
you.
A
I
just
want
to
say
thank
you
to
Leticia,
Jason
and
mengwei
for
being
here
today
and
for
your
incredibly
important
stories.
Just
a
really
quick
question,
I
mean
quite
so
you
said
you
had
a
friend
who
wasn't
able
to
complete
who,
as
an
ESL
student
but
wasn't
able
to
complete
their
college
application.
Is
that
right?
Yes,.
B
B
Because
the
counselor
is
true,
BG
with
so
many
senior
high
school
senior
student
and
the
example
of
the
examples
are
tracking
him
tracking
him
down
to
way
and
to
find
the
true
find
him
to
send
a
school
chess
score
to
the
college
and
is
too
late
too.
Rich
which
hand
to
send
a
school
chess
score
to
the
college.
And
the
temple
did
not
send
me
to
the
college.
A
B
A
You
very
much
I
appreciate
that
that
was
a
very
serious
year
and
I
think
we
saw
we
actually
saw
college
applications
go
down
because
in
part
we
didn't
have
enough
counselors
in
schools
and
that's
a
very,
very
serious
consequence.
So
we're
certainly
going
to
be
appreciative
of
this
is
partly
why
we
want
young
people
to
speak
out.
You
have
you
bring
a
totally
different
perspective
to
the
room,
an
important
one,
it's
about
walking
through
schools
when
you're,
you
know
12,
15
or
17
or
19
years
old.
It's
really
important
that
we
hear
from
you.
A
And
again,
I
want
to
thank
everybody
for
having
come
out
here
today.
I
think
when
this
room
is
packed
with
people,
it
really
makes
a
difference
hearing
from
the
voices
of
educators
and
family
members,
knowing
that
this
is
a
top
priority,
we
want
to
make
sure
that
your
voices
are
heard
as
clearly
and
loudly
as
possible
before
as
we
go
into
our
school
district
hearing.
So
thank
you
everybody
again
for
being
out
here.
K
I'm
Elaine
Lindy.
It's
a
pleasure
to
be
here.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
speak.
This
is
said
in
lockstep
with
the
values
and
priorities
of
PCC.
Why
is
the
program
called
Fiesta
schoolyards?
This
is
a
new
program
started
last
fall
with
the
first
Fiesta
schoolyard
opening
at
Emlyn
elementary
school
Fiesta,
schoolyard
Springs
colorful,
high-impact,
schoolyard
improvements
to
public
elementary
schools
in
the
city
out
of
168
schools.
100
have
few
or
0
play
amenities
in
the
schoolyard.
Basically
parking
lots.
You
have
an
expanse
of
cracked
asphalt,
hard
scape,
surrounded
by
a
chain-link
fence.
K
What
do
you
think
this
kind
of
bleak
environment
signals
to
our
school
children?
What
does
it
show
them
about?
How
much
the
world
cares
about
them?
Let's
say
they're
having
a
bit
of
trouble
with
multiplication.
All
they
need
to
do
is
look
around
and
then
ask
themselves.
Why
bother
you
may
wonder
how
many
children
are
affected
in
these
100
schools?
Total
enrollment
is
100,000
students,
that's
half
the
population
of
Center
City
Philadelphia.
It's
a
lot
of
humanity
there,
just
3
minutes
provided
here.
K
So
allow
me
to
briefly
describe
how
Fiesta
school
yards
offers
a
high
impact.
Colorful
engaging
quick
solution,
we
choose.
First,
we
choose
play
options
that
solely
that
are
quick,
easy
and
fun.
If
a
play
option
is
fun,
but
not
quick
and
easy,
we
don't
do
it.
We
only
choose
options
that
are
quick,
easy
and
fun.
K
Since
each
of
the
play,
options
has
been
pre-approved
by
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
and
because
we
let
each
school
community
choose
from
among
a
variety
of
play,
options
that
they
want
up
to
400
points
using
a
point
system.
A
new
Fiesta
schoolyard
is
up
and
done
in
months.
Instead
of
years,
we
have
four
opening
at
the
end
of
May
on
May
28th
elwood
elementary
and
Abbey
Day
May,
29th,
Pennypacker,
May,
30th
and
Edmunds
June
3rd.
These
were
started
over
the
winter.
Typically,
a
new
playground
will
take
years.
K
In
addition,
a
new
playground
will
run
hundreds
of
thousands
of
dollars,
a
million
dollars
more
than
a
million
dollars.
It
can
pitch
up
to
2
million
dollars.
If
you
can
believe
that
a
Fiesta
schoolyard
is
one
hundred
thousand
dollars
of
the
100,000,
the
Lindy
Foundation
I'm
Elaine
Lindy
and
I
speak
along
with
the
voices
of
my
brothers,
Allen,
Lindy
and
Franklin
D
among
us.
We
run
the
real
estate
business
Lindy
foundation
is
a
nonprofit
organization.
K
We're
pledged
20%
about
hundred
thousand
for
all
100
of
these
schools,
but
we
need
help
we're
getting
help
where´s.
We
seek
sponsors
and
we've
been
getting
sponsors
fifty
percent,
so
we
bring
to
the
city
seventy
percent
of
a
hundred
thousand
already
a
very
scalable
number.
We
bring
it
to
the
city,
but
our
sponsors
need
to
know
that
the
city
has
some
stake
in
the
game.
We
won't
be
able
to
attract
our
sponsors
without
city.
K
Support
of
three
hundred
thousand
we've
come
to
seek
for
10
Fiesta
schoolyards
next
year
of
these
100
schools,
we're
figuring
ten
per
year
for
ten
years
to
do
them
all
the
first
year.
Is
this
upcoming
fiscal
year,
where
we
seek
three
hundred
thousand?
That's
thirty
thousand
per
Fiesta,
schoolyard
the
city's
30%
role
or
put
another
way
for
the
same
price.
The
city
would
be
lucky
to
get
one
playground
they'll
realize
ten
and
we'll
manage
the
process.
K
Eight
council
members
have
already
expressed
their
support
of
this
supplemental
funding.
Ask
my
thanks
primarily
councilmember
Helen
Ginn,
as
well
as
councilmember
Derek
green
here
earlier
and
councilmember
Brian
O'neill
Cheryl
Parker
marks
guerrilla
and
alt
album
broker
for
the
written
letters
of
support
delivered
to
council
president
Darrell
Clarke
of
our
three
hundred
thousand
dollar.
Ask
thank
you
also
to
councilmembers
Cindy
bass
and
Allen
dome
for
their
verbal
support
to
be
followed
by
written
support
as
well.
K
Fiesta
schoolyards
is
the
sort
of
initiative
PCC.
Why
supports
in
their
vision
of
supporting
healthy
children
in
the
neighborhoods
of
Philadelphia,
again
I'm
grateful
for
the
opportunity
to
speak.
So
please
I
appeal
to
the
City
Council
to
grant
Fiesta
schoolyards,
the
modest
300
thousand
that
will
unlock
an
additional
seven
hundred
thousand
and
outside
funds
and
transform
ten
bleak
and
empty
school
wastelands
into
fun
and
vibrant
Fiesta
school
yards
next
year.
This
body
can
make
it
happen,
let's
signal
to
the
children
of
Philadelphia
that
they
matter
after
all.
Thank
you.
A
I
Greetings,
my
name
is
Rebecca
Poirot
and
I'm.
The
parent
of
two
students
in
Philadelphia
public
schools.
They
graduated
from
Cooke,
was
a
hick
in
elementary
school
and
currently
attend.
Masterman
I
was
on
the
home
in
school,
school
Advisory
Council
and
the
president
of
the
green
committee
had
cook
Wissahickon
our
family
lives
in
the
fourth
council
district
and
I've
been
an
advocate
for
public
education
in
our
city.
I
For
the
past
eight
years
during
which
critical
services
were
slashed
and
many
needs
deferred,
those
cuts
had
multiple
effects,
and
one
of
them
was
that
we
were
all
pushed
dangerously
close
to
accepting
unacceptable
conditions.
I
believe
and
I
always
have
believed
in
public
schools
as
places
of
hope
and
possibility,
and
I've
testified
before
this
body
and
lobbied
Harrisburg
throughout
all
these
years.
On
the
importance
of
funding
for
the
adequate
numbers
of
teachers,
counselors
and
nurses,
and
our
public
schools
that
our
kids
need
and
deserve.
I
Keeping
our
schools
clean
and
in
a
basic
state
of
repair
must
be
a
focus
and
a
non-negotiable
priority
for
the
health
and
safety
of
the
children
who
attend
them
for
the
health
and
safety
of
the
teachers
and
staff
who
work
in
them
and
for
the
health
and
safety
of
the
communities
of
which
schools
are
apart.
Our
city
needs
schools
that
are
clean
and
in
good
repaired,
where
problems
that
arise
are
dealt
with
promptly
before
leaks
cause,
damage
or
mold.
I
For
example,
environmental
threats
such
as
mold
dust
rodents,
lead
and
asbestos
should
be
dealt
with
safely
and
promptly.
The
buildings
should
have
adequate
fresh
air
and
ventilation
and
a
temperature
that
is
neither
too
hot
nor
too
cold
the
city,
as
well
as
the
school
district,
is
responsible
for
maintaining
a
healthy
and
safe
physical
environment
inside
and
outside
school
buildings.
In
addition
to
addressing
emergency
physical
plant
issues,
which
are
critical,
the
school
district
also
needs
funds
dedicated
to
the
ongoing
work
of
keeping
schools
clean,
and
this
is
a
do.
I
They
need
funds
to
improve
maintenance
in
a
systematic
way,
including
preventative
repairs.
They
need
to
be
able
to
hire
a
sufficient
number
of
custodians
and
provide
the
support
and
equipment
necessary
for
their
work.
There
needs
to
be
a
system
of
garbage,
pickup
and
disposal
the
same
way.
We
need
it
for
the
city
by
the
way,
and
this
cannot
be
deferred
any
longer.
We
recognize
making
all
of
the
needed
improvements
to
modernize.
Our
schools
is
challenging,
but
keeping
them
clean,
fixing
things
like
exposed
piping
that
gets
hot
enough
to
burn
a
child.
I
None
of
that
should
be
a
challenge.
We
can't
address
dedicating
funds
and
training
staff
and
hiring
contractors
who
can
fix
paint
without
exposing
kids
to
lead
dust
that
shouldn't
be
that
hard.
That
also
needs
that
the
district
needs
improved
information
about
the
basic
issues
at
each
school
and
there
should
be
an
assessment
of
each
school
that
looks
at
lead.
Asbestos
exposed
to
hazardous
maintenance
issues,
including
exposed
hot
air
piping,
leaks,
clogs
and
cleaning
capacity
and
success
in
the
building.
I
There
should
be
an
annual
update
about
the
basics,
cleanliness,
the
basic
state
of
repair
in
actions
that
have
been
taken
and
ongoing
needs,
collecting,
comprehensive
facilities.
Information
is
a
critical
goal
which
will
take
some
time.
However,
the
district
should
start
now
by
having
principals
and
building
engineers
complete
preliminary
site
assessments.
While
they
might
not
be
able
to
identify
lead
dust,
they
can
identify
appealing,
paint
and
paint
dust
or
deteriorated
pipe
insulation,
which
would
then
provide
the
district.
I
The
information
it
needs
to
do
further
evaluation,
and
there
needs
to
be
a
parent
staff
and
community
engagement
district-wide
and
at
the
school
level
there
should
be
a
stakeholder
Task
Force
on
facility
issues
that
models
the
lead
task
force,
and
it
should
include
independent
experts
and
professionals,
including
academic
experts,
experts,
not
just
experts
for
hire
and
parents,
teachers
and
community
members
again.
I
know
our
schools
have
many
challenging
issues
which
require
resources,
but
this
one
is
also
critical
for
our
city's
health
and
well-being,
and
it's
doable.
I
I
Good
afternoon
my
name
is
eileen
duffey
I'm,
a
24-year
veteran
school
nurse
from
the
Academy
at
Palumbo
I'm,
a
lifelong
Philadelphian
I
live
in
East
Oakland
in
the
ninth
council,
Matic
District
today,
I
come
to
speak
on
behalf
of
the
certified
school
nurses
of
the
district.
We
nurses
have
attained
the
respect
of
our
community
with
regard
to
advocating
tirelessly
for
full-time
nurses
in
our
schools.
I
We
recently
spoke
to
the
Inquirer
passionately,
sharing
our
professional
expertise
with
regard
to
immunization
compliance
in
the
district,
and
so
it
is
no
surprise
that
we
want
to
weigh
in
with
our
support
for
the
additional
needs
in
the
upcoming
school
budget.
We
take
this
moment
to
speak
on
behalf
of
next
year's
budget
and
to
imagine
more
more
than
the
status
quo,
knowing
full
well
that
the
gains
were
imagining
today
are
minimal
expectations
in
school
districts,
rights
out
right
outside
of
our
city.
I
Imagine
if
our
counseling
and
mental
health
supports
were
so
robust
that
nurses
could
collaborate
seamlessly
with
no
delay
to
support
students
with
mental
health
issues.
At
present,
schools
do
not
have
the
two
hundred
fifty
to
one
student
to
counselor
ratio
recommended
by
the
counselors
professional
organization,
and
while
the
nurses
are
happy
to
be
full-time
in
every
school,
we
still
have
some
large
schools
which
are
managing
with
a
student
to
nurse
ratio.
Far
above
the
750
to
one
ratio
were
recommended
by
the
National
Association
of
school
nurses.
I
Imagine
if
our
schools
were
modernized
with
air
conditioning
and
temperature
that
supported
learning.
If
asthmatic
students,
health
conditions,
weren't
worsened
by
the
settings
in
which
they
learned
imagine
if
learning
did
not
cease
to
cease
due
to
buildings
that
are
too
hot
for
teaching
and
learning
to
happen.
I
Imagine
if
nurses
could
reach
out
to
an
in-house
trusted
community
liaison
to
help
us
educate
our
families,
about
the
current
nationwide
immunization
crisis
and
to
support
them
in
getting
timely,
mandated
vaccines.
We
school
nurses
are
United
and
vocal
in
our
advocacy
of
a
budget
that
prioritizes
the
health
and
well-being
of
all
our
students
in
each
and
every
school
and
I.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
speak
today.
Thank
you
so
much
thank.
A
R
R
I
have
two
currently
in
the
public
school
system,
one
with
Edward,
T,
steel
and
other
one
is
that
science
Leadership
Academy
at
Bieber,
so
I
rolled
out
my
speech,
the
health
of
our
schools
should
be
paramount,
not
only
the
physical
health
of
our
school
buildings,
but
their
mental
and
emotional
health
of
our
children.
We
need
a
budget
agenda
that
prioritizes
the
health
of
our
school
community.
Our
children
face
trauma
at
alarming
rate.
Gun
violence
is
plaguing
our
streets
and
our
children
are
suffering
in
the
aftermath.
R
The
district
just
made
a
huge
investment
in
surveillance
equipment,
metal
detectors
for
three
schools.
However,
there
are
only
one
counselor
for
every
392
students,
while
the
Americans
counselor
Association
recommends
250
to
1
ratio.
It
is
imperative
that
the
investments
in
our
schools
include
professional
support
staff.
That
is
able
that
is
available
daily
to
help
our
children
navigate,
trauma,
emotions
and
feelings
that
they
may
not
be
able
to
verbalize.
We
need
help
to
keep
our
children
safe
by
improving
the
quality
of
education,
providing
appropriate
resources
and
assessing
the
overall
school
Richard's.
R
Charmin
for
education,
culturally
competent
curriculum,
restorative
practices
or
sound
investments
that
have
been
proven
to
improve
school
climate
and
support
healthy
school
communities.
The
foundation
of
the
school
community
is
strengthened,
with
strong
parent
leadership,
professional
support
staff
and
consistent
exorcists
to
resources
to
help
our
children
succeed.
We
have
seen
positive
effects
of
this
with
friends
of
groups.
Houma
School's
associations,
PTAs,
but
primarily
in
more
affluent
areas
of
the
city.
As
a
parent
leader,
I
saw
firsthand
how
my
daily
investment
in
my
schools,
assisting
the
counselor
and
climate
staff
was
crucial.
R
I
spent
time
talking
to
parents
about
shaughnessy
issue
discipline
policy
and
how
to
access
necessary
support
needed
it
for
services.
After
following
volunteering,
6
20
plus
hours
per
week
as
a
school
counselor
liaison
small
group
therapist
for
two
years,
I
had
to
return
to
full-time
work
like
most
families
in
Philadelphia.
Their
ability
to
commit
this
number
of
unpaid
hours
into
the
school
and
maintain
a
household
is
impossible.
R
R
I
have
had
conversations
about
pathways
out
of
poverty
with
union
leaders
and
city
administration.
The
ultimate
goal
is
to
improve
the
success
of
students,
and
the
best
way
to
do
so
is
by
supporting
the
entire
family,
providing
well-paying
Union
jobs
to
community
members
as
a
means
to
build
a
bridge
between
schools
and
the
community
could
not
only
enhance
the
quality
of
the
relationships
between
the
schools
and
the
community,
but
it
uncle.
R
It
can
also
serve
as
a
bridge
between
the
community
and
broader
massive
municipal
services,
including
law
enforcement
as
a
public
school
parent
in
a
community
leader,
an
investment
in
our
schools
must
include
a
community
contact,
connector
position,
an
evaluation
of
the
needs
and
an
identification
of
the
priorities
of
services
and
supports
to
strengthen
Philadelphia
schools
and
I
also
want
to
add
that
I
have
been
that
community
connector.
You
know,
through
my
advocacy,
I,
have
been
the
one
we
had
gun
violence
I
think
it
was
May
6.
R
It
was
a
shooting
on
Germantown
Avenue
at
a
community
cleanup.
It
was
a
Saturday
by
Sunday
morning,
I
Texts
be
coach,
who's,
our
assistant
superintendent
and
acts
for
support,
and
we
need
emergency
services
for
our
kids
on
Monday,
because
kids
were
outside
cleaning
and
they
actually
saw
someone
murdered
that
day.
We
could
not
get
the
building
opened
and
this
meeting
set
up
until
Thursday.
This
meeting
was
formulated
and
planned
by
parents,
myself,
Nicky
Bagby
and
Eric
Marsh.
R
We
worked
really
hard
with
the
district
to
make
this
happen,
but
we
all
work
full
times
jobs
and
we
prioritize
and
it
wasn't
the
school
that
prioritize
it.
So
we
need
to
make
sure
we
have
people
in
position
to
do
that.
Both
myself
Nicky
berry
and
Eric
Mars
worked
in
that
position
voluntarily
for
years.
R
I
have
kids
that
have
been
in
Philadelphia
public
schools
for
20
years
and
so
does
Nicky
Bagley
and
Eric,
and
we
have
invested
our
life
in
the
supporting
our
schools,
but
we
also
need
to
support
our
families
and
we're
not
the
only
parents
like
there.
There
are
parents
around
the
district
that
would
love
to
support
our
schools,
but
financially.
We
cannot
feed
our
families
and
invest
that
commitment.
Every
day,
so
this
is
something
that's
like
crucial
to
all
of
these
service
that
we're
asking
for.
R
We
tried
to
get
a
park
in
our
school
like
the
woman
spoke
earlier,
and
we
got
so
many
roadblocks
because
just
accessing
the
Muraki
see
with
the
school
district
as
a
parent.
Without
it
title,
you
know
it
was
really
hard.
So
this
is
something
definitely
we
need
to
continue
to
push
for,
because
I
know
for
a
fact,
many
parents
in
my
community
in
North
Philadelphia,
West,
Philadelphia
and
Southwest
Philadelphia.
R
A
A
C
O
Thank
you
so
much
for
this
opportunity
to
address
City
Council
today
regarding
important
opportunities
that
we
have
to
improve
schools
and
to
provide
more
equitable
opportunities
for
all
of
our
children.
My
name
is
Maura
McInerney
and
I'm,
the
legal
director
at
the
education,
Law
Center.
That's
a
statewide
legal
organization
dedicated
to
ensuring
that
all
children
have
a
quality
education.
O
We
focus
on
the
most
educationally
at-risk
students,
students
with
disabilities,
students
who
are
English
language
learners,
students
of
colors
students
living
in
poverty
and
over
our
45
year,
history
we
handle
approximately
1200
calls
a
year
from
parents
and
from
students.
So
my
testimony
today
stems
from
the
education,
Law
Center's
experiences
in
handling
these
cases,
both
at
an
individual
and
system
level.
We
need
critical
investments
in
our
schools
to
ensure
the
safety
of
all
of
our
students,
the
health
of
all
of
our
students
to
promote
student
learning
and
to
improve
school
climate.
O
School
counselors,
as
we
all
know,
play
a
critical
role
in
supporting
students
and
communities.
Currently,
as
we've
heard,
the
district
employees
322
counselors
to
serve
approximately
127
thousand
students.
Caseloads
distribution
is
vastly
different,
leaving
some
counselors
serving
as
many
as
949
students
and,
in
many
cases,
students
with
the
greatest
needs.
Those
in
the
highest
poverty
areas
with
significant
levels
of
trauma
and
other
mental
health
needs
receive
the
least
resources
and
the
least
health.
The
ratio
must
change
to
250
to
one
has
been
discussed.
O
The
district
also
needs
to
make
a
significant
investment
in
other
ways
to
improve
our
school
climate,
including
addressing
bullying
and
harassment,
which
has
become
more
prevalent
in
our
schools
across
the
district
in
recent
years.
This
is
illustrated
by
a
federal
administrative
complaint
filed
by
the
education
Law
Center
in
2017,
which
alleged
a
systemic
failure
by
the
district
to
promptly
and
appropriately
address
pervasive
and
severe
bullying
of
students
with
disabilities.
O
The
United
States
Department
Office
of
Civil
Rights,
opened
an
investigation
and
recently
released
a
resolution
agreement
with
the
district
which
acknowledges
violations
of
federal
disability
rights
laws
and
directs
the
district
to
reform
its
policies
and
practices.
Funding
is
needed
for
evidence-based
bullying
prevention
strategies
and
interventions
for
training
of
teachers
and
staff
to
recognize
the
signs
of
bullying
to
conduct
an
event
and
effective
bullying
investigation
and
to
provide
students,
the
supports
and
services
they
need,
including
engaging
in
district-wide
data
collection
and
analysis.
O
Other
investments
to
improve
school
climate
include
supporting
trauma-informed
learning,
racial
bias,
training
for
staff
and
administrators
and
school-wide
positive
behavioral
supports.
And
finally,
we
ask
that
the
district
should
invest
in
providing
targeted
support
for
at-risk
student
populations,
including
the
unique
and
significant
needs
of
pregnant
and
parenting
students
in
the
district,
which
currently
account
for
30%
of
dropouts.
O
Overall,
as
many
as
70%
of
teen,
mothers
in
Philadelphia
drop
out
of
high
school
students
who
are
pregnant
and
parenting
are
more
likely
to
repeat
a
grade
more
likely
to
exhibit
lower
performance
on
standardized
tests
and
to
disengage
in
school.
We
have
engaged
in
a
two-year
study
at
the
education
law
center
and
we
have
learned
that
students
are
often
out
of
school
for
four
to
six
weeks
following
the
birth
of
a
child
and
typically
during
that
time,
they
receive
absolutely
no
academic
instruction
and
do
not
connect
to
teachers.
O
They
are
not
eligible
to
apply
for
homebound
instruction
until
30
days
of
being
out
of
school.
Funding
is
needed
to
ensure
that
these
students
receive
the
academic
support
they
desperately
need,
while
out
of
school
and
transition,
support
upon
re-entry
to
school,
to
make
decisions
about
school
placement
so
that
they
are
not
diverted
to
accelerated
programs.
They
also
need
to
receive
accommodations
in
school
to
breastfeed
upon
returning
to
school,
as
well
as
access
to
child
care.
Providing
these
critical
investments
will
change
the
lives
of
two
generations
of
children.
O
The
children
born
to
teen
mothers
lag
behind
their
peers
academically.
They
are
their
score
lower
on
standardized
tests.
They
are
far
more
likely
to
drop
out
and
research
indicates
that
they
are
nine
times
more
likely
to
be
poor
and
on
wealth
there.
We
urge
City
Council
to
ask
how
the
current
district
budget
will
support
these
students
and
will
address
the
school
climate
issues.
O
We
also
strongly
support
the
Healthy
Schools
agenda
to
ensure
that
we
have
more
school,
counselors
access
to
mental
health
and
wellness
resources
in
our
schools,
that
we
are
building
bridges
to
parents
and
to
our
communities,
and
that
we
ensure
that
all
of
our
facilities
in
all
of
our
schools
are
healthy
environments
for
our
children
and
for
our
teachers.
Thank
you
for
this
opportunity
to
address
these
important
issues.
A
Thank
you.
Thank
you
very
much
in
this
panel,
a
couple
of
quick
things:
I
want
to
reiterate:
Thank
You,
Elaine
Lindy
and
to
your
family,
for
your
investments
around
our
public
school
playgrounds,
they're,
so
important
and
I've
been
to
a
couple
of
openings
of
them
and
they're
joyful
and
you
know
play
is
part
of
childhood
development.
So
it's
really
essential
and
then
Eileen,
you
know
I
know
you
were
mentioning
that
you
feel.
Like
the
you
know,
we
worked
hard
to
get
a
nurse
in
every
single
public
school
and
that
assignment
had
not
existed
before.
A
I
Are
some
schools
I'm
in
a
good
position
in
my
school,
but
I
am
in
a
special
admission?
School
I
have
a
little
over
a
thousand
students
so
that
doesn't
meet
the
nursing,
National
Association
of
school
nurses.
However,
the
quality
of
my
school,
it's
a
special
admission,
school
I
can
manage
and
I'm
a
veteran
nurse
a
school
such
as
Lincoln,
High
School
that
might
have
12
or
13
hundred
students.
I
They
have
a
two-day
additional
nurse,
so
we
have
a
full-time
nurse
and
two
days
additional
you're
still
with
three
days
of
a
nurse
covering
really
a
comprehensive
neighborhood
schools
that
has
high
needs.
So
a
school
like
that
is
a
school
that
really
needs
more
than
we
have
allocated
than
that.
And
it's
not
a
lot
of
schools.
I
could
get
you
more
details,
but
that's
what
I
was
referencing.
A
A
lot,
thank
you,
thank
you
and
Kendra.
Thank
you
so
much
for
you,
Eric
and
Nikki
just
stepping
forward
in
that
terrible
moment
at
Steel.
It's
a
reminder,
though,
that
we
really
have
not
figured
out
a
way
to
have
a
coordinated
policy,
because
it
is
shocking.
It
happened
right
near
school
grounds
during
the
community
cleanup
and
to
not
have
a
matching
program
in
the
school.
Immediately
is
alarming
to
me,
and
it's
something
that
we've
been
kind
of
talking
about.
A
So
I
think
it
would
be
important
for
us
to
figure
out
what
that
looks
like
and
to
have
better
conversations
about
that.
It
would
also
be
really
helpful
if
you
maybe
wrote
up
a
little
bit,
especially
if
you
had
recommendations.
If
you
err
Akande
Nikki
could
do
that
and
then
we
could
submit
it
back
to
the
Committee
on
Public,
Safety
and
gun
violence
in
particular,
because
we
had
this
exact
discussion
with
our
Police
Department
and
what
their
plans
are,
and
we
need
to
do
that
with
the
school
district.
So,
thank
you
and
then
for
more.
A
You
know
we
really
do
need
to
follow
up,
but
you
are
telling
me
that,
if
a
child,
if
a
student
in
a
public
school
has
has
a
child
there's
effectively
like
no
maternity
plan
or
no
maternity
care
plan
that
goes
into
effect
on
the
school
district,
there's
no
policy
that
exists,
there's
no
like
healthcare
rights
or
there's
no
educate
like
they're,
not
immediately
engaged
in
a
cyber
school
or
something
or
home
education.
So.
O
What
the
first
lucy
currently
states,
which
was
recently
updated
in
april
actually
of
last
year,
was
that
they
need
to
apply
for
homebound
instruction,
which
they
will
only
be
eligible
for,
if
they've
been
out
for
30
days
and
can
demonstrate
that
they
must
remain
at
home
pursuant
to
a
doctor's
order,
and
the
fact
is
that
the
majority
of
students
who
have
children
are
out
of
school
for
two
six
weeks
and
some
of
them
more,
so
they
fall
drastically
behind.
In
addition,
many
youth
underscored
the
fact
that
they
don't
have
any
connection
to
school.
O
O
A
O
C
Well,
when,
when
young
young,
when
young
mothers
have
their
children
in
school,
how
do
they
work
out?
Who
takes
care
of
children
I've
been
by
some
and
seeing
children
all
over
the
place
and
crying,
and
not
really
not
really,
people
taking
care
of
them?
They
kind
of
like
an
out
of
order,
classroom
who
determines
who
watches
the
children
when
children
are
in
a
child
classroom?
How
does
that
work.
O
So
in
many
cases
they
they're
they
apply
for
childcare
subsidies
that
there
that
are
available,
but
very,
very
difficult
actually
to
navigate
that
entire
system.
So,
in
terms
of
who's
taking
care
of
the
of
the
children,
it
would
be
a
case-by-case
basis
there.
Some
will
have
supportive
families
and
there
are
some
children
who
do
not
have
that
support
I
mean.
O
O
A
O
A
O
Yeah,
so
that
we're
clear
the
argument
on
the
district
side
would
be
that
they
apply.
This
is
the
same
homebound
policy
uniformly
across
the
district,
so
in
order
to
qualify
for
homebound,
which
is
essentially
saying
that
you
have
an
excused
absence,
you
have
to
get
a
doctor's
note
to
support
that
etc.
Well,.
A
I
know
that
counsel,
one
I
think
I
can
speak
for
both
of
us
and
I'm
sure
there'll
be
other
members.
The
City
Council,
who
would
like
to
meet
with
you
more
clearly
so
that
we
can
formulate
a
better
policy
and
then
go
back
to
the
school
district
and
make
sure
that
we
clarify
theirs.
Because
that's
a
very
big
concern
for
all
of
us
and.
O
A
M
S
S
So
my
name
is
Alexis:
Hirst
I
have
been
a
Philadelphia
resident.
My
entire
life
I
have
been
through
the
Philadelphia
public
school
system.
Also,
my
entire
life
and
I
am
also
a
student
at
Temple,
University
and
we'll
see
in
a
few
years.
Maybe
this
one
will
also
be
in
the
public
school
system.
I
have
second
tried
to
listen
as
much
as
possible
with
this
one,
but
I
have
also
looked
at
and
listened
to
a
lot
of
you.
S
S
I
do
know
that
that's
not
frequent
around
Philadelphia,
so
that
is
something
that
would
probably
could
be
in
the
works
within
a
few
years,
because
it
is
important
to
get
these
students
back
into
the
school
and
not
let
having
a
child
deter
them
from
being
a
better
person
or-
and
you
know,
educating
themselves
further
and
to
elaborate
more
on
the
cultural
competence.
I
myself
have
seen
a
lot
of
teachers
coming
in
and
out
of
schools
and
partly
it's
because
they
don't
understand
how
to
effectively
work
with
their
students.
S
So
it
becomes
an
issue
of
criminalizing
them,
sexualizing
them
putting
them
in
this
box
where
they
can't
learn
and
I
feel
like
that's
such
a
problem,
and
it's
going
to
continue
to
be
a
problem
with
the
Philadelphia
students
because,
like
someone
said,
why
bother
when
they
go
to
their
schools
and
they
see
that
they're
not
being
treated
the
same?
They
see
that
their
schools
aren't
adequate
compared
to
suburban
schools.
They
see
that
they're
being
criminalizing
their
teachers
or
may
or
may
not
be
able
to
help
them
or
have
the
resources
necessary
to
help
them.
S
So
I
think
you
know
by
having
that
conversation
of
what
can
we
do
to
help
the
students
in
their
exact
areas,
because
not
all
students
are
the
same?
Not
all
schools
are
the
same,
and
not
all
areas
in
the
Philadelphia
are
the
same,
so
everyone
has
different
needs
and
needs.
I'm
sorry
needs
and
that
needs
to
be
met
from
you
know
different
aspects.
So
someone
brought
up
the
idea
of
having
a
community
liaison
that
talks
to
you,
guys,
I
think
that
there
needs
to
definitely
be
more
than
one
that
way.
S
A
Q
You
every
now
yeah
okay,
my
name
is
Johnny
Eklund
I'm,
a
junior
at
the
Philadelphia
High
School
for
Girls
and
I'm,
just
to
testify
about
my
experience
as
a
student
in
the
Philadelphia
School
District.
So
just
last
week
my
teacher
said
to
my
class.
If
you
want
my
practice
for
your
exams,
bring
a
pack
of
papers,
so
I
can
print
it
out
and
when
she
said
this
I
became
very
puzzled
because
as
a
school,
it
is
a
given
that
we
need
paper
and
it's
also
a
given
as
a
class
of
international
baccalaureate
students.
Q
We
would
want
to
prep.
We
would
want
more
practice
for
an
exam
that
not
only
determines
whether
we
actually
retain
the
material
or
not,
but
also
whether
we
receive
college
credit
which
could
potentially
cut
down
the
cost
of
our
tuition
in
the
future.
It
is
to
my
understanding
that
our
schools
receive
thirty
thousand
dollars
to
cover
the
cost
of
materials
throughout
the
school
year,
but
it
is
clearly
not
enough
if
our
teachers
have
to
resort
to
asking
the
students
for
packs
of
paper
and
Expo
markers.
Q
In
addition
to
this
every
day,
I
walk
into
bathrooms
that
lacked
toilet
paper
paper,
towels
and
hand
soap,
as
well
as
classrooms
that
like
tissue
and
hand
sanitizer,
which
are
the
necessities
of
a
building
it
should
be.
It
should
not
be
the
obligation
of
the
students
to
maintain
a
healthy
and
safe
environment.
I
act,
I
act,
I
appreciate
your
time
and
thank
you.
A
Q
Hi,
my
name
is
Katherine
Ramos,
I'm,
12
and
I
go
to
Ben
Franklin
Elementary
I
am
really
lucky
that
my
school
has
so
many
cool
things.
There's
clubs
you
can
join
like
Girl
Scouts,
the
skitty,
the
City
Year
people
that
help
out
in
class
rooms
are
nice
and
some
of
them
even
stay
after
school
to
help
with
clubs
too,
there's
safety
patrol
in
student
government
and
peer
mediation
programs
that
help
students
help
each
other
out.
Q
Well.
In
all
honesty,
my
school
had
all
those
things
six
years
ago,
when
my
sister
used
to
go
there.
Now
it's
hard
to
believe
we're
talking
about
the
same
school
in
my
Franklin.
The
only
after-school
clubs
available
are
three
sports.
We
don't
have
city
year
anymore,
we're
not
taught
how
to
help
others
communicate
and
in
the
process
taught
how
to
communicate
better
ourselves.
Q
My
sister
has
a
luxury
of
having
the
same
teachers
year
after
year
when
school
started
less
August
three
new
faces
replaced
ones
that
had
been
in
Franklin,
since,
even
before
my
sister
in
my
Franklin
students
throw
breakfast
at
each
other
and
sometimes
even
at
the
teachers.
There
are
never
consequences
because
of
the
lack
of
trust.
Sometimes
my
teacher
doesn't
even
let
us
have
breakfast
in
my
Franklin,
the
ceilings,
chip
and
the
heating
is
always
on
on
the
older
part
of
the
building
on
the
really
hot
days.
Everything
is
sticky.
Q
Actually
she
said
you
guys
need
to
bring
me
a
pack
of
paper,
so
I
can
print
it
out
and
you
guys
can
have
like
a
physical
copy
in
front
of
you
and
it
was
kind
of
like
it
was
confusing
to
me,
because
this
test
is
like
it's
very
important
for
for
all
of
the
IB
students,
and
so
just
the
fact
that
you're
making
the
students
feel
obligated
to
buy
school
supplies.
It's
just
not
fair,
but
it's
understandable
because
our
schools
aren't
getting
enough
funding
to
actually
buy
supplies
year-round.
So
alright.
A
Thank
you
very
much
and
we
will
for
sure
follow
up
and
then
to
the
young
lady
from
then
Franklin
I
saw
you
earlier.
Thank
you
so
much
for
testifying,
I
really
appreciate
it,
and
you
know
one
of
the
things
that
we're
trying
to
do
is
get
these
things
get
get.
Some
of
these
questions
asked
about
what's
happening
at
your
school.
What
I
would
like
to
do
is
try
to
follow
up
tomorrow,
with
your
just
make.
A
couple
of
phone
calls
make
sure
your
school
is
at
Ben.
Franklin
Elementary.
Is
that
right?
A
Do
you
remember
the
address
of
where
it
is?
If
you
don't,
we
can
find
it.
That's
okay,
we'll
find
it
I
want
to
thank
you
at
age
12
to
come
forward
and
talk
about
what's
happening
in
your
school
and
talk
of
how
your
sister
and
your
family
members
had
a
certain
kind
of
education,
and
what
you
expect
and
demand
is
what
you
deserve
and
we're
gonna
work
our
best
and
if
we
don't
we're
gonna
make
sure
we
find
you
something
that
you
you
need.
A
A
So
we
first
of
all
I
want
to
thank
everybody
and
especially
to
our
unite
folks
who
are
here
today.
You
have
to
close
up
arts
our
stenographer,
so
we're
gonna
ask
if
we
could
either
have
one
person
from
an
organization
or
family
speak,
and
then
we
will
make
sure
that
we
collect
your
testimony.
We
are
gonna,
be
working
very
closely
with
you
to
be
able
to
share
that,
but
if
just
one
person
could
represent,
that
would
be
very
helpful.
Yes
ma'am!
Please
thank
you
very
much
for
being
here
and
thank
patiently
the
invite.
R
Good
afternoon
City
Council,
my
name
is
Linda
Todd
I
am
a
school
district.
Employee
and
I
have
been
with
the
district
for
11
years
and
apparently
I
love.
What
I
do
every
day
at
my
school,
someone
is
calling
me
mom
I,
be
call
grandmom
and
I
love.
What
I
do,
and
even
at
68
years
old
I
am
still
working
every
day
with
my
children
at
my
school
I,
just
refused
to
retire.
I.
Just
refused
to
my
position
is
food
and
climate
staff.
My
wages
every
two
weeks
is
like
421
dollars
and
some
change.
R
My
mortgage
alone
is
781
dollars.
They
don't
include
the
gas
electric,
the
water
and
whatever
else
I
have
to
pay.
But
what
I'm
asking
is
I
believe
that
we
should
have
fair
wages
for
Fair,
Work
and
I'm,
saying
the
job
that
I
do
the
money.
Don't
add
up
for
the
work
that
I
do
and
I
am
a
student
climate
staff
and
I
am
the
one
to
be
with
the
children.
Q
R
At
Frankfort
high
school
and
I'm
a
student
climate
staff
worker,
now
it's
funny
that
I'll
go
to
work
at
7:30
I'm
done
at
12:30,
I
work
five
hours
a
day,
but
the
kids
are
doing
what
seven
hours
I
think
seven
a
day
and
I
don't
understand
how
come
that
we
have
such
short
hours
when
we
needed
to
be
there
for
as
long
as
those
kids
are
there,
so
I'm
excellent
City
Council
that
I
believe
that
we
should
have
real
union
workers.
First
of
all,
you
know
the
all-union
and
I
believe
because
we
are
Union.
R
We
should
have
fair
wages
like
everybody
else,
and
it's
sad
when
you
got
people
working
for
the
Philadelphia
School
District,
that's
actually
getting
food
stamps
medical
assistance,
and
none
of
that
should
be
happening
because
if
you
a
school
district
employee,
our
wages
should
be
enough
for
us
to
take
care
of
our
families,
put
food
on
our
table
and
be
able
to
buy
our
kids
the
necessary
things
that
we
need
and
what
I'm
excellent
is.
When
you
guys
do
the
budget
I
hope
y'all
take
into
consideration
that
we
need
money
just
like
everybody
else.
Do
I.
R
A
P
A
A
S
S
That
concerned
me
when
she
talked
I
thought
she
said
about
a
10-year
contract
and
I
said
laughs
after
month,
when
I'm
in
the
country
or
in
the
city,
at
the
school
board
meeting
as
most
people
know
and
I'm
constantly
talking
about
the
contracts
and
have
been
talking
about
it
for
years
we
keep
talking
about
what
the
school
system
should
be
doing
and
another
concern
of
mine
contracts
one
but
to
educate
our
children.
We
talked
about
the
concern
for
so
many
things,
but
if
our
children
were
being
educated,
many
of
them
wouldn't
be
committing
crimes.
S
When
you
talk
about
that
I'm
thinking
in
terms
of
spaces
that
I've
been
creating
over
the
years
in
this
school
district.
Having
been
involved
over
30
years
now,
I've
created
repeated
repeatedly
spaces
where
community
and
schools
can
come
together
only
to
be
to
deal
with
was
what
God
told
me,
as
I
asked
for
words
to
use
Road
blockers,
gatekeepers
opportunists
and
neutralizers
I
created
a
space
most
recently
at
Penrose
school
and
for
the
most
part,
people
on
things
that
think
going
pretty
well.
S
However,
people
in
the
district
have
not
learned
how
to
work,
and
this
is
no
stinking
stigma
to
attach
to
the
principle
because
she's
a
good
principal.
However,
people
really
don't
know
how
to
work
when
it
comes
to
parent
engagement,
parent
involvement
and
so
while
you're
asking
or
this
resolution
I'm
not
sure
where
we
are
with
the
resolution.
If
it
was
passed.
S
But
there
are
several
concerns
that
I
have
so
I
would
love
to
sit
and
talk
to
you
about
them
because
go
ahead,
but
you're
gonna
say
something:
okay,
I
would
love
to
sit
and
talk
to
the
Education
Committee
about
the
concerns
that
I
have
for
what
you're
talking
about.
We've
had
models
of
Community
Schools
for
many
years
in
our
community,
and
so
when
it
was
recently
talked
about
and
I'm,
not
sure
if
it
was
two
three
years
ago,
but
I
remember
when
people
were
talking
about
community
schools
as
if
it
was
something
new.
S
S
This
was
called,
and
you
know
I'm
sure
you
know
about
panic
spending
at
the
end
of
the
year
when
money
is
about
to
go
back
everybody's
buying,
something
that
something
is
usually
books
that
sit
in
closets
for
years
after
it's
paid
for
a
year
after
year,
I'm
not
going
to
talk
any
longer.
I'm
gonna
say:
let's
get
to
the
business
of
educating
children
again
you
so.
C
A
S
I
A
I
S
Name:
husana
I'm,
just
a
metal
chair
from
Philadelphia
as
well
make
it
look,
y'all
hear
the
story
about
how
children
and
GHS
without
being
separated
on
these
neatly
separated.
But
indeed,
yes,
let's
know
vehicle
to
help
me
echo,
go
public
awareness
of
children,
being
you
know,
being
separated
by
their
families.
I'm
trying
to
get
a
that's
all
got
to
say:
most
evolve,
most
ughs,
yes,
I.
S
Because
y'all
help
me
get
the
children
of
wrongly
injured
in
ditches,
be
compensated.
L
don't
have
a
lawyer
to
represent
them
for
reunification,
because
someone
being
separated
by
the
course
needlessly
that
until
friend
of
mine,
I
hope
three
lady
said
it
does
we
had
a
young
agent
DHS?
That's
not
young,
get
counsel
of
the
past
Laura
and
maybe
enhance
forever
so
elsewhere.
Together,
the
regional
families
on
compensate
the
families
and
DHS
who
were
injured
in
DHS
cuz
children
been
injured.
Indigenous
was
here
to
make
awareness
of
that
and
make
awareness
of
child
abuse
as
well.
S
A
S
Evening
my
name
is
LaToya
Dix
clay,
my
daughter.
She
goes
to
BB
comedy's,
Elementary,
School,
5100,
Greenway,
Avenue,
so
I'm
speaking
today
as
a
concern
of
mother.
My
concern
is
that
elementary
schools
are
not
safe.
Metal
detectors
need
to
be
installed
to
keep
not
only
school
children
protected,
but
the
school
staff.
It
is
too
easy
for
a
firearm
to
find
its
way
into
an
elementary
school
on
February
22nd
Friday
afternoon
I
received
a
call
from
my
husband.
He
was
on
his
way
to
pick
up
our
daughter
from
school.
S
He
told
me
the
school
had
a
lockdown
and
they
were
not
letting
anyone
get
their
children.
He
told
me
that
the
police
were
there
with
their
dogs
going
in
and
around
the
school.
He
also
said
that
some
parents
were
saying
that
someone
was
in
the
school,
with
a
gun,
I
suddenly
felt
sick
to
my
stomach
and
my
heart
sank.
My
worst
fear
became
my
reality.
S
I
was
going
through
a
real-life
nightmare
that
no
parents
you
have
to
go
through
I
work
in
North
Philadelphia
and
my
daughter
attends
school
in
South,
West,
Philadelphia,
I,
write
septa
and
on
that
particular
day,
septa
was
running
slow.
My
heart
was
pounding
and
I
was
trying
not
to
cry
on
the
way
to
my
daughter's
school
I
was
praying
all
the
way
there
that
the
Lord
keep
my
daughter
safe.
My
nine-year-old
daughter,
I
kept
thinking
about
the
other
schools
across
the
country.
S
They
have
had
school
shootings,
Sandy
Hook
elementary
school
jumped
into
my
head
and
then
made
me
panic
even
more
by
the
time
I
got
to
the
school.
The
lockdown
was
over.
I
was
able
to
talk
to
the
principal.
She
told
me
that
there
wasn't
a
gun.
I
went
home
hug,
my
daughter,
tight
and
I
cried,
my
daughter
said:
don't
cry,
mom
I
was
brave,
and
that
made
me
cry
even
more.
My
concern
is
that
it
could
have
been
a
whole
lot
worse.
S
It's
only
one
step
away
from
the
school
shootings
that
have
been
happening
across
the
country.
I
will
continue
to
have
that
uneasiness
of
sending
my
child
to
school
until
something
is
done.
We
cannot
wait
until
after
the
fact
to
then
do
something.
Let's
do
something
now
before
it
is
too
late.
In
conclusion,
it
is
imperative
that
we
solidify
our
children's
safety,
first
and
foremost
above
all
else,
and
just
past
April.
S
They
just
went
past
eleven-year-old
at
my
daughter's
school
committed
suicide
I
was
talking
to
the
school
liaison
with
another
parent
and
it
turned
out
that
he
was
being
bullied
because
he
was
overweight,
had
a
little
little
brother
that
went
to
that
school
and
he
was
trying
to
defend
his
brother
and
they
were
picking
on
him,
and
my
thing
is
what,
if
he
was
different
type
of
boy
and
he
was
able
to
get
a
hand
on
a
firearm
and
he
just
had
to
come
in
and
take
out
whoever
was
bullying
him.
Thank
you.
First.
A
Of
all,
thank
you
so
much
for
coming
in
today,
I
really
appreciate
it.
Comedy's
has
been
on
both
myself
and
the
councilwoman's.
You
know
a
radar
for
awhile
we've
had
a
lot
of
Appeals
for
help
from
comedy's
parents.
You
know
we
are
gonna,
bring
this
up
with
the
school
district
when
they
come
in
next
week.
I'd
love
to
get
your
testimony
on
the
record.
A
If
you
have
something
written
that
you
feel
comfortable,
giving
to
us,
we'd
like
to
pass
it
along
to
the
school
district,
because
we
really
do
need
them
to
address
what
G
said,
which
is
like
there's,
absolutely
no
school.
That
starts
without
knowing
that
the
safety
of
each
and
every
child.
There
is
the
number-one
priority.
If
you
don't
start
with
learning,
you
don't
start
with
dance
arts,
music,
whatever
they
say
it's
all
hollow.
If
children
don't
feel
safe
and
if
parents
don't
feel
secure
that
their
children
are
safe.
A
We
actually
need
to
do
it
through
loving
attention
to
kids
needs,
especially
when
they're
being
bullied
in
her
ass,
like
that
young
man
was-
and
you
know
it
breaks
our
heart
to
know
that
that
at
age
11
that
that
happened,
it's
terrible-
and
you
know
I
just
want
to
say
thank
you
for
not
letting
us
be
allowed
to
forget
comedies,
because
it's
important
to
all
of
us
here.
Thank.
C
E
Afternoon,
City
Council,
my
name
is
Carly
King
and
I'm
a
resident
here
in
Philadelphia,
also
a
student
at
Columbia
University's,
Graduate
School
of
Social
Work
I'm,
the
parent
of
two
Philadelphia
public
school
graduates.
One
is
here
with
her
daughter.
Another
one
is
working
and
I've
also
been
in
Child
Protective
Services
for
over
ten
years
in
this
city,
a
20-17
Pew
trust
report
revealed
that
not
only
does
26%
of
Philadelphians
live
in
poverty,
but
of
the
ten
major
comparable
US
cities.
E
Philadelphia
has
the
highest
rates
of
deep
poverty
in
America
defined
as
families
living
more
than
50%
below
the
poverty
line.
An
array
of
media
sources
came
together
in
the
past
two
years
and
begin
highlighting
stories
about
the
poverty
in
Philadelphia
using
the
hashtag
broken
Philly
as
a
social
worker
I
see
daily
how
poverty
affects
black
and
brown
communities
and
how
it
blurs
the
lines
between
child
abuse
and
neglect
for
families
disproportionately
for
our
communities
of
color
granite.
E
E
Had
students
tell
me
that
they
don't
even
dream,
because
there's
no
hope
for
the
future
beyond
their
teenage
years,
as
they
reveal
that
survival
is
more
of
a
priority
than
education.
There
have
been
recent
reports
every
s
discussed
today,
citing
lead
mold
and
asbestos
at
alarming
rates
in
our
school
buildings,
with
inadequate
facilities,
low
staffing,
antiquated
curriculums,
lack
of
integrated
behavioral
health
services,
lack
of
diversity,
training,
counselors
and
support
I've,
seen
more
families
into
the
child
welfare
system
from
truancy
or
education
related
referrals
than
any
other
point
of
entry.
E
I
understand
that
City
Council
in
the
school
board
are
seeking
community
input
regarding
the
budget
I'd
like
to
present,
however,
that
a
fair
funding
education
formula,
most
recently
put
forth
by
our
governor
is
neither
fair
nor
getting
the
funding
where
it's
most
needed.
The
education
Law
Center,
who
was
here
earlier
recently
explained
that
the
gap
in
per
pupil
spending
between
a
typical
affluent
district
and
a
poor
district
in
Pennsylvania
in
the
2017
school
year
had
grown
to
three
thousand
seven
hundred
and
seventy
eight
dollars
per
child.
E
That
means
we're
spending
almost
four
thousand
more
on
wealthy
children
than
our
poor
children.
Researchers
right
here
in
our
city
at
UPenn,
who
also
don't
pay
taxes,
have
studied
the
high
return
on
investment
in
early
childhood.
Education
in
long
term
cost
to
benefit
benefit
ratio
of
investing
in
education.
Yet
we're
not
taking
it
seriously
to
break
cycles
of
intergenerational
poverty
in
Philadelphia.
We
must
invest
in
education
and
first
consider
those
most
in
need.
E
Equality
is
not
the
same
as
equity,
and
yet
our
previously
proposed
budget
budgets
do
not
level
the
playing
field,
let
alone
provide
for
an
enriching
educational
experience.
Our
students
deserve
to
have
safe
and
toxin-free
buildings
books,
counselors
nurses.
They
should
have
arts
and
Recreation
career
development,
modernized
classrooms,
that
and
staff
that
are
equipped
with
the
cultural
humility
to
work
with
the
families
and
their
multifaceted
needs,
rather
than
refer
to
DHS
and
in
law
enforcement.
E
We
need
advocacy
for
state
and
federal
funding
in
a
city
of
over
1.5
million
people,
where
81%
of
our
public
school
students
are
living
in
poverty.
Our
proposed
budget
that
includes
modernization
to
only
11
schools
and
only
25
new
stem
and
special
ed
teachers
is
not
sufficient.
I'm
urging
you
to
consider
the
budget,
while
negotiating
for
more
funding,
I'm
asking
you
to
consider
how
many
Philadelphia
schools
reflect
that,
even
since
1954
Brown
versus
Board
of
Ed,
our
black
and
brown
children
still
receive
a
very
separate
and
unequal
educational
experience.
E
A
To
to
stay
here
and
share
that
with
us,
that's
extremely
powerful
and
we're
really
appreciative
I
hope
to
see
it
as
a
letter
to
the
editor
or
an
op-ed
in
the
paper.
Actually
beautiful,
yes,
thank
you.
Thank
is
there
anyone
else
who
is
here
to
testify
on
this
resolution,
seeing
none
the
public,
resolute.