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From YouTube: Committee on Law and Government 2-28-2017
Description
The Committee on Law and Government of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Wednesday, February 28, 2018, at 10:00 AM, in Room 400, City Hall, to hear testimony on the following items:
180098 An Ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to the Educational Supplement to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, relating to the eligibility, selection and removal of the Members of the Board of Education, relating to the Board of Education's responsibility for the administration of the School District, creating a Parent and Community Advisory Council, as approved by Resolution of the City Council; fixing the date of a special election for such purpose; prescribing the form of ballot question to be voted on; and authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election.
180112 Resolution proposing an amendment to the Educational Supplement to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter relating to the eligibility, selection and removal of the Members of the Board of Education, relating to the Board of Education's responsibility for the administration of the School District, creating a Parent and Community Advisory Council, and providing for the submission of the amendment to the electors of Philadelphia.
Law and Government
Chair: Councilman Bill Greenlee (At Large)
Vice Chair: Councilman Derek Green (At Large)
A
Government
have
a
quorum
consisting
of
councilmen
Oh
council
president
Clark
and
Councilman
Blackwell,
who
is
the
chair
of
the
Education
Committee
and
has
been
appointed
today
to
the
Committee
on
law
and
government.
Miss
Marconi.
Will
you
please
read
the
title
of
the
bill
and
resolution
before
us
today.
Please
bill.
B
The
members
of
the
board
of
education
relating
to
the
board
of
education
is
responsibility
for
the
administration
of
the
school
district,
creating
a
parent
and
community
Advisory
Council,
as
approved
by
resolution
of
the
City
Council
fixing
the
date
of
a
special
election
for
such
purpose,
prescribing
the
form
of
ballot
question
to
be
voted
on
and
authorizing
the
appropriate
officers
to
polish
notice
and
to
make
arrangements
for
the
special
election
in
resolution.
One
eight
zero
one.
A
Okay,
thank
you
just
for
the
record.
This
is
a
this
bill
and
resolution
the
ballot
question
very
similar
to
the
one
that
we
have
previously
approved
back
in
December,
with
just
a
few
changes
just
to
make
sure
that
it
meets
all
legal
requirements
here.
If
there's
any
comments
by
the
committee,
if
not
miss
Marconi
wants
you
call
that
I
think
we
have
three
people
who
wanted
to
speak
Glynda.
A
All
right,
thank
you.
While
they
are
approaching
I
just
wanted
for
the
record,
we
have
a
written
statement
from
Jane
Slusser
chief
of
staff
of
the
mayor,
in
essence,
repeating
what
I
just
said,
which
is.
This
is
a
very
similar
to
our
previous,
a
bill
and
resolution,
and
the
administration
is
in
favor
of
that
of
the
pill
and
resolution
today
who
would
like
to
go
first,
please
identify
yourself
and
proceed.
C
C
In
addition
to
my
school
duties,
I
served
on
school-wide
discipline
and
safety
committees
formed
by
mayor
streets,
transition,
team
and
CEO
Phil
goldsmith,
I
worked
with
city
and
district
personnel
about
improving
attendance
procedures
was
an
activist
for
children's
behavioral
health
improvements,
both
with
local
agencies
in
courts
throughout
the
decades
I
wasn't
alone,
the
school
district
had
avenues
for
us
to
work
more
cohesively
with
and
for
our
children
and
families,
I
believe
in
public
education,
not
as
a
charity
or
a
city
or
state
burden.
Nor
is
a
money-making
machine
for
supposed
nonprofits.
C
Frankly,
in
the
last
17
years,
we've
lost
sight
of
our
mission
as
we
emerge
from
a
non
transparent
and
non
accountable.
Src
I
urge
us
all
to
pay
close
attention
to
getting
it
right,
this
time
to
provide
a
process
that
has
some
independence
from
politics
and
well-heeled
donors
who
have
a
financial
and
political
stake
in
who
controls
the
Philadelphia,
School
Board.
C
To
be
honest,
I
and
apps
support
a
democratically
elected
school
board,
accountable
to
the
people
as
our
the
mayor
and
city
council,
and
it
hoped
for
an
interim
system
to
transition
us
to
democratic
local
control.
In
the
interim,
however,
I
can
live
with
a
mayor
and
council
collaboration
for
school
board
approval.
However,
the
board
must
be
independent
and
removal
from
the
board
requires
some
cause
and
procedure
other
than
just
politics.
The
current
nominating
process
and
panel
makeup
is
insufficient,
to
say
the
least.
C
Besides
the
closed
door
policy
experience
public
school
educators
who
could
contribute
the
front
line
perspective,
as
well
as
the
management
perspective
or
few,
there
was
a
time
when
our
administrators
came
from
the
ranks
who
understood
the
culture
of
teaching
inner-city
students
in
Philadelphia.
It
stresses
and
its
rewards.
As
for
the
selected
nominees,
those
with
school
experience
were
weighted
more
heavily
from
charter
and
even
private
schools
than
public
schools.
Where
were
the
parents
from
south
north
and
northeast
philadelphia?
I
attended
yesterday's
nominating
panel
meeting.
C
There
were
several
parents
nominated
from
children
who
attend
Penn,
Alexander
school,
no
offense,
but
Penn
Alexander
hardly
represents
the
typical
student
body
and
has
the
luxury
of
getting
resources
from
Penn
the
neighborhood
schools.
Just
don't
get.
What
experience
do
these
parents
bring
to
the
table?
Where
were
the
public
school
advocates
for
that
matter?
I
understand
the
board
is
managerial
but
successful.
Public
education
has
a
heart
and
soul
necessary
to
growing
children
as
well
as
a
pup
as
a
business
model.
School
board
applications
should
be
made
public.
C
The
public
is
entitled
to
know
the
educational
philosophy
of
the
applicants,
any
conflict
of
interests
and
their
reasons
for
wanting
to
serve
frankly
I
believe
the
public
education
system
has
been
the
cornerstone
of
our
democracy
and
may
be
its
best
defender
to
do
that,
however,
it
must
be
rooted
in
a
fully
democratic
process.
Thank
you
and
I
include
some
links
to
some
op-eds
that
we're
in
thank.
D
Good
morning
my
name
is
novelette.
Jones
I
am
a
parent
in
most
recent
activists
within
the
past
year,
I
am
a
proud
product
of
Philadelphia
public
schools.
I
am
also
a
mother
of
three
children
who
attend
school
district
and
charter
run
public
schools.
Thank
you
for
taking
the
opportunity
to
listen
to
my
testimony
today.
D
Today's
to
in
sorry,
this
is
it's
kind
of
big,
so
I'm
trying
to
today's
students
have
only
known
the
school
district
governor
of
the
school
district
reform,
a
state-run
body
that
was
supposed
to
bring
funding
and
equity
back
to
the
Philadelphia
schools.
Unfortunately,
the
promises
made
2001
never
materialized
and
an
entire
K
through
12
cohort
of
Philadelphia
schoolchildren
suffered
as
a
result.
Despite
students,
parents
and
teachers,
persistent
advocacy
for
more
resources
and
stronger
schools,
our
efforts
were
slowed
and
frustrated
because
of,
ultimately
nobody
was
liable
for
what
was
happening
in
the
classrooms
across
the
city.
D
We
should
not
limit
the
mayor's
authority
to
remove
ineffective
board
members.
Doing
so
would
be
to
return
our
schools
to
a
non
accountability,
a
governance
structure,
much
like
what
we
just
finally
are
you
know
moving
away
from.
It
is
not
enough
for
a
mayor
to
appoint
the
board
if,
for
example,
an
appointee
effectiveness
as
a
board
member
were
to
Wayne
Wayne
because
they
took
a
new
job
or
their
spouse
assumed
a
new
role
that
creates
a
conflict
of
interest
for
the
board
member
should
change
would
be
needed.
D
The
public
must
be
able
to
pressure
the
mayor
to
replace
that
person.
Why
would
we
want
to
weaken
our
our
own
leverage?
If
a
mayor
can
simply
blame
bureaucracy
for
the
status
quo,
then
we
will
not
have
me
any
progress
since
the
days
of
SRC,
I
believe
responsibility
for
the
board
should
rest
solely
with
mayor,
Kenney
and
future
mayors
of
whom
the
voters
of
Philadelphia
elect
into
office
in
other
cities.
D
A
E
Name
is
Lisa
haver
I
am
a
retired
Philadelphia
school
teacher
and
education
activist
co-founder
of
the
Alliance
for
Philadelphia
public
schools
good
morning,
council,
president
and
council
members.
Thank
you
for
this
opportunity.
I
want
to
repeat
what
Linda
said.
We
really
believe
that
a
strong
public
school
system
is
the
foundation
of
democracy
and,
if
we're
living
in
a
democracy-
and
you
as
elected
officials,
know
how
important
democracy
is,
there
has
to
be
some
kind
of
democratic
process,
not
just
for
choosing
the
board,
but
for
any
possible
removal
of
board
members
cannot
be
strictly.
E
You
know
political
whim,
you
you
probably
know
our
our
organization
attends
all
SRC
meetings.
We
even
policy
committee
meetings,
which
is
one
tomorrow,
will
be
they.
We.
We
attend
all
charter
approval,
hearings,
charter,
amendment
hearings.
We
really
keep
a
close
eye
on
the
SRC
and
I.
Think
many
of
you
receive
our
reports,
yours
on
the
SRC
eyes
on
the
SRC,
so
we
we
really
do
see
why
it's
so
important
is
miss.
Joan,
said:
we've
lived
through
17
years
of
very
little
accountability
and
it's
been
a
very
difficult
time
for
the
children
and
I.
E
Think
when
you
look
at
the
27
people,
who've
been
nominated,
I,
think
that
reflects
a
very
flawed
process
and
if
you
read
the
op-ed
that
I
had
in
the
paper
and
two
of
our
other
members
had
it
in
paper,
what
we're
saying
is
given
the
fact
that
we
do
not
have
an
elected
school
board
in
a
Democratic
Society.
There
has
to
be
some
kind
of
checks
and
balances.
E
You
cannot
just
have
one
person
rule
and
when
you
look
at
the
fact
that
you
know
the
nominating
panel
is
chosen
by
the
mayor
and
those
people
choose
people
who
are
chosen
by
the
mayor
at
some
point,
there
has
to
be
some
kind
of
check,
and
the
only
check
that
we
can
see
is
that
if
somebody
needs
to
be
removed,
there
has
to
be
a
reason
why
that
person
is
removed.
It's
really
important
I
mean
I.
You
know
we
were
there.
I
was
there
with
with
miss
Rubin,
and
we
saw
this
all
go
down.
E
It
was
kind
of
shocking
and
I
didn't
recognize.
Most
of
the
names
and
I
thought.
How
do
I
not
know
most
of
these
27
people,
you
know
been
a
teacher
I've
been
an
activist
I
go
to
look,
you
know
who
are
these
people
so
I
can't
comment
on
the
diversity
of
you
know.
You
know
racial
makeup
or
economic
makeup,
but
I'm
thinking.
Where
are
the
people
who
are
on
the
scene
advocating
here
in
City,
Council
or
advocating
that's
or
see
where?
Where
are
those
people
I?
E
Don't
do
these
people
all
right
know
a
couple
people
so
I
think
that
when
we
do
this,
we're
reacting
after
17
years
of
non
non
accountability,
but
we
have
it.
We
have
it
a
chance
now
to
change
things
and
I,
don't
know
exactly
what
your
plan
is
and
what
the
chronology
is.
But
I
really
would
say
if
there's
time
to
take
a
look
at
the
makeup
of
the
nominating
panel,
you
know
there's
really
not
any
educators
as
it
doesn't
allow
for
people
who
are
part
of
the
system,
not
even
not
many
parents.
E
So
if
there's
a
way
now
to
look
and
see,
can
we
now
that
we
have
the
chance?
And
you
know,
charter
changes,
don't
come
along
too
often.
Now
that
we
have
a
chance,
can
we
see
how
we
can
make
this
a
more
accountable
process?
We
actually
we
as
the
Alliance,
you
know,
communicated
with
the
nominating
panel.
We
said
these
meetings
cannot
be
closed
to
the
public.
It's
a
violation
of
the
Sunshine
Act.
You
cannot
tell
people
they
can't
come.
We
did
not
win
that
battle,
so
there
was
no
public
input
into
the
process.
E
We
had
serious
questions
about
whether
or
not
that
nominating
panel
was
acting
independently
and
the
fact
that
the
assistant
secretary
of
the
panel
is
as
a
member
of
the
mayor's
staff
I
don't
see,
I
see
how
that's
an
independent
board.
If
somebody
from
the
legislative
staff
of
the
mayor's
office
is
serving
as
assistant
secretary
on
a
panel
on
what
she
actually
does
not
serve
so
there's.
If
we
have
time
and
I
say
this
is
the
time
to
really
look
at
can
we
can
we
make
sure
this
is
an
open
process?
E
Can
we
look
at
the
way
that
the
makeup
of
the
nominating
panel
is
constructed?
Do
we
say
you
can't
just
say?
Oh,
these
are
all
an
executive
session.
You
can't
come
in
and
then
we
end
up
with
these
names
and
if
I
say
well,
I
have
a
problem
with
these
names,
where
you
know
some
people
are
saying.
Well,
there's
not
enough
charter
people
there's
too
many
charter,
people
I,
don't
think
that's
the
issue.
E
I
think
the
issue
is
or
do
people
believe
in
public
education
and
do
people
believe
that
all
schools,
including
charter
schools,
have
to
be
accountable.
So
if
you
have,
you
know
a
failing
public
school
district
school,
what
are
you
doing
to
make
that
a
better
school?
What
kind
of
resources
is
a
district
putting
into
that
school?
If
you
have
a
charter
school
that
has
academic
problems,
financial
problems,
organizational
problem?
E
What
is
a
district
doing
to
rectify
that
I
think
people
even
who
send
their
children
to
charter
schools,
believe
that
there
has
to
be
accountability,
who
can't
operate
schools
that
are
not
functioning
so
I
think
this
is
really
an
important
time
and
we
shouldn't
rush
this,
and
we
should
really
take
the
opportunity
to
say
what
is
the
best
way
in
the
absence
of
an
elected
school
board
to
make
this
process
open
to
the
people
of
the
city.
Thank
you.
Thank
you.
Thank.
F
Thank
You,
mr.
chairman,
thank
you
all
so
much
for
coming
down
this
morning
we
hear
you
and
believe
me,
there
was
a
significant
amount
of
debate
among
the
members
in
terms
of
what
this
legislation
would
ultimately
be.
I
must
say.
The
first
version
was
a
lot
more
aggressive
in
terms
of
quote-unquote
checks
and
balances,
all
aspects,
the
nominating
panel
process.
F
There
was
some
suggestion
that
there
should
be
public
hearings
on
all
that
a
nominees
there
was
questions
with
respect
to
the
termination
of
a
members
tenure
on
the
board
about
how
we
should
move
forward
on
that.
But
at
the
end
of
the
day,
when
you
talk
about
a
process
that
involves
legislators
in
the
executive
branch
and
the
people,
particularly
those
advocates,
you
have
to
work
out
something
that
probably
most
people
don't
like
in
its
entirety,
and
then
you
probably
think
you
hit
the
sweet
spot.
F
That's
just
the
way
I've
seen
as
if
we
did
everything
one
way
where
you
guys
went
here.
A
really
great
awesome,
awesome
it'll,
probably
be
some
members
on
this
panel
within
the
council.
There's
no
necessarily
like
that.
Some
members
on
the
administration,
I
know
would
say,
don't
necessarily
like
that.
F
But
when
you
have
some
concerns-
and
this
is
this
mind-
will
mind
set
in
terms
of
HOD-
tend
to
do
things
that
everybody
has
a
little
issue
with
what
you
do,
but
most
people
will
agree,
particularly
as
it
relates
to
the
concept
and
most
of
the
large
issues
like
having
a
more
open,
transparent
process.
If
you
remember
originally,
this
thing
was
mayor,
said
I'm
going
this
this
this.
Thank
you
very
much
have
a
nice
day
right
and
now
you
have
a
situation
in
the
earlier
part
that
you
talked
about
the
nominating
process.
F
If
the
mayor
does
the
executive
branch
has
flexibility
on
how
they
establish
that
process.
This
particular
one
was
chosen
this
particular
way,
but
that
doesn't
mean
that
there
can't
be
some
changes
in
that
process
as
they
move
forward.
With
respect
to
the
nominees
you
remember,
it
I'm
telling
you
what
citizens
for
the
public's
purposes
there
was
no
confirmation
process
in
prior
legislation.
Yeah
there
is
that
in
there.
That's
that
check
and
balance
that
you
talked
about.
F
Those
individuals
that
are
nominated
must
come
and
they're
gonna
sit
right
here
and
I
suspect
that
you
know
you
all
people
will
be
able
to
testify
on
those
nominees,
and
those
nominees
will
be
asked.
Questions
by
the
members
of
council
and
I'm
sure
you
all
gonna
give
us
some
questions
to
ask
them,
and
hopefully
that
process
one
I
know
will
be
transparent
to.
Hopefully
it
will
be
of
benefit
to
the
process,
then,
with
respects
to
determinations
of
a
member.
From
the
committee's
we've
worked
out
language,
we
put
hourly
language
out.
F
So,
while
the
process
is
not
perfect
and
I'm,
not
saying
that
you
suggested
it
that
it
be
at
the
end
of
the
day,
when
you
have
this
kind
of
the
government,
you
got
to
work
things
out
and
I
think
that,
ultimately,
we
as
we
move
ahead
I
think
that
people
will
be
proud
of
what
we
do
clearly
and
promises
chairman
I'm,
not
gonna,
believe
it'll
point
I'm,
gonna
shut
up
after
this.
Clearly,
this
is
phase
1
phase
2,
okay,
we
got
it
it's
ours.
F
What
are
we
gonna
do
with
it
and
that
relates
to
making
sure
that
the
appropriate
resources
in
air
that
particularly
relates
to
making
sure
that
the
school
district
functions
in
a
way
that
meets
the
primary
goal,
which
is
educating
young
people?
There
gonna
be
some
things
that
members
of
the
school
board
may
not
necessarily
like
what
respects
the
operations,
because
I
know
a
number
of
us
think
that
things
can
be
done
in
a
much
more
efficient
manner.
F
This
whole
issue
of
charters
versus
public
and
traditional
schools,
they're
all
public
schools
and
the
end
of
the
day
the
state
legislature
chose
and
what
the
governor
former
governor
chose
not
to
give
us
the
appropriate
reimbursement
on
charter
schools.
That's
the
cost
driver.
Here
we
have
to
figure
that
out.
How
do
we
replace
those
resources?
So
there's
a
lot
of
work
we
got
to
do,
but
we
just
believe
it's
clearly
my
perspective
that
we've
put
together
what
we
think
is
a
a
reasonable
approach
to
moving
ahead.
F
E
F
F
A
A
If
there's
no
one
else
here
to
testify,
if
there's
no
one
else
here
testifying
this
bill
resolution.
That
concludes
the
hearing
of
the
committee
along
government.
We
will
now
go
into
our
public
meeting
and
the
chair
recognizes
Councilwoman
Blackwell
for
an
amendment
on
bill
number
one:
eight,
zero,
zero.
Ninety
Thank.