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From YouTube: FY2021 Budget Hearings - May 20, 2020 - School District of Philadelphia Public Testimony
Description
Committee of the Whole hearing to consider the following items relating to the FY2021 Municipal Budget:
Bill Nos. 200285, 200286, 200287, 200288, 200289, 200290, 200291, and 200292 & Resolution No. 200307
Departments on the agenda: School District of Philadelphia Public Testimony
More details: www.phlcouncil.com/budget2021
B
E
A
B
Have
established
thank
you.
We
will
now
resume
the
public
hearing
and
begin
taking
testimony
from
the
public
on
the
school
districts
proposed
budget
before
proceeding.
However,
I
must
lay
a
few
ground
rules
on
how
we
will
proceed
with
the
public
testimony
this
afternoon.
First
of
all,
let
me
thank
everyone
for
their
presence
today
and
particularly
the
community
prepared
to
testify.
We
are
here
to
hear
from
you
about
the
school
districts
proposed
budget
and
where
you
believe
the
school
district
should
focus
its
spending
priorities
due
to
kovat
19
emergency.
B
We
have
implemented
special
procedures
with
respect
to
public
comment
which
were
advertised
website
and
sent
out
in
a
press
release.
Speakers
interested
in
giving
testimony
were
asked
to
call
or
email
us
by
3:00
p.m.
yesterday,
so
that
we
can
take
the
technical
steps
necessary
to
provide
everyone,
an
opportunity
for
public
comment
in
this
virtual
environment
to
ensure
that
there's
no
up
there
is
an
opportunity
for
everyone
here
to
be
heard.
Certain
ground
rules
have
been
established
as
follows.
Your
testimony
should
be
about
the
school
districts
budget
and
proposed
spending
priorities.
B
All
those
who
signed
up
to
give
public
comment
were
telephone.
At
the
beginning
of
this
hearing,
as
noted
by
Loni,
there
was
someone
who
was
not
connected
with
and
bided
to
join
the
hearing.
Please
make
sure
that
your
phone
is
muted
at
this
time.
Until
it
is
your
turn
to
speak,
your
name
will
be
called
in
the
order
in
which
you
signed
up
once
your
name
is
called.
Please
unmute
your
phone.
B
You
will
then
have
up
to
three
minutes
to
speak
in
order
to
be
fair
to
all
those
wishing
to
speak,
I
intend
to
hold
faithfully
to
the
three-minute
limit,
and
we
have
the
clock.
Once
you're
asked
to
begin
your
testimony,
the
timer
will
be
started
and
then
there
will
be
when
there's
a
remaining
30
seconds
of
your
time.
You
will
be
reminded
once
your
a
lot
of
time
has
passed.
You
will
be
asked
to
conclude
your
remarks
at
this
time.
Please
mute
your
phones
and
stay
on
the
line
until
the
hearing
is
concluded.
B
F
G
Thank
you
good
afternoon,
Councilwoman
Tierney
Sanchez
and
all
members
of
City
Council.
My
name
is
jerry.
Jordan
and
I
am
the
president
of
the
for
Delphia
Federation
of
Teachers
I
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
testify
before
you
today
and
thank
you
for
your
continued
focus
on
a
strong
investment
and
the
present
and
future
success
of
the
Philadelphia
school
system.
For
many,
the
current
19
pandemic
has
changed
the
way
they
view
and
think
about
education.
G
G
The
local
state
and
federal
officials
should
be
taking
into
consideration
and
budgeting
for
the
post
coded
economy.
We
are
old
world
wall.
We
are
all
well
aware
of
the
myriad
school
closures
and
repairs
that
have
disrupted
learning
environments.
For
the
last
several
months
and
years
we
told
you
the
stories
and
showing
you
the
human
faces
of
this
crises.
We
shared
with
you
the
gut-wrenching
diagnosis
of
a
28
year
old,
veteran
teacher
of
the
district
who
was
diagnosed
with
mesothelioma.
G
This
school
year
alone,
11
schools,
were
shuttered
due
to
imminent
asbestos
hazards.
We've
been
fortunate
to
have
so
many
of
you
as
members
of
the
facilities
coalition
and
they'll.
Whatever
our
work
is
critical
time
and
again,
members
of
City
Council
has
stood
up
for
public
education.
We
know
that
this
budget
cycle,
while
entirely
unprecedented
in
so
many
ways,
will
be
no
different
in
your
commitment
to
public
education.
G
While
school
infrastructure
is
a
critical
issue
facing
50
members,
it's
certainly
not
the
only
one
since
carbon
19
forced
the
closure
of
Philadelphia
schools,
the
struggles
to
get
distance-learning
up
and
running
have
been
well-documented
at
the
start
of
the
school
closures
we
surveyed
our
members
and
in
more
than
5400
members
who
responded.
The
vast
majority
were
very,
very
concerned
about
student
internet
access.
Concerns
about
equity
are
abundant
as
we
look
towards
reopening
a
number
of
key
concerns
must
be
addressed
before
students,
teachers,
the
other
school
buildings.
G
Precautions
must
be
taken
to
protect
every
individual
who
enters
a
school
district
building.
We
are
in
the
process
of
compiling
the
results
from
a
member
wide
survey
of
over
six
thousand
three
hundred
members
that
will
help
us
gauge
their
insight
into
what
a
reopening
plan
could
look
like.
In
our
survey.
We
asked
our
membership
their
opinions
on
variety
of
issues,
including
access
to
PPA,
all
the
way,
traffic
class
schedules
and
other
important
new
answers
of
operation
in
this
environment.
G
We
remain
very
concerned
about
the
feasibility
of
carrying
ELQ
in
a
scientifically
based
plan
and
such
an
enormous
district.
That
is
why
we
are
spending
a
lot
of
time
having
discussions
with
our
members,
our
elected
allies,
our
union
partners
and
the
community
about
what
it
will
take
to
do
this
right.
A
response
to
the
crisis
must
be
reflective
of
who
we
want
to
be
as
a
society.
Quite
simply,
we
must
reject
efforts
to
return
to
an
austerity
budget
that
mirrors
years
of
cuts
from
which
our
young
people
are
still
suffering.
G
The
long
lasting
impacts,
both
in
terms
of
learning
regression
and
impacts
of
the
trauma
of
this
crises,
will
require
careful
attention
and
resources.
So
too,
we
must
reject
efforts
to
use
this
crisis
as
some
twisted
truth
that
online
education
works
in
some
sustainable
fashion,
and
we
must
reject
the
efforts
of
some
parties
to
capitalize
upon
their
unproven
and
deeply
flawed
voucher
proposals.
G
Collectively,
we
must
relevant
reservation
that
we
will
be
able
to
recover
from
this
traumatic
time
by
slashing
budget
we're
changing
the
contributions
of
educators.
If
we
take
a
path
of
austerity,
we
will
very
quickly
return
to
one
of
the
darkest
periods
in
the
history
of
Philadelphia,
during
which
devastating
budget
cuts
negatively
impacted.
So
many
young
people.
G
Teaching
conditions
for
instructors,
however,
we
can
overcome
these
challenges
by
working
together
with
proper
funding,
health
and
safety
protocols
and
more
we
can
make
Philadelphia
a
national
model
for
a
high
quality
education.
We
look
forward
to
working
with
each
and
every
one
of
you
to
secure
funding
necessary
to
ensure
the
health
and
success
of
every
single
Philadelphia
student
educator
at
the
community
at
large.
Thank
you
very
much.
Thank.
B
You
I
just
want
to
remind
folks
that
we
extended
ourselves
to
President
Jerry
Jordan
because
of
the
great
work
he
does
and
the
PFC
members
have
done
on
this.
But
I
will
honor
the
clock
moving
forward,
but
he
has
given
special
conditions
here.
I'm
going
to
remind
my
colleagues,
I
have
a
couple
of
you
queued
up
for
questions
president
Jordan,
that
we
do
want
to
keep
the
questioning
at
at
three
minutes.
So
we
will
start
the
clock
and
I'm
going
to
recognize
councilmember
game
and
then
councilmember
Greene.
E
Thank
you
very
much,
madam
chair,
and
thank
you
very
much,
president
Jordan,
for
your
important
testimony,
especially
for
the
work
you've
done
on
the
membership
surveys.
I
know
you've
had
a
chance
to
share
the
ones
about
the
online
work
and
I
hope.
You
heard
some
of
our
concerns
about
the
need
for
us,
as
a
council
body
to
partner
with
you
and
other
members
of
the
school
district,
to
make
sure
that
our
children
are
gain
online
and
that
online
access
is
enough
barrier
to
their
education.
So
we
certainly
share
that
with
you.
E
I
am
interested,
though,
in
hearing
from
you,
you
laid
out
a
number
of
different
priorities,
including
the
importance
of
PPE
equiptment
safety
personnel
as
well
online
access.
Where
do
you
think
the
district's
major
expenditures
ought
to
be
right
now
in
terms
of
making
sure
that
we
don't
go
back
to
those
austerity
measures?
G
Well,
I
think
that
once
we
get
beyond
the
opening
of
schools
and
as
you
just
described,
dealing
with
PP
hallway
traffic
class
schedule
than
other
things,
but
what
we
cannot
afford
to
do
is
that
we
cannot
afford
to
relive
the
nightmare
that
the
school
district
and
our
students
go
through,
and
educators
and
I
do
believe.
It
was
2012
when
there
were
massive
layoffs
and
the
reduction
of
services
and
programs
for
students
that
existed
after
Governor
Corbett
cut
education
funding
by
a
billion
dollars.
G
E
Share
that
with
you
one
other
question,
you
know
there
you
and
I
have
both
been
really
pushing
the
district
around
class
size.
We
had
a
couple
even
just
a
few
years
ago,
a
shopping
conversation
in
which
you
know
the
district
would
count
large
class
size
or
over
class
sizes,
Counting
above
37
students
or
38
students
in
a
classroom
which
I
think
was
shocking
to
everybody,
because
you
know
the
district
mandate
of
33
per
classroom
for
grades
4
and
up
and
30
is
in
great
starting
from
kindergarten
to
third
grade
is
already
too
big.
E
You
know
in
the
post,
Cove
in
nineteen
world
there's
been
a
lot
of
conversation
that
we
can't
have
like
whole
classrooms.
I
mean,
while
30
it's
possible,
that
30
may
be
too
many.
You
know
if
we're
looking
at
every
other
seat
or
enough
social
distancing
within
classrooms.
So
has
there
been
discussion
about
how
teaching
and
whether
there's
a
hiring
of
more
teachers,
an
expansion
of
something
along
those
lines
like
we're?
Not
we
don't
know
whether
new
assistants
or
additional
teachers
are
being.
G
There
has
been
any
discussion
with
members
of
my
team
about
that,
but
certainly
just
thinking
about
the
way
that
our
class
was
organized.
Many
of
the
schools
have
children
sitting
in
groups
or
with
all
facing
each
other
to
allow
the
children
to
during
the
course
of
the
day,
depending
upon
the
assignment
to
work
as
a
group
work
as
a
team,
and
so
children
are
not
going
to
be
6
feet
apart.
G
If
that
kind
of
classroom
organization
takes
place,
a
role
issue
that
we
have
to
grapple
with
a
very,
very
food,
you
know
to
determine
exactly
what
schools
are
going
to
look
like
and
they're
going
to
vary
from
school
to
school,
based
on
the
size
based
on
the
population
and
we're
looking
at
a
school
like
North,
East,
High
School
that
has
3,300
children
are
in
it
and
I
will
say:
I've
been
there
with
the
children
are
passing
and
the
whole.
They
are.
D
You
councilman
Sanchez
Thank,
You,
President
Jordan
for
the
work
that
you
do
and
all
your
members
as
a
parent
with
a
child,
a
school
district,
the
work
that
you've
been
doing
and
your
members
are
doing
very
important
doors,
koba
19
crisis,
I'm
earlier
today.
The
school
is
a
testified
that
they
have
been
doing
a
lot
of
work
in
the
school
buildings
to
address
land
and
asbestos.
As
you
know,
I've
been
one
of
the
first
members
of
the
funders
coalition,
along
with
other
members
of
council
and
state
elected
officials.
D
What
are
you
hearing
from
your
members
in
reference
to
this
fall?
As
you
know,
my
mother's,
a
retired
schoolteacher
and
I'm
from
you're
hang
from
your
members
concerns
about
second
waves,
physical
distancing,
some
of
the
other
concerns.
What
are
some
of
things
you're
hearing
from
them
on
your
members
and
then
that
information
gonna
be
gathered
and
presented
a
School
District.
They
start
to
look
at.
G
H
H
We
want
you
to
know
for
the
record,
but
we
what
will
opt
in
in
essence,
that
they
are
saying
they
will
not
claim
their
their
right
to
not
have
to
pay
to
fill
it
up.
Your
wage
tax
during
this
difficult
time
because
of
the
budget,
challenges
and
loss
of
revenue
as
a
result
of
Kovach,
19
and
I
want
to
say
to
you
and
all
members
of
the
PFT
again
who
have
voluntarily
made
that
decision.
That
I
say
a
special.
Thank
you
and
I
appreciate
your
sharing
in
the
sacrifice.
H
G
Well,
first
of
all,
regarding
the
commitment
that
our
teachers
have,
we
have
some
just
remarkable
members
who
are
great
teachers
but
very
generous
people.
We
see
it
every
year
as
teachers,
thousands
of
dollars
out
of
their
pockets
for
supplies
for
their
children
when
it
comes
to
the
way
that
are
going
to
look
in
before
we
just
don't
know
and
is
going
to
be
need
for
professional
development.
I.
Both
think
that
the
district
offered.
G
To
get
trained
on
some
of
the
computer
programs
that
they're
now
using
to
teach
their
children
before
the
children
return
to
school
and
is
going
to
be
very,
very
different.
But
what
is
also
clear
is
that
looking
at
a
computer
and
teaching
using
the
computer
with
children
who
are
not
in
front
of
you
is
your
classroom.
That
really
doesn't
quite
do
it.
G
That
children
need
that
teacher
in
front
of
them
to
be
able
to
get
that
smile
from
that
teacher
to
let
the
child
know
that
they
are
happy
with
the
work
that
they're
doing
to
be
able
to
offer
them
a
bit
courage
to
be
able
to
just
walk
over
and
tap
them
on
the
shoulder
and
give
them
a
wink
to.
Let
them
know
that
everything's
fine,
you
know
there.
We
can't
replace
that
kind
of
human
interaction
with
their
children.
It
just
will
not
work
by
doing
computer
agreed.
H
Madam
chair
I
know
that
my
time
is
up
save
my
next
few
questions
for
the
next
round,
but
I
just
wanted
to
end
and
tell
you
that
personally,
I
am
seeing
firsthand
what
that
social
and
emotional
a
challenge
is
like,
particularly
for
young
people.
So
when
will
people
read
in
this
recent
article
about
the
challenges,
particularly
for
the
elementary
school
students,
their
challenge
in
participating
with
the
on-line
virtual
learning
and
needing
to
have
someone
right
there
with
them
to
guide
them
through
the
process?
I
know
what
that's
like
and
nothing
can
be.
H
F
President
Jordan,
when
we
start
looking
at
the
new
normal
when
we
start
looking
at
the
distance
learning
aspect
of
it
when
we
start
looking
at
the
resumption
of
classes
and
social
distancing
that
that
is
required,
I
talk
about
my
nightmare
of
the
kool-aid
recess,
where,
if
you
judge
by
my
grandkids,
they
have
no
sense
of
why
they
need
to
have
these
masks
on
their
face.
Why
can't
they
give
a
hug?
F
Why
can't
to
give
probably
in
the
classroom
setting
a
teacher
or
it
could
so
all
your
teachers
being
trained
on
the
psychology
of
how
to
teach
in
a
post,
Kovan,
environment
and
the
nursing
staff
at
these
schools?
Are
they
being
trained
to
be
able
to
recognize
symptoms?
They
have
these
other
aspect
of
the
coab.
It
19
is
a
heart
condition
that
is
giving
our
young
people.
How
are
we
addressing
the
staffing
needs?
I
know
about
brick
and
mortar,
but
what
are
we
doing
about
upgrading
the
skill
nodes
level,
particularly
in
the
health
area?
G
Well,
the
short
answer
to
your
question
is
no:
our
teachers
have
not
been
trained
and
I,
don't
believe
that
the
doses
have
been
trained
beyond
their
professional
training
that
they
got
when
they
were
in
school
again.
This
pandemic
hit
us
suddenly
on
March
and
March.
13
was
the
last
day
that
teachers
or
and
schools
were
operating
as
we
traditionally
know
them.
So
people
left
that
Friday
expecting
to
return
to
work
Monday
and
they
haven't
been
back
to
their
schools.
G
So
there
has
not
been
the
training,
that's
needed,
but
it
is
desperately
needed
and
the
personnel
in
order
to
be
able
to
support
children
with
the
traumas
that
they
are
facing
are
going
through
this.
It
is
really
really
important
that
we,
as
I
said
earlier,
have
our
building
staff
with
personnel
who
are
trained
professionals
on
how
to
handle
situations
whereby
children
are
having
difficulty
getting
through
this,
because
it's
tough
for
us
as
adults,
so
I
can
imagine
how
tough
it
is
for
children,
particularly
as
we
you
know,
have
beautiful.
B
H
You
thank
you,
madam
chair
President
Joe,
and
let
me
ask
you
this
and
again.
These
are
come
from
interaction
with
teachers
are
in
the
ninth
Council
Matic
district,
and
they
are
also
a
part
of
a
litany
of
questions
that
I
was
not
able
to
get
on
the
record
during
the
earlier.
A
portion
of
the
hearing
with
the
administration
and
the
board.
But
I
do
want
your
perspective.
H
Let's
say
we're
back
in
school
in
the
fall
and
a
student
comes
to
school
sick.
One
of
the
questions
that
was
asked
of
me
is
charelle.
Will
there
be
a
policy
in
place
for
students
who
are
not
picked
up
right
away
to
not
return
back
to
a
class
full
of
students
and
staff?
If
a
nurse
can't
keep
the
student
until
he
or
she
is
picked
up
by
a
guard
again
and
I
just
wanted
to
know
whether
or
not
in
your
communication
with
members
of
the
PFT?
Have
you
heard
any
concern
about
this
issue?
H
G
H
Okay,
no
I
appreciate
you
getting
that
on
the
record
because
we
would,
let's
just
like
we
talked
about
our
business
community
and
that
we
have
to
find
a
way
to
rebuild
consumer
confidence.
You
know
that
it
is
safe
to
go
into
businesses
on
our
neighborhood
commercial
quarters
and
throughout
our
city.
Whenever
you
know
we
get
the
green
light
that
says
go,
we
can
reopen.
I
feel
the
same
way
about
the
school
district.
We
are
going
to
have
to
build
parental
confidence.
H
You
know
and
educator
confidence
so
that
so
that
parents
feel
like
you
know
it
is
safe
to
send
their
kids
back
to
a
school.
And
finally-
and
you
don't
have
to
answer
this
question
now-
either
you
can
actually
respond
in
writing
one
that
I
will
be
submitting
to
the
the
district
for
the
record
to
get
a
response,
and
this
is
a
non
colvett
related
question.
H
You
know,
I
consistently
says
my
tenure
here
in
council
and
in
Harrisburg
always
been
concerned
about
the
number
of
african-american
men
who
hold
leadership
positions
in
the
School
District
of
Philadelphia
african-american
men
who
are
principals
assistant
superintendent
and
how
they
get
into
the
pipeline.
So
I
will
be
sending
this
question
to
you
in
hopes
that
you
will
be
able
to
share
with
me
from
the
PFT
s,
membership
who
may
be
interested,
and
you
know
I'm
making
that
leap.
What
are
they
considering
to
be
the
major
barriers
to
entry,
particularly
for
african-american
men.
B
B
Also
testifying
in
a
few
so
it'd
be
interesting
to
also
get
their
perspective.
Let
me
thank
president
Jordan
for
all
their
work.
We
really
do
look
forward
to
their
member
survey
and
that
helping
inform
where
teachers
and
their
team
is
as
it
relates
to
post
Colvin,
the
return
to
school
and
what
we
should
be
aware
of,
as
we
support
moving
from
crisis
to
recovery
and
what
could
be
a
summer
or
fall
comeback
of
the
virus
and
how
we
respond
to
it.
B
C
Thank
you
very
much
to
Councilwoman.
Thank
you
very
much
for
the
opportunity
to
testify
I'm
Donna
Cooper
I'm,
the
executive
director
of
public
citizens
for
Children
Youth
I'm,
testifying
as
it
relates
to
the
city
funding
for
the
school
district
in
the
ordinance
202.
Eight,
nine
all
budget
decisions,
including
how
to
raise
revenues
and
spend
limited
city
funds,
are
difficult
in
the
best
of
time
and
in
in
these
worst
of
times
you
are
faced
with
what
seems
like
a
no-win
set
of
choices
and
I
on
behalf
of
PCC.
C
Why
wish
you
Godspeed
as
you
tackle
these
challenges
and
let
me
state
for
the
record
that
the
US
Senate
and
the
White
House
have
demonstrated
short
sighted
cockiness
that,
if
not
curved,
are
likely
to
push
this
nation
into
the
depths
of
a
depression
that
will
make
the
1930
seemed
like
a
cakewalk,
harming
this
generation
and
those
that
follow
it.
I
implore
you
not
to
let
the
incompetence
in
Washington
visit
more
pain
on
the
children
of
this
city,
showing
them.
C
Already
in
our
schools,
we
asked
you
to
fund
our
schools
so
that
the
trauma
our
children
suffered
before
this
pandemic
and
through
it
is
addressed
in
school
and
not
ignored
wounds
that
are
ignored,
as
you
know,
only
get
worse
and
the
city
has
only
the
district
has
only
this
year
recovered
the
arts
faculty
slashed
nearly
20
years
ago,
when
the
arts
are
cut,
we
lose
more
in
student
learning
than
is
gained
in
original
expenditures.
Core
content
teachers
tell
PCC.
C
Why
that
when
their
school
lean
into
the
arts,
students
are
more
centered
and
there's
a
market
increase
in
receptivity
to
learning.
We
urge
you
to
firm
the
school.
So
a
student
can
learn
the
skills
of
creativity
and
persistence.
Those
are
the
skills
that
make
them
future
ready.
Finally,
I
ask
to
do
everything
in
your
power
to
make
sure
the
budget
decisions
you
have
make
how
the
youngest
children
enter
fourth
grade
able
to
read.
There
are
many
reasons
our
children
are
far
behind,
but
the
Cure
is
well
known
and
it
begins
with
high
quality
pre-k.
C
The
members
of
the
council
took
a
very
tough
vote
to
enact
a
tax
on
sweetened
beverages
to
enable
six
thousand
children
to
enroll
in
pre-k
every
year,
while
expanding
enrollment
in
September
is
not
reasonable.
This
in
the
budget
you
enact
I
hope
you
will
provide
funds
for
when
this
crisis
subsides,
a
dramatic
expansion
of
pre-k
seats
in
January,
followed
by
another
large
expansion.
C
Next
September,
thousands
of
bright
young
children
eager
to
start
kindergarten
ready
to
learn
are
depending
on
you
to
choose
them,
stand
in
stark
contrast
with
callousness
and
Washington
by
refusing
to
reduce
access
to
pre-k
in
order
to
balance
the
budget,
so
the
children
in
the
city.
You
believe
that
they
are
your
winning
choice.
Thank
you
very
much
for
your
time.
C
B
A
B
Thank
you
so
much
to
you
and
your
members
all
your
work
during
all
of
this
process:
pre-code
and
postcode
the
cows.
The
chair
will
recognize
council
member
Parker
for
questions
and
then
I
am
told,
and
mr.
Gibbon
is
on
our
mind
folks,
that
when
your
name
is
called
will
unmute
your
phone
and
that
that
way
we
will
know
that
you
are
present
council
member
Parker.
H
Hopefully,
you've
heard
the
question
you
can
submit
an
answer
in
writing,
but
I
am
really
very
interested
in
hearing
your
take
on
what
a
regional
and
statewide
advocacy
and
coalition's
that
Philadelphia
has
been
able
to
enter
into,
particularly
with
rural
rural
educators
are
in
education
advocates
across
the
state.
Thank
you.
Thank
you,
madam
chair.
B
B
I
And
I
am
your
policy
organizer
with
movement,
Alliance
project,
two
former
media,
mobilizing
project
and
also
I'm
an
organizer
with
silly
test
justice
and
so
silly
tech,
justice
being
the
organization
that
is
running
the
parking
lot,
Wi-Fi
campaign
over
social
media
and
through
advocacy,
and
so
we
have
been
looking
at
internet,
the
digital
divide,
broadly
within
the
city,
but
understanding
how
the
digital
divide
impacts
our
students
and
was
no
more.
It
was
perfectly
exemplified
and
demonstrated
by
the
parking
lot,
Wi-Fi
Fiasco,
and
so
in
relation
to
that
and
relationships
that
story.
I
Run
on
calling
for
our
City
Council
members
to
reject
your
30
budget
I
think
we
all
understand
that
10
years
ago
we
were
going
through
very
hard
economic
times
of
the
city
and
because
of
the
austerity
budgets
that
were
passed
during
those
times
things
during
that
time
frame.
Our
students,
who,
who
were
currently
being
educated
back
in
the
early
in
2010,
were
not
necessarily
in
the
best
place
to
be
able
to.
I
We
are
calling
for
the
city
county
council
and
for
the
school
district
to
work
with
Comcast
to
get
those
residential
open
immediately
before
the
before
the
second
wave
hit,
and
then
to
do
more
to
assess
whippings.
What
are
the
internet
needs
are
and
where
are
the
possibilities
for
meeting
those
needs.
B
Thank
you
thank
you
for
testifying
and
if
you
heard
a
little
bit
around
this
morning's
public
testimony
from
the
school
district,
that
was
a
common
theme
and
concerned
shared
not
only
by
the
school
district
gets
board,
but
also
by
council
members.
So
we
look
forward
to
continuing
that
conversation
as
very
serious.
The
digital
divide
and
digital
literacy
I've
personally
talked
to
David
I'll
Cohen
during
this
process,
and
he
is
that
the
last
three
years
talking
about
that
in
Comcast.
B
Let
us
not
forget
the
robbers
foundation
who
could
have
seven
million
dollars
for
some
of
the
Chromebooks
I
think
the
pandemic
has
demonstrated
more
than
ever
that
we
really
need
to
work
on
this,
so
we're
very
committed,
and
we
appreciate
the
advocacy
that
you're
doing
locally
and
encourage
you
to
do
that
at
the
federal
and
state
level.
Also
right
as
the
PUC
provides,
a
lot
of
the
regulations
are
for
our
providers
and
our
remind
folks
that
contest
is
not
the
only
provider
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
B
B
J
Thank
you
very
much
good
afternoon.
My
name
is
Tim
Gibbon
I'm,
a
third
elfia
resident
parent
and
Picasa
project
director,
the
public
citizens
for
Children
and
Youth
I'd
like
to
speak
today
in
reference
to
bill
number
two:
zero:
zero.
Two,
eight
nine.
In
regards
to
the
critical
importance
for
funding
for
Philadelphia
public
schools,
which
includes
both
education.
That
PCC
is
working
hard
to
advocate
for
the
state
and
federal
education
funding
necessary
for
the
coming
year.
J
We
anticipate
likely
likely
budget
short,
fast
and
difficult
funding
decisions
for
the
storm,
and
the
past
Philadelphia
has
experienced
detrimental
cuts
to
the
arts
education
budget.
In
terms
of
financial.
However,
we
employ
council
to
pass
a
budget
with.
The
rabble
is
preferred
proposed
by
the
mayor
for
the
district
and
hold
arts
education
harmless
for
Philadelphia
students,
as
research
demonstrates.
Arts.
Education
is
at
the
core
of
student
achievement
and
engagement.
J
This
is
from
the
American
Psychological
Association
Americans
for
the
Arts
funds
that
stoop
and
low-income
communities,
but
access
to
strong
arts
programs
in
school
at
higher
GPA,
math
and
reading
scores
reduce
rates
of
school
suspension
and
are
five
times
more
likely
to
graduate
from
high
school
interactions
with
students.
This
impact.
J
Project
said
that
without
a
music
program,
I
would
not
want
to
come
to
school
and
I
said
the
glue
that
attaches
students
to
learning
at
school
and
higher
education.
That's
a
critical
role
in
helping
students
be
engaged
in
school
and
processing
the
trauma
that
their
experience
and
during
this
challenging
time
of
Kobe
19,
the
district's
office
of
arts
and
creative
learning
has
no
tremendous
strides,
including
recently
being
named
by
the
man
foundation,
is
one
of
the
country's
best
district
for
music
education.
Let's
continue
moving
forward.
J
B
B
J
J
Technology
as
I
gradually
I
want
the
students
coming
behind
me
to
have
better
opportunities,
denying
I
let
them
out
and
have
great
schools,
no
matter
what
neighborhood
they
come
from.
This
is
not
a
moment
where
we
can
allow
fill
it
up
with
portable
backwards.
My
colleague,
Gerhard
I
have
been
polling
on
the
state
and
federal
government
to
Philadelphia
school,
and
we
know
that
this
time
is
higher
for
the
city's
children
and
give
them
the
opportunities
that
they
deserve.
Thank
you
for
your
commitment
to
our
school
this
year.
Thank
you.
K
Afternoon,
council
members,
my
name
is
Doha
Ibrahim
I'm,
a
senior
at
Lincoln,
High,
School
and
I
serve
as
a
student
representative
to
the
Board
of
Education.
In
light
of
the
financial
conversation
you
are
having
today,
I
would
like
to
share
with
you
the
comment
I
shared
with
the
board
at
their
budget
hearing
last
month.
I
am
making
these
comments.
On
the
behalf
of
graduating
class
of
my
graduating
class.
We
are
the
members
of
class
of
2020.
We
are
the
students
that
will
not
be
able
to
celebrate
our
hard
work
and
accomplishments.
K
As
a
result
of
the
measures
put
in
place
to
prevent
this
right
of
Cova
19
this
year,
there
will
be
no
problems.
We
will
not
be
able
to
say
goodbye
to
our
friends
before
heading
off
to
college
and,
most
importantly,
we
will
not
be
able
to
walk
across
a
stage
and
probably
accept
our
high
school
diplomas.
K
The
class
of
2020
has
demonstrated
to
be
an
exceptional
group
of
students.
We
started
kindergarten
2007
the
year,
the
Great
Recession
hit,
and
we
have
felt
its
impact
about
or
how
our
schooling
in
Philadelphia
this
means
that
we
have
spent
much
of
our
education
and
costumes
with
too
many
students
in
schools
without
enough
nurses
and
counselors
and
learning
under
leaky
roof.
K
As
the
grew
older,
the
school
system
started
to
improve
teachers
were
able
to
provide
a
more
basic
supplies,
library
started
filling
empty
shelves
with
books,
and
we
started
to
see
more
technology
being
readily
available
to
students.
These
changers
were
able
to
happen
as
a
result
of
a
significant
work
that
advocacy
advocacy
by
our
school
communities,
district
leaders
and
elected
officials.
Because
of
your
hard
work,
our
school
system
is
no
longer
in
Pittsfield
stress
fires:
arrival
of
covered
19,
our
country,
the
district
was
gradually
restoring
staffing
levels.
K
The
academic
performances
of
our
public
schools
were
improved,
what's
improving
and
district,
and
the
district
would
have
had
a
balanced
budget
to
allow
for
more
investment
in
our
schools.
Unfortunately,
this
is
now
in
serious
jeopardy.
We
know
that
you
have
serious
budget
considerations.
Considerations
in
front
of
you,
but
I
ask
City.
Council
does
not
stand
up
for
our
students
and
our
schools,
who.
I
K
Public
schools
have
made
tremendous
strides
forward
and
we
cannot
afford
to
take
any
steps
back.
We
cannot
have
future
generations.
We
live
our
2007
school
system.
At
this
critical
moment,
we
are
asking
you
to
honor
the
class
of
2020
by
safeguarding
the
education
of
all
future
classes
by
showing
that
education
funding
is
too
important
to
cut,
don't
send
our
schools
backwards.
Please
do
what
it
takes.
My
education.
K
Testimony
I
hope
you
will
think
of
public
education
student,
you
know
and
why
their
education
feature
is
too
important
to
jeopardize.
Despite
these
challenging
time,
the
class
of
2020
will
continue
moving
forward.
We
are
proud,
we
are.
We
are
part
of
the
education
system.
Our
system
education
system
was
able
to
provide
us
and
we
will
look
forward
to
seeing
it
in
advance.
Thank
you
for
listening
to
student
voices.
A
Councilmember,
king
Jana,
Sanchez
and
members
of
City
Council.
Thank
you
for
this
opportunity
to
speak.
My
name
is
Alfredo
Pepito
and
I've
attended,
Philadelphia
public
schools,
my
entire
life
I'm,
chair
of
the
third
LP
Youth
Commission,
and
it
is
our
responsibility
to
advise
on
matters
which
impact
the
nearly
half
million
young
people
of
our
city
funding
does
so
directly.
We
urge
the
council
to
support
our
school
district
and
maintain
the
district's
funding
level.
Funding
at
rubbles
requested
in
the
mayor's
proposed
budget
to
understand
how
our
disastrous
budget
cuts
would
be
to
Philadelphia
students.
A
You
only
have
to
look
to
the
entire
generation,
who
grew
up
on
300
million
dollars
in
cuts,
then
the
worst
in
Philadelphia
public
school
history,
I,
was
one
of
those
students.
I
ran
from
textbooks
that
were
older
than
me
about
the
ball,
didn't
bounce
and
holes
in
the
ceiling,
my
classmates
and
I,
to
walk
around
trashcan
following
water.
So
that
was
my
personal
experience.
Now,
looking
at
standardized
testing
data,
we
can
piece
it
all
to
your
public
school
students
did
the
worst
from
2012
to
2014
the
three
years
directly
after.
A
A
A
B
H
H
So
my
question
after
your
testimony,
was
that
you
are
in
a
very
unique
position
because
of
your
experience
in
the
executive
branch
of
government
in
Harrisburg.
Your
work
here
in
Philadelphia
and
obviously
in
the
area
of
education
advocacy,
and
you
know
that
pulling
on
the
heartstrings
and
claiming
moral
purity
is
not
how
elected
officials,
particularly
when
you're
working
in
a
very
partisan
environment.
That
is
not
how
you
are
able
to
achieve
compromise.
It's
with
that
in
mind.
C
Yes,
Oh
terrific
question,
so
we
have
two
things
going
on.
The
council
might
be
interested
in.
First
of
all,
the
urban
super
from
across
the
state
which
actually
includes
superintendents
from
Lehigh
County
Lackawanna,
Luzerne,
Lebanon,
Allegheny,
Erie,
Lancaster,
Dauphin,
Center
County
have
been
organized
and
they
are
actually
advocating
very
aggressively
at
the
state
level
to
ensure
that
there
is
no
step
back
in
state
funding
for
the
schools.
H
B
Thank
you
so
much
councilmember
Parker
you're
right.
We
are
not
alone
in
this
crisis
and
we
do
appreciate
all
those
efforts
and
we
again
we
encourage
everyone
who
testified
this
evening
and
all
of
the
advocates
and
once
again
I
want
to
thank
the
young
people
and
apologize
to
the
class
of
2020
I
have
my
own,
whose
graduating
from
college
and
the
thought
of
folks
not
experiencing
that
graduation
process,
whether
you're
in
high
school
middle
school,
elementary
school
or
college
because
of
colvett.
You
know
and
I
appreciate
the
advocacy
this
morning
that
led
to
dr.
B
heit
committing
to
making
sure
that
people
were
going
to
get
their
caps
and
gals
and
some
of
the
issues
again
it's
the
little
things
but
and
they're
not
symbolic
right
having
a
hat
having
a
gal
taking
that
picture
right,
no
one
should
be
denied
that
picture
that
goes
in
their
in
their
albums
and
in
their
slides
for
the
future.
No
one
should
be
denied
that
so
we
want
to
everyone
would
seem.
No
one
else
left
to
testify.
Is
that
correct?
Mr.
stead.