Why This Wednesday is a Decisive Moment for Schools in Southeastern PA – October 2, 2015

Oct 6, 2015

COULD THE BUDGET IMPASSE END NEXT WEEK?

A potential break in the 3-month long state budget standoff could come this Wednesday. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives plans to vote on a version of the Governor’s plan to raise $410 million in new funding for public schools. The Governor’s proposal includes a severance tax on Marcellus Shale gas drilling, along with an increase in the personal income tax. Polls show that voters not only support the severance tax, they also favor the Governor’s proposals to increase the personal income tax to provide new funding for schools.

Despite the evidence, a few rank and file members of the House are already lining up against the proposals even though dozens of schools across the state are racking up debt or facing the possibility of making cuts to programs because of the budget impasse. A report released this week by State Auditor General Gene DePasquale finds that 17 school districts and two intermediate units have borrowed $345 million to cover costs in the absence of state funding. The interest on the loans will total more than $11 million.

In addition to borrowing, school districts across the region are considering making cuts to pre-k and after school programs if the budget stalemate continues through next month. For example, the Bristol Borough School District in Bucks County has enough cash on hand to last until December. After that, the District plans to cut all clubs, Head Start and will consider furloughing support staff. The situation is much more dire in the Coatesville School District in Chester County. The District has enough funds on hand to last until November; the same is true of the largest school district in the state, Philadelphia. After that, school officials say they will have no choice but to withhold charter school payments and begin closing schools.

House members in Southeastern Pennsylvania can and must play a major role in ending the budget impasse by showing their support for the proposed revenue increases necessary to fund schools and early learning programs. Click here to send a note to your legislator to show them you support increased state revenues to restore cuts to schools and provide additional funds for pre-k. Want to make a personal appeal? Click here to find the phone numbers of your State House and Senate members to tell them you will stand with them on a positive vote for the new revenues on Wednesday.

PRAYERS FOR UMPQUA

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and wounded in yesterday’s senseless mass shooting at a Community College in Oregon. Sadly, yesterday’s shooting is just one of 45 shootings that happened on school grounds this year and the 17th at a college campus.

Investigators are still figuring out what caused a troubled young man to open fire on his peers, but after seeing so many shootings recently, we can’t help but wonder, when will something be done to prevent these horrific tragedies and ensure our children are safe when they head off to college?

Oregon is one of five states that allow students to bring guns on their college campuses. Pennsylvania law leaves the decision up to individual colleges and universities to decide if weapons should be prohibited, but at least five state-owned universities- Kutztown, Shippensburg, Edinboro, Slippery Rock, and Millersville all allow students to carry guns on campus, according to the Associated Press.

It’s not possible to keep children safe from everything. But we must do a better job making sure that children do not become victims of the rampages of a mentally ill person with a gun. Improved background checks and more mental health supports are essential and they should be coupled with state laws that make the places where children congregate zero tolerance zones for any sort of firearm.

SCHOOL PLAY COMING TO YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS

School Play’s Statewide Tour Kicks Off Tonight in Elkins Park!

School Play, the highly praised live theatre production that explores our attitudes toward public education, will be touring the state over the next two weeks. Come out to see any of these free performances.