State lawmakers and city council members showed up to protest the planned closures, and officials threatened to withhold funding from the school district.
On Tuesday, members of the Philadelphia City Council threatened to oppose school system funding requests if the Philadelphia School District closes certain schools.
At a recent news conference at Lankenau High School, city and state lawmakers protested school board president Reginald Streater’s decision to call a vote this week to close 17 schools and renovate 169 others.
The facilities plan was developed by Superintendent Tony B. Watlington.
“You’re not getting my vote unless you fix this situation at Lankenau. I love you, President Streater, but don’t make me show you: mess around and find out,” said City Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr.
“The problem is that you’re asking us to engage in this difficult conversation and decision with you while simultaneously telling us that you’re not going to listen to us or our communities. That is the problem with the entire conversation, because that’s not what partnership is,” Councilmember Jamie Gauthier said.
On Monday, Watlington made amendments to the facilities plan. Ludlow Elementary in North Philadelphia was removed from the closure list, and 10 modernization projects are added.
The price tag of the plan sits at $3 billion.
“We’re going to vote on something that was put forward yesterday morning and pretend that has everyone’s voices recognized in it? It’s a shame – for a process as delicate and impactful as this, there’s no excuse for how they are choosing to speed this along. This pace is frankly undemocratic,” said Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke.
O’Rourke said the three-day window “frankly leaves dedicated parents and students and teachers and advocates with little to no time to respond.”
“At some point, [the district] will ask us for more than just your vote for budget. You will come and ask us for votes again. And if you can’t vote with our children, how would you expect us to vote with you? Let’s not forget, School District of Philadelphia, we have some very long memories, just like our children do, and we will not forget your votes, because you can’t ask us to vote for what you think is best when we’re begging you to vote for what we think is best,” said Councilmember Isaiah Thomas at the event.
State lawmakers also attended the news conference to speak out against the closure plans that are coming to a vote.
“As we go through budget season in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we will remember that vote on Thursday,” threatened state Representative Morgan Cephas. Cephas is a Democrat and the chair of the Philadelphia delegation.
The main criticism of the closures is the speed at which the school board is approaching a decision without taking input from the community that will be impacted.
