As proposed state budget cuts and a budget shortfall bring financial turmoil to the School District of Philadelphia, state Sen. Mike Stack, along with actor and former Philadelphia high school teacher Tony Danza and school advocates, discussed the ongoing detrimental impact on the city’s 146,000 public school students.

“The true victims of all of this school district drama are the children in our public schools. If we continue to deny students of opportunities to succeed, we cannot say that they failed; rather, we have failed them,” Stack said. “We must put an end to the turmoil that has turned the School District of Philadelphia into a mess that keeps getting worse every year.”

Danza, who taught sophomore English at Northeast High School for the A&E reality show Teach, was in Philadelphia to participate in a talent show fundraiser for the high school.

“I’m here to tell the kids we do care and we need to help mitigate the cuts that have been made,” Danza said. “The kids have to take responsibility but we need to send the right message to them.”

Gov. Corbett’s 2012-13 state budget proposal would create a new line item, the Student Achievement Education Block Grant, which consolidates basic education, the Accountability Block Grant program, transportation and school district Social Security allocations.

“What is happening to our schools and our children was not some kind of unavoidable natural disaster,” said PSEA Vice President Jerry Oleksiak. “This situation is the result of policy decisions made in Harrisburg. And just as this situation was created, it can be fixed. We need to fix it now, before it’s too late.”

“We can’t cut our way to an educated workforce or citizenry – yet this budget would require us to cut and with it dash the hopes of tens of thousands of children and their parents,” said Shelly D. Yanoff, executive director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth.

The School District of Philadelphia would see a $21 million cut if the governor’s budget is enacted.

“This governor is fixated on ideology and block grants that he actually believes will help our schools by making cuts,” Stack said. “He has simply shifted funds around to make it seem like schools received a funding boost, but in reality, our schools are facing more deep funding cuts this year. The result will be larger classrooms, fewer programs, less services and more layoffs.”

The school district is already in financial distress. It currently faces a $71 million shortfall that it must resolve by June 30. District officials have filled nearly half of that gap, but still must cut an additional $39 million.

Last December, the district laid off 141 employees, including dozens of school nurses.

Tracie White, a nurse who was laid off, said the cuts have put students at risk.

White said that school nurses are the only access to health care for thousands of school children. In addition to administering medication and caring for students who get sick, school nurses, in partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Health and other local agencies, also give health screenings and immunizations and find affordable health coverage for children.

“School nurses do so much for the children,” White said. “The budget cuts have left schools liable and left children vulnerable. They’re giving responsibility of caring for children to people who are already overwhelmed, and that’s a tragedy.”

Stack said the School Reform Commission’s should have had been more proactive in planning and responding to district’s financial turmoil. He has authored legislation that would abolish the commission and replace with a school board comprised of nine members elected by the citizens of Philadelphia.

PA Senate.Com – March 5, 2012 – Read article online