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I was really tired, frustrated and angry after a tough day at school when I spoke to the @PHLschoolboard last night, but I'm glad I did. I woke up this AM to this quote in the paper and just now finally had time to elaborate with some receipts. https://www.inquirer.com/news/philly-schools-environmental-hazards-asbestos-nurse-20191122.html
Let's start with this recent quote, one that stands out for me:
”Philadelphia School District COO Danielle Floyd said. “We stand behind that our buildings are safe for students and staff to come to everyday.”” (article dated September 11, 2019) https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/09/11/philadelphia-teachers-union-calls-for-asbestos-cleanup-in-all-city-schools-after-teacher-diagnosed-with-cancer/
”Philadelphia School District COO Danielle Floyd said. “We stand behind that our buildings are safe for students and staff to come to everyday.”” (article dated September 11, 2019) https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/09/11/philadelphia-teachers-union-calls-for-asbestos-cleanup-in-all-city-schools-after-teacher-diagnosed-with-cancer/
Even more recently, there's this article dated October 28, 2019: https://www.inquirer.com/education/asbestos-philadelphia-school-district-peirce-lead-parents-20191028.html
Now going back to last year, there's this excerpt from an article in December 2018 in @PhillyInquirer (thanks @wendyruderman for your ongoing reporting on this) https://www.inquirer.com/education/philadelphia-asbestos-schools-cancer-district-toxic-city-sick-schools-20181214.html
And then there are the well-documented false starts for BFHS & SLA, complete with putting kids back into the building and then pulling them out again. It's now unclear when they'll be return to their building (recently confirmed not in January as planned). https://www.inquirer.com/education/ben-franklin-science-leadership-academy-relocation-asbetos-20191010.html
In terms of the "You can't just come and yell at a meeting" nonsense, how about the June 2019 rally in Harrisburg organized by @powerinterfaith, covered in The Notebook? https://thenotebook.org/articles/2019/06/14/more-than-a-thousand-people-rally-in-harrisburg-for-fair-school-funding/
How about this advocacy at @PHLCouncil to #endtheabatement by educators and students and families? (April 2019) https://thenotebook.org/articles/2019/04/15/educators-fill-council-calling-for-end-to-10-year-tax-abatement/
How about even more from @OCOSPhilly and others working to #endtheabatement and increase funding to schools? One of many, this particular article is from November 2018: https://thenotebook.org/articles/2018/11/15/coalition-starts-organizing-to-end-10-year-tax-abatement/
OCOS and others have also been working for well over a year to get @Penn to pay PILOTS, as described in this article from March 2018: https://thenotebook.org/articles/2018/03/31/coalition-presses-penn-other-tax-exempt-organizations-to-support-philadelphia-public-schools/
Students have been on this, too - @VietLEAD has been advocating since at least spring/ summer 2018, as described here: https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/they-can-win/
And, of course, there's the Toxic Schools series from The Inquirer, in which many, many students, families and educators spoke up about these conditions and the insufficient responses from the district. https://www.inquirer.com/news/inq/toxic-city-philadelphia-inquirer-investigation-lead-asbestos-schools-20170618.html#sick-schools
So no, we aren't just coming and yelling at @PHLschoolboard meetings. We see the gap between what we're told about facility safety and what we experience daily. We know that funding is an issue, but we also know when we're being lied to and we won't accept it quietly. #phled
