- On April 12, I asked if Chester cared about school vouchers.
- On April 13, I told you that Senator Pileggi really cared about school vouchers.
- On April 15, I posted the announcement of St. Rep Kirkland and the House Democratic Policy Committee hosting a hearing on Senate Bill 1 on April 20.
The Chester Spirit reports that Senate Bill 1 was first drafted in July 2010, yet...
Chester Upland School District officials and board members said they were either unable to attend the hearing or didn’t received notice or invitations. There has been some discussion on the matter but it is unclear what the district’s official position is at this point.
Even I knew about the meeting and I’m usually the last to know these things or have to read about them after they happen. And how long will it take before they take a position? We’re coming up on a year.
- On March 27, I posted that Chester-Upland School district was facing the largest budget cuts in the state.
- On April 17, I posted the PA Budget Watch Town Hall Meeting to be held at Widener on April 18.
Knowing that Chester Upland is facing a $2600 cut in funding per student, I’ve been asking what overall impact that will have on the district.
Thankfully, Cheryl Cunningham, executive director of the Chester Education Foundation, took the opportunity to share those figures a the Town Hall Meeting which were published in the Chester Spirit.
Funding for the Chester Upland School District will be cut by almost $20 million, 34% less than what the district had last year. The budget cuts could potentially lead to the district closing altogether.
That’s a rather dramatic statement. Why haven't we heard from the school board just yet? Or, maybe it’s all an exaggeration. Who knows?
On April 28, I announced Governor Tom Corbett was going to visit the Chester Community Charter School on April 29.
If our school district is the hardest hit in the state, why wasn’t the entire board of education, parents of students, and others who care about education in front of Chester Community Charter showing Gov. Corbett how you really feel about these cuts?
Instead, the Daily Times reports that...
Chester Upland Superintendent Joyce Wells Wells said in an email...We would welcome the opportunity to host a visit from Governor Corbett at one or more of the schools in Chester Upland because we are proud of the opportunities we offer the Chester Upland community.
I would not expect that the Governor would have been welcomed anywhere except for a face to face meeting to explain the impact his budget will have on Chester.
I can't believe everyone just gave him a pass. Where were the protests, questions, concerns?
Or, is everything just fine?
They were fine with voting a republican in. May be they feel they have to live with it.
ReplyDeleteMost of the people in this city, just don't care because they don't really understand how far reaching the impact of these descions will have...in most part from their own poor education and their lack of interest, due to that lack of education or interest in education. We live in a mostly dilapitated community and the people in this community at least most of them, just think that it doesn't affect or effect them in anyway. Not to mention most of those same people vote blindly and follow the most popular masses at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI read that article and thought to myself. What in the world? Being that I have worked at Chester Community Charter previously, I felt as though there was a let down if he left their school unscathed from school budget protest.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, where were the democrat members of city council? We know the republican members would not attend so as not to confront the republican governor. But the democrats? What a wasted opportunity on their part. Again!!
ReplyDeleteMost parents of Chester students only get involved when they feel their child was wronged in a social way, not an educational way. When their child is kept from recess for missing homework for a week or misses a field trip due to fighting that is cause for a protest, not losing educational funding.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you both anonymous' 10:25p and 7:55a, it's really sad, because in our community most of us are working during the political hours of operations, so we tend to miss out but those of us that are avaliable could get out and be heard if only they knew better and were taught to care or sadly paid to care.
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