Description

Teachers, students and parents gathered outside Locke Elementary School in West Philadelphia at the start of the school day on October 4th to demand full funding for public schools. This event is part of an ongoing series of community protests of education budget cuts happening every Friday at schools across Philadelphia. Called "Full Funding Fridays," the weekly events draw attention to the realities of under funding that parents, teachers, school staff, and students experience everyday at school. They deal with schools that don't have enough books and paper, and that don't have the support of nurses, art, music, librarians, secretaries, extracurricular activities and counselors. This reality occurs in the context of state politics that have abandoned Philadelphia schoolchildren. Since taking office in 2011, Gov. Corbett has expanded tax breaks for corporations while cutting $1 billion from education statewide. His hand-picked School Reform Commission has lost millions due to lack of charter school oversight and bad Wall Street deals. Now, Gov. Corbett is holding $45 million of federal funding hostage that is meant for Philly public schools. Tell Governor Corbett to release the $45 million and fully fund Philadelphia schools. Philadelphia students deserve better.