school reform commission

On MLK day over 600 people from all walks of life took the first step towards creating a just and peaceful school system. Now it's time for the next one.

PLEASE NOTE: THE DATE OF THIS EVENT EVENT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO FEB. 17TH AT 4PM, DUE TO THE SNOW ADVISORY.

Along with other members of the Philadelphia Student Union, I recently interviewed Heidi Ramirez, a member of the School Reform Commission (SRC) who  announced her resignation last month. We asked her about subjects such as teacher quality and the school district's strategic plan.

The stories in this show include a report about the community victory to keep William Penn High School from being closed. There is also a piece about how we are taught in school versus how we learn best. And we also hear PSU students who went to the B'more Fair in Baltimore, a march for the rights of workers in the Inner Harbor, organized by the United Workers Association. Finally, there is a segment about the struggle to stop our schools from being privatized, including Khalif Dobson's testimony from a School Reform Commission meeting. Plus, you'll hear music and other local news stories from the perspectives of youth organizers.

Heidi Ramirez, the first Latina ever appointed to the School Reform Commission and the youngest member at the age of 35, resigned yesterday with tears in her eyes.  The Commission will not look the same, not because Heidi is slated to be replaced by a republican, which will change  the face of the Commission, but because she not only asked hard questions and held people accountable for the Latino community but for every community.  

Listen to the latest edition of On Blast, the youth-produced radio show of the Philadelphia Student Union. On this month's show, we hear testimonies from students at the School Reform Commission, a discussion about
militarization of schools, and a song breakdown of 'One More Drink.' Plus, there's music and other news.

Philadelphia Student Union asks you to attend the School Reform Commission (SRC) meeting this Wednesday April 22 from 6-8 p.m. at 440 North Broad St.  In this meeting the SRC may vote on Imagine 2014, the District's strategic plan for school reform.

See MMP and Philadelphia Public School Notebook's coverage of the last SRC Meeting: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Following up on yesterday's post on the Imagine 2014 presentation at the School Reform Commission we now have video of students testifying at the meeting. Here from them all here - playlist - or below.

The School Reform Commission today held a presentation on the Imagine 2014 plan. There were few changes to the plan, and there remain many questions around the costs to implement Dr. Ackerman's proposal.

My name is Cherelle Reed and I am currently a senior at Overbrook HS and a member of the Philadelphia Student Union. Brown vs. the board of education was a trial in which a man by the name of Oliver Brown fought to stop the segregation in schools. The outcome of the trial was desegregation in all schools. His argument was that separate is not considered equal. Now 55 years later I stand here before you today on the steps of our school district asking you are our schools equal? Are they moving in a direction of equity? How would we know?