School Reform Commission: An Accomplice to Crime

“We didn’t commit the crime, we drove the getaway car,” is the phrase spoken by Dr. James Gallagher a member of the School Reform Commission in Philadelphia. His remarks were made in regards to the school discipline issue, or lack thereof  in Philadelphia. Last year 20% (approximately 4000) K-12 teachers filed assault complaints against students.  I bet every teacher in Philly knows a teacher who has been assaulted. I do, in my school and in my wife’s. Our mayor, whom I support 100%, states  ”This problem is impossible for me to understand.”  Dr. Ackerman our CEO has proposed to reward principals who reduce the number of serious incidences in their school. This is no solution. History proves this is what led to the severe under-reporting of serious incidences in the first place! The way to solve the problem is to enforce a behavior code so teachers can teach, students can learn, and parents feel safe sending their children to school. The bottom line: it is about money.

The lack of discipline is why the middle class in Philadelphia has abandoned our public schools. Money talks and people are beginning to listen. My neighbor spends $14K a year sending his two children to private school. He often complains he wants to send his kids to public school but feels our local schools are under resourced and unsafe. He’s right, which is why in neighborhoods like mine, only 3% of our school population is from the local neighborhood and the majority of students are bussed in. Who knows how much money and how many jobs are taken from the local economy because local citizens do not allow their children to attend local schools? This $14k my neighbor and others do not spend in local stores is a significant drain on the economy.

The city of Philadelphia has been losing population for many years. Real Estate studies prove the quality of schools are the number one concern among home purchasers, thus quality schools are a compelling factor in home prices. The bottom line is money is beng moved away from Philadelphia. The impact on the local economy is why Philadelphia must improve its schools. One has to wonder if it really has to do with kids at all.

Finally, the real culprit in our bad schools is being exposed and it’s not the teachers, it’s the administrators.

Money and people have been leaving our local economy. Driving the getaway car certainly makes one an accompolice to crime. But the School Reform Commission  (SRC) has done more than that. By not listening to teachers, by not respecting the rights of students to attend a safe school, the SRC created an atmosphere where it was allowable to assault teachers and children. No wonder those with means, our clients, leave the school district and the city. To paraphrase Dr. Gallagher, our school reform commission has been fueling the moving trucks. As I said before, I support Mayor Nutter 100%.  I think now he is not only listening, he’s hearing.