To Teach or Not to Teach

 I spoke with family friend Jeanine Jones and my aunt Awanda Fairweather, who are both former teachers of the Philadelphia School District; we discussed their teach experiences, current occupations, why did they stop teaching, and their suggestions on what needs to be done to make Philly's schools more productive. They declined to have their pictures posted on the blog, but there is some background information about them in the article. Click on The Public School Teaching Experience page to read the article.

Philly Soda Tax: Talk of the Town

This evening I was reading an updated Philadelphia Inquirer online article discussing Mayor Nutter’s fight with City Council to get the soda and higher property tax proposal passed in order to close the School District’s budget gap. After reading the short piece, I decided to read some of the comments that were posted about this issue. One reader that goes by the username of “sdstar” wrote this: Pass the soda tax in a heartbeat. Buying soda is an option, not a law. The argument seems to always revert back to the low income not being able to afford it, which is comical considering they pass nothing anyway using that Access card. I get to contribute my tax dollars towards them enjoying that soda. The property tax was already raised a "temporary" 10%. That was a ploy for people living in nicer areas to fit the bill again for the low income. I'm still waiting for that "temporary" city wage tax to go down that Rizzo created back in the 70's. I'm also amazed that Council is trying to find ways to create money for the school system without even questioning how a deficit of $629 million came about. When Vallas was here in 2007, council ran him out of town because he had the school district in a $73 million deficit. Ackerman takes over and manages to create an additional $556 million in just 3 years but NOBODY is questioning how that was even possible.

After reading this I try to be diplomatic about it; everyone has an opinion and of course entitled to it. I even agree with the comment about Ackerman and Vallas. But what I found it amazing and little insulting was the fact of low-income families’ use of the ACCESS card and the fact of this person’s tax dollars allows these families to enjoy that soda.  I read this comment as every member of  low-income family drinks soda. To me that is bias and a ridiculous assumption to make   I will say, in most of the low-income neighborhoods, there is a lot of inventory of sugary beverages and soda that are being sold, primarily through the smaller or what they call “corner” stores; but it doesn’t mean everyone, who receives public assistance through the usage of food stamps or cash drink soda.

Blaming the low-income citizens of this city just seems as if this person is little bit angry on how the tax dollars are being put to use. Not everyone who receives assistance from the Department of Welfare may have started off with a low-income status. We are in a recession. People have lost jobs, homes, financial stability, and hope of regaining the substantial income they once had. People that may have not needed public assistance need it now in order to get back on their feet. Again, that doesn’t indicate that they drink soda. I’m with Nutter on the increase of the property tax and soda tax, if that is going to help close the gap. But the city also needs to look into other options as well such as salary reductions of city personnel and freezing salary increases. Furthermore, is the soda tax REALLY going to hurt anyone? Look at cigarettes, they raised the prices and smokers are still keeping the tobacco companies in business. What’s the difference with soda? If you enjoy it, you’re still going to buy it, no matter what the price or tax is. Just like tobacco, sugar is an addiction: anyone can have it…not just those with ACCESS cards.

Here is a video from YouTube.com that shows support for Nutter and the soda tax.

Parental Debate: Private or Public?

Yesterday morning, my fiancée  Sean and I begin talking about the future of our one-year-old daughter, Dior, and we shared our differences on how she should be educated.

We first discuss what we thought she was going to be when she became an adult. I guessed  she was going to take on the role of becoming a athlete because she is so active and loves to play “rough.” He agreed. We both agreed that she would be outgoing, loving, outspoken, and most importantly intelligent based on her actions as a toddler. But there was one thing we didn’t agree on – her education. He is all for public education instead of private or parochial schooling; on the other had, while I am for public education, due to what is going on with the budget cuts and current actions of the school district, I wouldn’t rule out private schooling.

Sean thinks that good public schools are just as good as private schools and there is no need to “waste money on the same kind of education that a child can receive free through a public school.” I debated that there are only a few good public schools in Philadelphia and if something isn’t done about maintaining the entire system, public schools may become obsolete. The Philadelphia school system might just turn into a complete private sector.  But in my heart, I hope my thought is just that, a thought.

Sean even tried to persuade me to transition my eight-year-old daughter, Sheamari, to the public elementary school just a block away from our house. He said, “You would save $350.00 a month that you pay in tuition and gas.” I do agree with him on how much money I would save, but I rather pay a good price for my daughter to receive a quality education.

Sean has decided if the public school system doesn’t reach a peak of improvement, then home schooling would be the next choice for Dior. Here we disagree, again. I prefer a school setting. Not saying Sean nor I wouldn’t be efficient teachers, but I like the idea of my children being in classroom settings, meeting new peers and building educational relationships with their teachers.

 I know it may seem a little crazy to you while you are reading this because we are talking about a one-year-old who has  another four years for us to consider the type of education that she will receive, but there is no harm in planning early. I’m pretty sure that parents, like Sean and I,  have these discussions all the time. But once the time approaches on deciding which schools they would like for their children to be educated at, reality sets in. A parent has to decide if you can afford private school or if you have to search for a good public school where they can send their child.


 One resource I think is useful if you are a parent is very useful is www.thenotebook.org website. They provide not only updated news on the Philadelphia school system, but surrounding school districts, political views on education, blogs, resources and publications for parents, teachers, and students. In the meantime, Sean and I will hope for the best for Philadelphia's public school system and that in the next few years, before Dior begins kindergarten, we will see a significant change that will be beneficial to the youth of this city.

A Parent's Public School Perspective

I had an interesting conversation with one of my close friends, who lives here in Philadelphia, who will like to remain anonymous, has decided to transfer her daughters (one is in 3^rd grade and the other 5^th grade) from the public school system and put them in a private school. I won’t name the school, but she described it as it “getting worst by the minute.” She mentioned that the classroom size has increased for both her daughters’ classes within the last 2 years, she feels the homework that is assigned are challenging enough and she describe the teachers’ attitudes towards the curriculum as “nonchalant.”

During our conversation, she brought up the idea of working two jobs (she is a single mother) and creating some other options in order to make additional income. “I have to get them in a school that will provide a good education, so they can learn something.” This didn’t strike as a surprise. With all of the issues surrounding Philadelphia public schools, my friend probably isn’t the only parent with this thought. It hurts my heart that so many people look at the Philadelphia public school system as a “lost.”  My close friend and I received our education through the public school system and are pleased with the education that we received. But times have changed and expectations for public schools have changed. With all the news circulating the public school system, it seems if the fall of public schools is expected.

I recommend for single parents who are lookint to transfer their children to another school, to take look into resources in assisting them with their educational decisions. A great website link to browse is http://singleparents.about.com/od/yourchildseducation/Your_Child_s_Education.htm. It provides resources specifically for single parents and their childrens' education.

School Vouchers: Kryptonite to Public Schools

This past week I read an article in the Philadelphia Daily News entitled “Pennsylvania: Voucher Ground Zero; Will they kill public schools?” and a lot of the content provided by reporter Will Bunch surprised me. The basis of the article is the push for school vouchers and voucher advocates (mainly the tea party) is to use the state of Pennsylvania as the primary marketing location for this, what I call a bias idea. The whole point of the school vouchers is to provide tax dollars to low-income families in order to fund their children who would transfer out of the failing public schools and have the choice for their children to attend a private or parochial school.

So the question lies, where does this leave public schools? Is this another way for school voucher advocates, to push for the elimination of public education?

Just think about it for a minute. These vouchers are provided to low-income families to send their children to a non-public educational institution. Meaning more money is being put into the private sector and this helps increasing enrollment in these schools. With increased enrollment, that means larger classrooms. Which could cause for private schools to place a “cap” on how many children should be enrolled in their schools in order to prevent large classrooms. If this idea was to go into effect, then public school students are then left with few options. Who is to say that non-public sector are willing to accept every enrollment application of these under-privilege students?

Not all students are able to make this transition; meaning they would be left behind. Therefore public schools would lack funding and be left out in the cold without any monetary resources to remain sustainable or to be reconstructed. Can we honestly say that all families would be given the opportunity to receive these funds? Also, what about the educational perspectives of the parents? We can’t say every parent agrees enrollment  into a non-public institution is the best way they would like to educate their child.

The article mentions the anti-voucher Education Law Center analyzed the current voucher bill and estimated that “over the first four years of the program, only 7.6 percent of the dollars would go to kids now the state’s 144 failing schools. Nearly two-thirds of the money would go to kids already enrolled in private or parochial schools.” So you tell me, how is this supposed to help the children that are suffering in these inadequate institutions? On PSEA’s (Pennsylvania State Education Association) website it discusses its disagreement with vouchers,” Vouchers do not save tax dollars. They increase costs to taxpayers, while draining resources from the students who need them most.”

What the tea party and these wealth investors need to understand, if Philadelphia public schools as well as other state public schools were funded properly and were provided the resources needed to operate efficiently, we wouldn’t be discussing vouchers. Why not put those monies into the public school system? It seems to me, the privileged is vouched for while the low-income students, once again, are forgotten.

Here is a video from a couple years ago about school vouchers. The debate continues...

Decison: Public or Private?

            When I first enrolled my 8-year-old daughter in Spruce Hill Christian School, a private Christian-faith based institution I was excited. I thought I was doing something extraordinary for her future. I believed that she was going to receive a quality education in collaboration with getting the attention she needed from her teachers. I heard positive things about Spruce Hill before I enrolled her and so far I have been satisfied.

I believe parents who enrolled their children into private schools, had the same perspectives I had. But in this economy, tuition has become a financial strain for many. For parents nationally and locally the recession has made them think about making the transitioning from private to public. Some parents have lost their jobs or their hours have been reduced (I’m an example of reduction) which it has made it difficult for them to keep up with tuition payments.

Even with transition in mind, school districts across the country are facing budget cuts (including Philadelphia) where it could affect the employment of teachers, initiate school closings etc. This poses another problem for parents deciding what sector they would like for their children to attend and what is affordable. A blog entitled “Private-School Refugees” discusses this issue and the decisions parents are faced with in accordance with their children's education. Parents are faced with a dilemma, including myself, on the aspect on how they should educate their child; it seems that the private schools and the public school districts are not making it any easier.