Students are Encouraged to Speak out at Thursday's City Council Session (5/22/13)

Last week, at a meeting with a City Councilman, a brave SLA junior wept as she contemplated he

senior year and her prospects for college if the City and State don't come up with the needed money.  SLA could lose the digital video program making it impossible for her to prepare a competitive portfolio for her college submission. Every child in the Philadelphia schools is thinking about what they stand to lose and how they will ever be able to achieve their dreams if the adults in charge don't start coming up with some solutions.

We are their parents and we have to help them - help the kids speak up for themselves - speak truth to power. And we have to tell OUR elected officials - in City Hall and in Harrisburg - that we as taxpayers, residents and parents want them to invest in our children's future, in our public schools. No excuses.

This Thursday, May 23, 2013, is an important day for this effort.  There is a citywide effort to have every child and parent to come down to City Hall from 11-1 in a show of strength.

And we are asking CHILDREN - STUDENTS - to testify. City Council, the media and the state need to hear from those whose lives hang in the balance, our children. Politicians always say: education, education, education. Talk is cheap. We need action.

On Thursday, May 23, City Council will consider Bill #130161, written by Councilwoman Quinones Sanchez, which is the first bill proposed by any member of Council to raise the funds needed for the public schools for next year.

A group of parents has been meeting with all the members of City Council over the past three weeks. Based on those meetings, we believe it is critical that we have a big show of support in Council Chambers this Thursday. Our friends in Council need to know we "have their backs," and those who are opposed to funding the schools need to see that we, as voters and taxpayers, are watching them.

City Council needs to know that we want our children to get a good education. And if that means taking a few hours off work to go sit in council chambers, so be it.

Please join us in Council chambers Thursday from 11-1.

If your student (or you!) wants to speak during the public comment period of Thursday's  Council Session, please call the Clerk's office to sign up.  Click here for more information.