Just my thoughts on the School District

This morning I woke up thinking about the fact that Philadelphia boasts 3 black mayors. Each one left a dark spot oh this city. Wilson Goode Sr. still is a force working with the incarcerated masses, but he will always be remembered as the mayor who dropped a bomb in a residential neighborhood. Mayor Street who leaves a legacy of making minority participation on public contracts mandatory, but he will be remembered mostly as the mayor on whose watch “Pay to play” came under investigation, Ron White died and poor Cory Kemp took the downfall.

This present mayor – Michael Nutter – will also leave a legacy. I can’t think of one positive contribution he’s made to the city in the last 7 years. In my opinion, his legacy is the most heinous of all. His legacy hurts the most innocent citizens of this city – and our future. His legacy hurts the children. Before I tear into Nutter, let me say this. In my opinion, all the mayors mentioned walked into a situation that was already into existence. They just became the fall guys. I believe that to be true with Nutter as well. What makes me so angry about him is that he knows it. He knows he’s a puppet and allows himself to be used - Him and Dr. Hite. This issue with the school district ain’t nothing new. I said it before and I’ll say it again…THEY GAVE US A BLUEPRINT OF THEIR PLAN IN 2009 WHEN THEY RELEASED THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT PLAN. They told us they were planning to close 27 school 4 years ago. Nobody paid attention. They’re using Dr. Hite (and paying him quite handsomely) to act as the fall guy/scape goat to move the plan forward to make public schools in Philadelphia non-existent. I’m heartbroken for the kids. For too many students, school was an outlet for them - A kind of haven for them to go for 7 hours each day to get away from the madness at home. It was a place where they knew they’d at least receive one meal that day. Yes, sadly the schools had become a place where kids could get the social services they so desperately needed. That’s what Dr. Ackerman realized and that’s why she worked so hard to put the mechanisms in place to help save our children. And it worked!!! But once she started tampering with the good ole boy network and gave a contract that normally went to them to one of our own…that was the beginning of her end.

I said all this to say what? I don’t really know. My oldest daughter just received her Master’s in Education this year. What’s she gonna do with that? What are these kids gonna do this school year? It wasn’t bad enough that they were combining schools and lacking in support staff, now they’re talking about just not opening until October? Where’s the money? You can’t tell me there’s no money. I don’t believe it. Oh, that’s right. They’re building more prisons. That’s the new education system for Philadelphia kids.