Category: Education

Neshaminy Teachers To Sulk Back To Job

In a big union defeat, the Neshaminy School District teachers announced yesterday (June 11) afternoon that they were giving up their strike and returning to the classroom tomorrow.

Its advertisement listing the salaries and benefits of everybody in the negotiating unit is thought to have been instrumental in turning the tide.

GOP Stalls Property Tax Reform Bill

The State House Finance Committee, yesterday, June 11, voted 13-11 to table House Bill 1776 i.e.  Property Tax Independence Act (House Bill 1776), sponsored by Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)
The bill would prohibit property taxes from being used to fund public schools, replacing them dollar for dollar with increases in the sales and income taxes.
School funding makes for about 80 percent of the property tax burden in the state and about 10,000 Pennsylvanian lose their homes annually due to an inability to pay property tax.
Basically, under the current system we are renting our homes from the state.
The motion to table was made by Rep. Eli Evankovich (R-54) and nine of the 13 supporting it were Republicans. Six of the 10 Democrats on the 25-member committee voted to send the bill on to the House for a full vote.
“This proves that property tax independence is not a partisan issue,” Cox said.  “A majority of Democrats on the committee voted with us to move the bill forward.  Unfortunately, we had some Republicans who voted to stall our efforts.  Perhaps those lawmakers need to hear from their property taxpayers.”
The motion does not kill the bill, Cox says.
Cox said that  opponents argued the bill should be amended before being approved.  However, none of these members offered an amendment at today’s House Finance Committee meeting.
“I wonder about the sincerity of members who said they’d vote for the bill if it was changed, but chose not to offer any amendments,” Cox said.  “In my experience in Harrisburg, that is often a tactic used to avoid an important issue.”
Other members argued that the vote should be delayed until the bill was in pristine condition for the committee’s consideration.  However, Cox rightly pointed out that the committee did not hold other major pieces of legislation to the same standard.  House Bill 1950, which placed a fee on Marcellus Shale, was significantly amended after being approved by the House Finance Committee but before being signed into law.  Likewise, House Bill 2150, which would close a tax loophole and provide millions of dollars in tax breaks for corporations, was also amended after the House Finance Committee considered it.
“The committee seems to hold a bill that would benefit homeowners to a higher standard than it did bills that would benefit environmentalists or corporations,” Cox said.  “I think constituents are left to draw the conclusion that there appears to be two different yardsticks used to measure bills before the House Finance Committee.
“Pennsylvania homeowners now have a list of lawmakers who need to be persuaded to support the Property Tax Independence Act,” Cox said about those who voted to table the bill.  “I would hope the constituents of these representatives would reach out to the members and encourage them to support the bill in the future.”
House Finance Committee members who joined Cox in voting against the motion to table the bill include:  Rep. Ryan Aument (R-41), Rep. John Bear (R-97), Rep. Scott Boyd (R-43), Rep. Matt Bradford (D-70),  Rep. Flo Fabrizio (D-2), Rep. Adam Harris (R-82), Rep. Sid Kavulich (D-144), Rep. Rick Mirabito (D-83), Rep. Matt Smith (D-42) and Democratic Chairwoman Phyllis Mundy (D-120)
 GOP Stalls Property Tax Reform Bill
GOP Stalls Property Tax Reform Bill

Springfield Teachers Pact Vote Looms

Regina Scheerer of the Delaware County Patriots reports that the Springfield (Pa.) School Board is posed to vote on five-year teacher  contract, June 21.

And a rather sane pact it appears to be.
According to the District’s website, salaries will be frozen the first year; raised 1.62 percent the second year albeit with a $500 off-scale payment; raised 1.8 percent the third year; and 2 percent in years four and five.

The unions medical insurance contribution will be kept at 10 percent the first year, raised to 12 percent for years two through four; and raised to 13 percent in year five.

The meeting starts 7 p.m. at the McLaughlin Center at the high school on Leamy Avenue, and may be watched on Comcast Channel 11 or FIOS Channel 29.
Kudos to the Springfield School Board and the Springfield Education Association for sanity.
Springfield Teachers Pact Vote Looms

The Ghost Of Tom Joad And Neshaminy Teachers

Tom Joad, the heroic working class everyman from the Grapes of Wrath played by Henry Fonda, is oft cited by the labor movement in its cries for social justice.

In the spirit of Tom Joad, whose California trip was started by the repossession of his family home, The Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania  is advertising the salaries and benefits of the teachers in the Neshaminy School District, who are forcing the district’s children to go without an education in an attempt to get even more than the $107,002 average package they now receive.
Some rob with a six-gun. Some rob with a fountain pen. The latter are worse.
It should be noted that the burden the Neshaminy teachers are placing on their residents is happening in every school district throughout the state.
By the way, not all of those on the list are classroom teachers. They include gym teachers, guidance counselors and librarians all of whom get the same rate.
Here is a link to a downloadable pdf list of the names, salaries and benefits.

Proposed Springfield School Budget Would Hike Taxes $110 For Average Homeowner

Regina  Scheerer attended tonight’s (May 10) Springfield (Delco) School Board where the final budget was presented. 

She says it would increase property taxes 2.7 percent   28.730 mills which would mean the average homeowner would pay $110 more than last year.

Last year’s increase was 2.76% at 27.975 mills.

Say says the new 5-year teacher contract will be a factor, but will not cause an increase above what is proposed.

She says that a public comment on the budget will be taken at a hearing 5:30 p.m., next Thursday at the McLaughlin Center.

The proposed budget can be found at  at www.ssdcougars.org, under District, Financial Information, then Budget.

It will also be available at the Township Library.

  

Springfield School Board Mum On 5-Year SEA Pact

This report comes from citizen activist Regina Scheerer

As you have heard by now, the Springfield (Pa) School District and the Springfield Education Association have reached a tentative agreement on a 5-year contract.

No information will be given until the teachers ratify the agreement, and then it will be presented to the School Board.

I encourage you to attend or watch the School Board meetings this month.

The final proposed budget for school year 2012-2013 will also be presented to the School Board.

Public comment is welcome at the beginning of the meetings.

 The School Board meetings this month are on Thursday, May 10, and Thursday, May 24, at 7 p.m. at the McLaughlin Center on Leamy Avenue

There will be a public meeting on the 2012-2013 school budget on Thursday, May 17, at 7 p.m.

The proposed final budget is not yet posted online.

Watch for it on www.ssdcougars.org under the District heading, Financial Information, then Budget, after the May 10 meeting.

You may watch the School Board meetings on Ch 11 Comcast or Ch 29 Fios.

The Springfield School Board Finance Committee will meet on Monday, May 21, at 6 p.m. at the McLaughlin Center to finalize the 2012-2013 school budget.

The public is welcome and may comment.

The Springfield Board of Commissioners will meet on Tuesday, May 8, at 8 PM at the Township Building.

Public comment is welcome at the end of the meeting.

You may watch the proceedings on Ch 10 Comcast or Ch 30 Verizon.

Springfield School Board Mum On 5-Year SEA Pact

Rally Against Home Tax Tyranny Is Monday

Rep. Jim Cox (R-129) is asking those planning on attending his rally on  Monday, May 7, in support of House Bill 1776 to RSVP at his website.

HB 1776 would stop property taxes from being used to fund public schools hence making it easier for those on fixed incomes or out of work to save their homes, and be of great benefit to family famers

The school funding mechanism would be replaced with other taxes.

Most Americans Think Public Schools Fail

A poll by Rasmussen Reports shows that 64 percent of Americans strongly believe that most high school graduates lack the skills need for college or a job.

Just 21 percent think that the graduates have the skills while 16 percent aren’t sure.
Rasmussen notes that most Americans also believe  that students who are home-schooled learn more than those in the public schools.  
So why do we spend more per child on education than everyone else but have schools that are objectively a failure? If you score a 21 on your test your are going to get an “F” after all. At least traditionally. Who knows now? One suspects the catered-lunch-loving, SUV driving administrators and educrat establishment will figure out a way to get you a diploma just to keep the milk flowing to them.
Why do we keep voting for politicians — especially in Pennsylvania — who ignore the wishes of their constituents but not those of educrat lobbyists by bending over backward to protect the bad teachers while refusing to reward the good ones?
Don’t ever underestimate the degree of legal corruption in this nation. One has come to suspect that most people who enter “public service” are doing it solely to increase their own wealth and power at the expense of those who want to live in peace and brotherhood with their neighbors.
Why do Pennsylvania legislators get a base salary of $80,000  plus per diems, health insurance  and a real sweet retirement plan?

Schools Stay Open But Church Must End Choice Hypocrisy

I always try to check my emotions at the door when I begin a column. That’s why I rarely write in the first person. But, hey, I’m also human and a Philly Catholic, so I shed a few tears of joy when it was recently announced that four diocesan high schools and 18 elementary schools were reprieved from their death sentence and would remain open.
I didn’t go to Bonner (mine was the other Augustinian school, Malvern), but a brother, an uncle and a bunch of my friends did. (In fact, my uncle was a member of Bonner’s first graduating class and has three Prendergast – yes, Prendergast – football letters. How’s that for trivia?). And I have an aunt who’s a grad of the school that has, perhaps, the greatest tradition of all – West Catholic.
(Quick tangent: I’m a graduate of Annunciation BVM grade school in Havertown, which a niece and nephew presently attend. Despite meeting or exceeding all of the thresholds laid out by Bishop McFadden in 2009 to remain open, Annunciation is nonetheless being closed. Ignoring the wishes of his congregation, the pastor refused to appeal. Scores of parishioners, encouraged by the 75 percent success rate of the schools that did appeal, as well as West Catholic remaining open even though it did not appeal, have taken their case directly to Archbishop Chaput. You can read their detailed appeal on PaWatercooler.com
Now that a short-term victory for many schools has been achieved, it’s time to push emotion aside and take an objective look at the situation, where more questions than answers remain. What changed? What transpired in 30 days that allowed almost half of the schools to stay open? Was it “faulty information” that the Blue Ribbon Commission received, as some readers allege? Or was it a few deep-pocketed donors stepping up to the plate? And if so, is relying on a handful of wealthy individuals really a sustainable financial solution?
It seems quite a stretch that bad information could be the reason for the turnaround. For that to be true, many schools must have submitted data painting a very negative picture – information subsequently determined to be incorrect (hence the reversals). Outside of a few pastors who lack the desire or energy to further the mission of Catholic education, that scenario doesn’t stand up to the common sense test, since most schools would obviously put their best foot forward in their quest to stay open.
So either the Commission did not request the right information, or completely dropped the ball in analyzing the documents it did receive (as referenced in last week’s column). Either way, given that the Commission’s decisions affected the lives of so many, Philadelphia Catholics had every right to expect more, especially given the composition of the Commission. Its members included former top executives of some of America’s largest banks and insurance companies who were familiar with making tough financial decisions. Something just doesn’t add up, and, fair or not, that is fostering cynicism and fear that future closings are inevitable.
Of course, there is another possibility – that the Commission simply never bothered (or wasn’t allowed?) to contact many of the schools in question. Since more than a few pastors confidentially enlightened me to that situation – why would they lie about something so easily verifiable? – it tends to further cloud the entire decision-making process, both closures and reprieves. And why on earth, if the Commission/Archdiocese realized that the data was incomplete and/or their methodologies flawed, would they not postpone the original announcement in January until they got their house in order?
As a result, many faithful are rolling their eyes (again), wondering how the Archdiocese could look so foolish, while still not communicating any long-term solution. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that, since enrollment has decreased sharply over the last decade while costs have risen, a viable plan must be enacted quickly, or the same situation will arise in the near future.
With that distinct possibility looming, how can the Church avoid it?
1) Start talking about the positive aspects of the Church, restoring the credibility that has been shattered by years of sex scandals, shredded documents and cover-ups. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest provider of social services in the entire world (and second in America behind only the U.S. government) and administers the world’s largest nonpublic school system, yet most people are unaware of those phenomenal achievements – a massive failure in public relations.
The Catholic mission is perhaps the most noble on the planet, and the Church’s history, while certainly not without its darker moments, is a storied one. From its humble beginnings as the church of a fisherman named Peter, Roman Catholicism became the most benevolent and impactful force the world has ever known. It’s time to tell that magnificent story and educate the world – again – on what it really means to be Catholic, while purging every aspect of the scandals which have rocked the church to its very foundations. Unequivocally, pride in Catholic identity leads to fuller schools.
2) The newly created Faith In The Future Foundation – charged with fundraising and being a guiding force on marketing and recruiting for the 17 archdiocesan high schools and assisting parish elementary schools – is a good idea, but only if it offers membership to rank-and-file Catholics with ears to the ground.
Much criticism directed at the Church is that it is too insulated from the pressing issues, and too isolated from the parishioners themselves. If the Foundation is comprised only of millionaires and politically-connected Catholics, it will fail. That is not to invoke “class warfare,” for having intelligent business leaders is imperative, but by definition, most would not be able to relate to the concerns of the masses (no pun intended). If “average” Catholics are not given a dedicated platform to offer their perspective, the rigidness, bureaucracy and stagnation that has come to define the Archdiocese will only worsen. And the exodus of Catholics will accelerate.
3) The Church needs to fight. If you want a true long-term solution to keep schools open and thriving, and believe the best way is by returning to parents some of their tax money (vouchers and tax credits) so they can make the best choice where to educate their children, you are absolutely correct. But it doesn’t happen by itself.
It only happens when political muscle is flexed. It only happens when you play hardball. It only happens when you unabashedly make school choice the Church’s Number One issue in the primary and general election. And it only happens when you make it crystal clear to all legislators who doubt the ferocity of a newly awakened tiger – one that has shed its paper skin – that they will reap the whirlwind for that miscalculation.
Seems common sense, yet the church has been doing the complete opposite. For over a year, Freindly Fire and others have been successfully battling clueless church factions who have been pushing “educational reform” legislation (Senate Bill 1) that would neither educate nor reform. It’s such a worthless bill – written while Ed Rendell was still governor and not amended to include the middle class (at all) despite an infinitely more favorable Legislature and pro-school choice Gov. Tom Corbett – that, had it been passed a year ago, virtually none of the schools slated for closure would have been saved. School choice bills affecting just low-income families are born losers; only when the middle class is comprehensively included will there b
e light at the end of the tunnel to help Catholic schools survive and prosper.
Ironically, the Church – through its lobbying arm, the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference – hurt itself by backing the wrong bill and not being truthful that the middle class was excluded from that legislation. Upon learning that the bill would never affect them or help keep their schools open, many Catholics reacted with palpable anger, setting off another wholly preventable firestorm. One step forward and three back is not the way to achieve political success.
What can be done immediately? Make an extremely aggressive push to have the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) expansion bill pass the Senate, where “school choice advocate” Sen. Jeff Piccola is selfishly letting it languish (calling it “DOA”) because he can’t pass his low-income voucher bill. Making the sin mortal is that the EITC bill, sponsored by Montgomery County state Rep. Tom Quigley, passed the House by an unheard-of bipartisan vote of 190 to 7 – a year ago! The biggest tragedy is that some of the schools that have been ordered to close might have been saved if this bill had passed last spring. But because of misguided legislative priorities and a total lack of political pressure by the Church, Catholics – and their schools – continue to suffer.
All of the suggested solutions will be for naught if the hierarchy doesn’t learn one lesson very quickly. You cannot grow the church by being inconsistent, and yes, hypocritical, especially to your own people. The Archdiocese has thus far refused to grant school choice to many in elementary schools, instead dictating what schools children must attend. That policy has created an immense backlash, with thousands feeling betrayed since they correctly see the Church pushing school choice for others, but denying it to them. And no amount of spin or enrollment explanations will change that bitter sentiment. Charity starts at home.
Of the countless emails received in the last week – most from loyal Catholics – one message was most common: Keep the faith but fight the corruption.
If grounded church leaders and reinvigorated rank-and-file Catholics keep that in mind while preaching a positive message and a wielding a political sledgehammer, then prayers for keeping Catholic education alive far into the future will undoubtedly be answered.