SCRANTON – (June 30, 2013) – AFT Pennsylvania convention delegates voted to expand its campaign to save Pennsylvania’s public schools, colleges and universities and engage and mobilize not only its members, but parents, students, community leaders and lawmakers to stop the “excessive and unnecessary state takeovers of school districts, and for the return of local control of our schools to democratically elected school boards.”
In a dramatic conclusion to the union’s Biennial Convention, delegates from across the state
condemned “the reckless policy of mass closings, mass firings, mass testing, mass privatization and mass budget cuts” that are destroying public education, destabilizing communities, and hurting our children.
“These policies have failed to improve teaching and learning, and disregard what teachers, students and parents want for their schools,” said a resolution passed as the three day meeting at the Hilton Conference Center drew to a close.
The convention featured Pennsylvania’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Robert Casey Jr., who welcomed to his hometown AFTPA delegates, who represent 36,000 public, charter and private teachers and school support staff; college and university professors, instructors and staff; and state employees from a variety of programs and departments.
The convention was held just days after AFTPA members from across the state joined more than 2,000 students, parents, clergy and educators to visit every legislator in the Capitol, rally on the Capitol steps and, finally, encircle the entire Capitol to protest Corbett-era education budget cuts that have devastated school programs and staff statewide and which have hurt poor school districts disproportionately.
“This governor has forged an alliance with corporate interests, hedge fund managers and billionaires whose interest is in taking as much profit as they can out of our public schools,” said AFTPA President Ted Kirsch. “As a result, the majority of schools have spent down their rainy day funds and have had to cut staff and slash programs to the point that thousands of children are being denied the education they will need to be successful in a competitive economic environment. In short, the present generation scarcely has any chance to acquire the education and skill they need for the kind of careers that will support families and create a healthy, vibrant economy in Pennsylvania.”
As the convention opened Friday, Sen. Casey urged union leaders from across the state to continue the proud tradition of fighting for the rights of others. Referring to the 1897 Lattimer Miner’s massacre in which more than 100 unarmed miners marching for fair wages and union representation were gunned down by police and the 1902 United Mine Worker’s strike, which lasted 163 days and was settled in the nearby Scranton courthouse.
“Scranton has deep roots in the labor movement,” the senator and native son said. “It’s part of who we are. You have two very important jobs: to educate students and to stand up for rights for all people – even if those rights or cause might not benefit you.” He said the labor movement was the staunchest defender of the right to healthcare, “even though almost all union members would not benefit from the federal healthcare law because you have healthcare through your contracts. But you recognized the benefit to all of society and the value of standing up for rights that might not benefit you directly. Don’t every stop standing up for your rights and for the rights of others.”
Francine Lawrence, American Federation of Teachers executive vice present and a former Ohio teacher and labor leader, denounced the defunding of public education in Pennsylvania and the attacks on public education, teachers and union members.
“They tell us that there’s no money for our schools,” Lawrence said. “That’s just wrong. It’s not about lack of money. It’s about the wrong priorities.” Speaking about the third straight year of massive budget cuts, school closings and cuts in academic, elective and extracurricular programs and support services, she demanded: “Mr. Governor. If those things are good enough for the children of the wealthy, tell us why aren’t they good enough for all kids in Pennsylvania?”
She added: “The attacks on us have made us smarter, scrappier and stronger. Its fine to point out what is wrong with education, but we have to find solutions. We have to engage our communities and organize our members to advance the values that are at the heart of the middle class.”
During the convention, AFTPA awarded the Albert Fondy Legacy Award to two outstanding AFTPA members: Community College of Philadelphia retired President Karen Schermerhorn, who has led the union for several decades through periods of tremendous growth as well as shrinking state funding. The Fondy Award was also awarded to retired Pittsburgh teacher and Pittsburgh Federation of Teacher staff member Sylvia Wilson, who was elected in May to serve on the Pittsburgh School Board. Fondy was president of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers and a fierce fighter for union rights.
AFTPA members also passed resolutions pledging to work to make schools safer, to support the highest professional standards for K-12 education professionals.
“We are also committed to getting Pennsylvania back on track to providing every child with the same educational opportunity by championing the adoption of a permanent, rational formula for allocating education dollars that takes into account the number of students, provides for special needs and creates sustainable and predictable state funding for all districts,” Kirsch said.
“When the legislature abandoned the 2008 formula for fund schools adequately, equitably, accountably and predictably, it meant that getting a good education in Pennsylvania will depend on the zip code in which you live and how much your parents can afford to pay. Some legislators have said, in essence, that they no longer care whether there is an achievement gap, a digital divide or a growing disparity between Pennsylvania’s haves and have nots. And that is simply unacceptable to AFTPA members, to parents and students.”
“AFT Pennsylvania calls on all friends of public education across the state to join our campaign to make every school in Pennsylvania a place where parents want to send their kids, where teachers want to teach and where students thrive,” Kirsch said.