Prior to the election of Tom Wolf as Governor of the State of Pennsylvania, I had received a press release from the office of Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter which made it oh so clear as to where the woes and foes of progressive education and funding came from – significant, consistent, ongoing, pernicious decline in state support.

It was so egregious that the City, under Mayor Nutter’s direction, had to come with creative ways to stem the tide of the continual slide of support from Corbett’s regime. I.e. Something was terribly rotten in Harrisburg.

Under Corbet, the closing of 30 schools throughout the Philadelphia school districts because of lack of sufficient funding, has done more to hurt than to help the schools, communities, students. Germantown High School, the only high school in the Germantown community was closed, causing students to be bused across the city to other already over crowed schools, and leaving a gaping hole in the fabric of a nearly 400 year old historic district.
Actually, when you consider that Philadelphia, the birthplace of democracy, is an historic district in and of itself, and should have been given better treatment and more respect, that it received under the previous state adminstration, it’s easy to understand why so many Philadelphians are looking to Tom Wolf to ameliorate the wrongs suffered at the hands of his predecessor.

Theoretically, the recently passed cigarette tax at $2.00 per pack, may provide some relief, as will the latest decision by the School Board to ask teachers and administrators to pitch in and contribute to paying their own health insurance, but by and large – with the state contribution in the negative, there are still major gaps that have yet to be closed. The question of why Pennsylvania devotes more money to building prisons and hiring prison guards than they have in building and upgrading schools and hiring quality teachers, has come up time and again, without a satisfactory response. Nor do there appear to be any plans to correct this major oversight.

At the same time, kudos must be extended to all Philadelphians and all Pennsylvanians – who made it their business to make sure that Corbett was not re-elected as governor. Under his regime, could only have gotten worse, and might well have spelled the end of some very important institutions and quality of living across the board. By electing Tom Wolf, a welcome change and a breath of fresh air, they stood up for themselves and made Corbett a one time governor – sending a clear signal that they are not easily bullied or hyped into falling into the line of least resistance. Others who didn’t take a stand, have only themselves to blame.

Clearly, November 4th was the defining moment, when not just Pennsylvania, but all of America had a choice. And while Pennsylvanians voted for change, America continued with do-nothing governors, congressional and senatorial members, and business as usual. And they’re finding it a bitter pill to swallow, indeed.

Whether or not you have a child in school – regardless of whether it’s private, charter, public, parochial – you are now part and parcel of making sure that the turn around happens, and that Philly is no longer short changed. Education is the key to everything. Philadelphia, a world class city was being treated like second class citizens at the hands of the State legislators. There was a lot of pontification, followed by dog and pony shows. But at the end of the day, a lot of sound and fury with no concrete action. Now, with Tom Wolf at the helm, and major events being slated for Philadelphia, it is clear that the city is getting the respect and support it deserves.
Through Mayor Nutter’s efforts and steadfast attention to details prevented things from being more dire than they already are. Philadelphia is no longer a repuglycon regime superimposed over a democratic city, with lack of support for the things that are essential to being the 5th largest city in the US.

With Wolf as a hands on Governor, you can become actively involved in the direction and destiny of your own city; and continue to show the unity and concern that it takes to make it happen. With that the improvements will be broadbased and wide spread, benefiting all who live here.

Take time to advocate for increased state funding for your children in the schools in your community. One does not need to have a graphic depiction on paper to understand how important and serious this is – just take the time to go visit the schools; take time to meet the teachers, talk with them; check in on what’s happening with your children. That’s the best graphic of them all.

And for those of you who have 18 year olds in the home, whether or not they’re planning to attend college, or go into a trade, funding for their education may still be in jeopardy. As a parent, you cannot rest on the laurels of having elected a new and improved governor, but should be knocking down the doors in Harrisburg, demanding action.

By now, we all should have learned that we cannot sit on the sidelines and allow others to make all the decisions, but must be as involved as possible every step of the way.

NOW THAT YOU KNOW – WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT??!!!

Written by GLORIA DULAN-WILSON

Sources:
Press release from Mayor Michael A. Nutter, October 30, 2014.