City School Stories

Notes from the Field
Submitted on June 11, 2012 by Frank Murphy

Almost everyday, some bad news story concerning the School District of Philadelphia seems to be in the newspaper. Budget shortfalls, school closures and employee layoffs are commonplace events. The education of our city’s children has become a political football. It seems that nearly every person with some kind of power or title in our city and state wants to give a good kick to Philadelphia’s schools.

Everyone these days, powerful or not, proclaims to be an expert with their own ideas on how our schools should operate. They say our schools are “broken”. Are they really or have schools become the convenient scapegoats for our society’s unwillingness to take responsibility for all of its citizens? For all of these experts’ criticisms, none of them show any willingness to provide the resources necessary to fully support our public schools. What a depressing state of affairs this all has become.

Amidst this political bickering and acrimony, our schools are indeed taking quite a beating. But despite this sorry situation, there is cause for hope. Teachers, those inspirational people who do the real work of educating our children, haven’t surrendered to the chaos that threatens to overwhelm our school district.

Teachers continue to walk into their classrooms every day and help their children to learn and grow. They know how to plant the seeds of wonder and excitement in their children’s minds. They lovingly tend to their students’ needs, cultivating their development so that the habits of critical thinking and communication can take root.

Educators draw inspiration for their work from other great educators. Our role models aren’t famous business people, billionaires or ambitious politicians. We admire people who have both the commitment and skill to help children find the power of their potential.

It’s been another long and stressful school year. Thank you to all of the great teachers of our city who make our schools a good place for our children to learn and grow. And as you deal with the final details of closing out another year, take a moment to reflect on why you have chosen to be a teacher.

Here is a great song to listen to as you renew your resolve. It is a musical compilation of the words of Fred Rogers, a revered and truly inspirational teacher.

Notes from the Field

Submitted by Frank Murphy on June 5, 2011

If you haven’t seen Benjamin Herold’s recent post at the Notebook.org, you should take the time to read it.  Ben is doing an excellent job of investigative reporting concerning the operations of the School District of Philadelphia.

Here is a slightly revised comment that I posted on the Notebook blog in response to his article.

According to Chief Academic Officer Penny Nixon, “We lack the appropriate funding to provide our students with the education they deserve.”  In practice, this means most schools have no full time nurses, fewer counselors and greatly reduced support staff (noon time aides, school police officers, school climate aides, etc.).  In addition, music, art and extra-curricular activities are being reduced or eliminated.  This is a sorry state of affairs for our public school children.

The situation however is much better at the Universal Family of Schools. They have already managed to operate their publically-owned school buildings by using custodial and maintenance workers who are employed by the School District of Philadelphia.  This has cost the District $1.8 million of scarce public funds.  Universal also occupies these facilities rent-free.  They are doing well in these poor economic times.  Now they have taken possession of yet another public school, Creighton Elementary School.

They acknowledged this latest acquisition with the following statement;  “We are excited and look forward to educating the children in a loving, holistic and nurturing environment, which we embody as the Universal Way.”

The “Universal Way” isn’t a very inclusive approach to dealing with the needs of the majority of Philadelphia’s school children.  The agreements which this charter management organization continue to strike with the managers of the School District of Philadelphia, have been beneficial to their financial bottom line.  They prosper at the expense of the majority of our public schools.

And they call this school reform?   I call it shameful!

Notes from the Field

Submitted by Ray Murphy on May 21, 2012

Dear friend,

All of us want Philadelphia to be vibrant. Which is why the current debate over Philadelphia’s schools is so important to Bread & Roses Community Fund stakeholders. But it’s not easy keeping up with all of the details.

Here is a quick summary of what’s going on:

Next week, the School Reform Commission (SRC) will vote on a budget for the School District of Philadelphia which will include a $218 million deficit.¹

The School District has made some questionable spending choices in the past. But this year’s multimillion dollar budget gap is largely due to cuts at the state level. And Governor Corbett has proposed even more cuts in education spending, while increasing funds for prisons.

In the midst of this budget crisis, a few weeks ago, the SRC announced a plan to:²

• increase enrollment at charter schools to 40%
• close 64 schools in the next five years
• divide the remaining schools into independent networks to be run by private operators

This plan will not necessarily save the school district money. Nor does it address the lack of equity in public school funding. And it may cost teachers and other school staff their jobs.^{3 Read the rest of this entry »}

Notes from the Field

Submitted by Frank Murphy on April 26, 2012

It has taken me a few days to process the latest radical plan offered for reforming the Philadelphia School District.  This is essentially a blueprint for the dissolution of the district.  At first I didn’t even want to think about this proposal.  The notion that the entire district is broken and needs to be tossed out and then reinvented represents a new low in the language of school reform demagoguery.  This commentary written by Helen Gym started to stir me out of my funk.  But it wasn’t until another respected Philadelphia activist asked me what I thought of this newest plan that I started to put my thoughts to paper.

On one level, the idea of creating autonomous networks of schools that share a common mission and purpose sounds like an exciting idea.  If I were an active principal I would consider reaching out to other school leaders that I respect in order to develop a plan. Read the rest of this entry »

Notes from the Field

Submitted by Frank Murphy on April 4, 2012

During this electoral primary season, I have paid little attention to anything other than the hype surrounding the Republican presidential nomination race. Then last week I read this article in the City Paper that describes a “big money pro voucher group’s” attack on Pennsylvania House Representative James Roebuck. A second article also appearing in the City Paper, detailed additional attacks on Representative Roebuck that were initiated by a mysterious third party group. This group, Public Education Excellence claims Roebuck is responsible for just about everything that is wrong with public education in Philadelphia and in Pennsylvania.

Roebuck has represented the 188th Pennsylvania House District in which I reside since 1985. He is an elected official who has won my respect and support. In my estimation, Roebuck is a government official who is focused on representing the best interests of his constituents. He is a humble, hard working legislator, who for the last 27 years without great fanfare has supported the special interests of the people who elected him to office. Read the rest of this entry »

By Genne Murphy
Directed by Kevin Glaccum

The Off-Broad Street Theater | at First Baptist Church | 1636 Sansom Street

March 15, 2012 – April 1, 2012

Frankie searches Philadelphia libraries for her long-lost love, Jack snaps photos of the city like love letters for Megg, and Sam tries to help his mother, Jeanette, cope after the death of her older son. As five individuals struggle to cope with love and loss, they are divided by addictions both physical and emotional and united by a need to find acceptance in the city that lives and breathes around them. Hope Street and Other Lonely Places explores what it means to “hope” in the City of Brotherly Love.

By Genne Murphy
Directed by Kevin Glaccum

The Off-Broad Street Theater | at First Baptist Church | 1636 Sansom Street

March 15, 2012 – April 1, 2012 PURCHASE TICKETS | CALENDAR

Running Time: 130 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission)    Tickets: $15.00 – $27.00

Frankie searches Philadelphia libraries for her long-lost love, Jack snaps photos of the city like love letters for Megg, and Sam tries to help his mother, Jeanette, cope after the death of her older son. As five individuals struggle to cope with love and loss, they are divided by addictions both physical and emotional and united by a need to find acceptance in the city that lives and breathes around them. Hope Street and Other Lonely Places explores what it means to “hope” in the City of Brotherly Love.

Honorary Producers: Annie & Ken Goldenberg

Mary Lee Bednarek	Kimberly S. Fairbanks	Leslie Nevon Holden	Delanté G. Keys	Joe O’Brien

Notes from the Field
Submitted by Frank Murphy on February 17, 2012

I have worked in collaboration with the Clay Studio for many years in order to provide access to the clay arts to the children who attended General George G. Meade Elementary School. I have greatly valued this partnership.

I am an educator who believes that children learn best when they are doing. This is a belief I hold in common with the Clay Studio organization. I love how the many clay artists working with my Meade children over the years have always put learning into the hands of the children.  I most appreciate how they have helped our children to realize that they can be involved in shaping and influencing the world around them through the art they choose to create.

Many hundreds of the sons and daughters of our North Philadelphia community have been empowered by this notion that they can be creators…… a notion impressed upon them by the inspirational clay artists who helped them to shape clay into tangible statements of their own visions of beauty and personal expression.

Most of the children who appear in this video are Meade students. All of the clay murals shown are from the hallways of General George G. Meade School. It was my privilege to appear in this video in order to speak of the benefits of integrating the arts into the instructional programs of our school. Please join me in advocating for a robust arts education program in all of Philadelphia’s public schools. Please share this video with your friends, family and colleagues. Add your voice to the call for fair and adequate funding for our public schools.

Notes from the Field

Submitted by Frank Murphy, on January 31, 2012

I started the new year cautiously optimistic about the future of education in our city and state.  My hopeful spirit was quickly dashed.  Shortly after I posted “To a Better School Year in 2012”, a wave of bad news washed over area schools.  First the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced plans to close forty-nine schools in the next school year.  The Chester Upland School District, which is tottering on the verge of bankruptcy, scrambled to find additional monies in order to keep its schools open.  And in Philadelphia, members of the School Reform Commission announced more bad news regarding the district’s budget.  It was revealed that a $61 million budget gap still exists for this current school year.  Even worse news was the possibility that a $269 million shortfall in next year’s budget could continue to hobble the district’s effort to provide educational services to the city’s public school students.  All of this is unsettling news.

These events have been occupying my mind for these last few weeks. Though I have not shared my thoughts on these matters, I have been keeping track of what others have had to say concerning these situations.  During the month of January a number of articles and commentaries have caught my attention. Read the rest of this entry »

Notes from the Field

Submitted by Frank Murphy on Jan 3, 2012

The latest wave of budget reductions in the School District of Philadelphia took effect on December 31, 2011.  As a result, another 141 district employees were laid off.   These individuals join the ranks of the hundreds of other essential, school-based employees who have helped this year to narrow the gaping district budget short fall by unwillingly relinquishing their jobs.  Nurses are the primary targets of this latest cost saving effort.

Learning that you have been terminated is never pleasant news to hear.  But the decision to send out lay off notices to these employees on the day before Christmas Eve is reminiscent of the worst behavior of Ebenezer Scrooge. The outrage over this action resonated throughout the comment section of a post published at the Philadelphia Public School Notebook.  Also clearly articulated in the comments responding to this article is a distain and disgust for the many administrators hired by Arlene Ackerman who still remain in powerful positions through out the District.   More than a few commenters asked, why weren’t any of these high salaried individuals given notice?  Shouldn’t they have followed their leader out of the door? Read the rest of this entry »