Wow! Did anyone else see this story on Big Ed's show?

[Brigid]

It was at the end of the show. Apparently the Chester Upland School District in PA is broke due to lack of state funds. Teachers are working without pay right now, and will do so for as long as they can. It seems to be an attempt by the Governor to push vouchers. Here's more, including a way to donte to the crisis fund set up for the teachers:

http://www.psea.org/

[bluestateguy]

1. No teacher should work without pay

That in the long run only degrades and undermines the profession. Working without pay is an affront to professionals everywhere. Such behavior should not be normalized.

Teachers are not charity workers. They are professionals who must insist on being treated that way.

[femmocrat]

6. + 1000

ITA. I am afraid this sets a dangerous precedent. They will expect teachers to "volunteer" their services in the future.

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. A blatant move toward privatization, it's been done before

in Australia, where it was called "privatization through withdrawal of government funding".

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Folks in the Philly area are aware of this story

It's downright sad. The District requested emergency funding and the repukes denied it. This is an area where they are about to lose one of last of the big industries - a huge oil refinery (Sunoco). That probably sounds counter-intuitive with respect to those pushing to get away from fossil fuels but outside of having one of the gambling casinos there, that's about all that's left for the city of Chester.

[Blaze Diem]

4. Thanks for the heads up on this story and the link

I will happily donate.
Privatization for the sole intent of profit should be criminalized.
Do we hear any Pres candidate endorsing the regulation of this?

[southernyankeebelle]

5. I thought they had a Lottery there and it was suppose to help for the schools. Can they recall this

Governor?

[femmocrat]

7. The PA lottery supposedly goes to help senior citizens.

Schools have to depend on the "generosity" of the property owners in Pennsylvania. True.

And no provision to recall a governor in PA. We are stuck with this a-hole for 3 more years, unfortunately.

[southernyankeebelle]

10. Well its time for the people in PA to get OWS in the streets.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. They have a casino there

which was something that Ed Rendell managed to get enacted before he left office.

However the agreement was that all the casinos, save the Philly ones, would have proceeds go towards property tax relief (and Philly would supposedly have the $$ applied to wage tax relief).

Most places do take part of the property tax $$$ to apply to the schools (others may itemize that as separate). However, Chester is a pretty poor area and the question would be whether they will ever properly support the city and its schools, or whether they even care at all.

[southernyankeebelle]

9. How sad. When you think that many schools like in Chester are all around this country. They should

be helped. It pisses me off to see the millions of dollars being spent on super pacs yet they can't find month to help the people who really need it.

[blue neen]

11. Schools are going broke, and Tom Corbett still refuses to charge Marcellus Shale extraction taxes.

Yep...the only state in the Union that doesn't charge the taxes.

This state is going to hell in a hand basket, and Tom Corbett is the devil leading the way.