Philadelphia Cross City Campaign for School Reform announced candidate survey and forum

On Thursday afternoon, February 15th, students, parents, and community leaders filled a large conference room at the United Way Building to demand that the next mayor of Philadelphia take leadership in improving the city’s public schools. Sponsored by the advocacy and organizing groups of the Philadelphia Cross City Campaign for School Reform, the purpose of this press conference was to let the city and the mayoral candidates know that citizens care about the challenges facing their schools and to show them that citizens will hold the next mayor accountable for addressing these challenges.

The conference was led by parents and concerned citizens from community groups like ACORN and the Eastern Pennsylvania Organizing Project as well as high school students already dedicating themselves to school reform through organizations like Youth United for Change and the Philadelphia Student Union. The students represented schools from across the city, such as Sayre, West Philadelphia High, Mastbaum, Olney, Strawberry Mansion, Edison, and Kensington, and they all showed solidarity in delivering their message to the next mayor.

Student and adult members of these groups spoke about what the mayor can do to address key issues like school funding and equitable distribution of resources, teacher quality, school climate and safety, and small schools and the resources they need to be successful.

Most importantly, they called on the mayoral candidates to take a stand on these issues by announcing a candidates’ survey on educational issues and an upcoming candidates’ forum where they will have a chance to engage with citizens about these concerns.

The forum will take place the evening of April 12th at Rodeph Shalom (615 North Broad Street).
List of Speakers:

Overview: Debbie Russell-Brown (ACORN member)

Small Schools: William Elkins-Crosby (YUC member and 12th grader at Kensington CAPA High)Ricardo Bracero (YUC member and 11th grader at Kensington Business High)

School Funding: Carmen Lebron (EPOP member)

Teacher Quality: Debbie Russell-Brown (ACORN member)

School Climate: Kenyon McGriff (PSU member and 12th grader at Sayre High)