Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Endorses Shapiro for Governor

PHILADELPHIA—In a vote Tuesday evening, PFT's Executive Board voted unanimously to endorse Attorney General Josh Shapiro in his candidacy for Governor: 

"The PFT's Executive Board, duly elected by the entire membership, represents more than 13,000 members of the PFT. In reviewing an endorsement request from Attorney General Shapiro, the Board unanimously voted to support his candidacy for Governor. As a body, the Board believes that Attorney General Shapiro's candidacy represents a critical inflection point not only for public education, but also for democracy as a whole. 

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PFT President Jerry Jordan on Full Funding Budget Proposal

January 31, 2022

In response to newly released budget proposal, Jerry Jordan issued the following statement:

PHILADELPHIA—"I am very encouraged by the robust budget proposal put forth by Senate and House Democratic leaders this morning. This package of historic investments in public education is what we need, when we need it. It is past time for the Commonwealth to fully and fairly fund public education and to address the deep seated inequities that for too long have left Philadelphia's schoolchildren, a majority of whom are Black and brown and experiencing poverty, shortchanged.

"With billions of dollars in a rainy day fund, the Commonwealth has the money to pay for the programs and services our young people need. And let's be clear: there is always money for what we, as a society, prioritize.

"The budget proposal itself will not remedy decades of disinvestment. But it will put us on the right path forward. It proposes real money to invest in real, long standing issues. Further, the proposal allows for serious investments to address issues exacerbated by the pandemic. 

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