March 3, 2021
On behalf of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, I am pleased to offer written testimony in support of Payments In Lieu of Taxes (PILOTS) in the City of Philadelphia.
It is truly unconscionable that in 2021, we continue to have to fight so hard for the bare minimum for our young people and educators.
March 1, 2021
"This Union has led the charge in ensuring that when school buildings reopen, they will be safe for reoccupancy. That's exactly what the plan we outlined today does. It was a painstaking process, but this Union has never, and will never, waver when it comes to the safety and health of our educators and the young people they serve."
February 17, 2021
"The School District made the right decision to delay the reopening of school buildings, as far too many questions regarding safety of buildings for reoccupancy remain unanswered. The Federation's position that we are unable to verify the safety of buildings for reoccupancy--and in fact we know that many buildings are unsafe for reoccupancy--remains unchanged. We continue to work through many of these issues specifically regarding ventilation with the neutral third party. Our goal of returning to school buildings when it is safe to do so also remains unchanged."
Heidi Przybyla joined us in Philly to take an in depth look at how to safely reopen school buildings.
Click for more videos from MSNBC and CBS and behind the scenes photos.
February 5, 2021
"Other than sheer cruelty and a callous disregard for the lives of educators and school staff, I can't think of another reason to push forward with a reckless plan to reopen unsafe buildings for thousands of staff on Monday.
"As we await further information from the neutral third party, I have advised my membership that they should continue to work remotely on Monday. In fact, they will be able to provide more time in front of students by doing this. Further, it is important to remember that this half baked reopening plan means that fewer than 1/3 of eligible students have even chosen the hybrid option.