January 20, 2023
In response to the District's announcement of a lawsuit challenging the facilities oversight legislation passed in City Council in May, PFT President Jerry Jordan issued the following statement:
PHILADELPHIA-- "It is disappointing that the District has chosen to challenge a duly passed law geared precisely towards addressing the ongoing facilities crisis in our schools. For years, this union has fought tirelessly to address the ongoing issues of lead, asbestos, mold, and other environmental hazards.
"While advocating relentlessly for a dedicated funding stream to invest in the health and safety of our students and staff, we have had to simultaneously navigate a historically recalcitrant district that fought us at every turn. Data and information sharing, as well as remediation plans, have been spotty at best, and the bill passed by City Council allows a base layer of oversight into some of the most critical remediation processes.
"I am committed to continuing our efforts to ensure that every child and staff member has a safe and healthy school in which to learn and work. Challenging a law geared towards ensuring that is wrongheaded and disheartening."
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