Fair challenge to Pennsylvaia lawmakers

For some people in this part of Pennsylvania, the fight for fair school funding evokes the same emotions regarding legislators as the late-night pay raise did in 2005. Disbelief. Disgust. Outrage. The difference this time is geography. The pay raise was an affront to every citizen in every legislative district, as lawmakers voted themselves raises while the state’s economy and infrastructure crumbled.

In contrast, the imbalance in school funding hurts most the districts in southeastern Pennsylvania with higher population, lower income and higher percentages of minorities. The rural, mostly white districts of central and western regions would actually lose money if education funding was given out according to the Fair Funding Formula adopted in 2016.

The current system that distributes just 10 percent of the state’s school funding according to the formula gives Pennsylvania the distinction as the state with the greatest funding inequity between rich and poor districts.

Research has also shown that even in districts where income is not a factor, districts with more students of color receive less money. That fact has led to the “end education apartheid” protest.

The outrage born in this region is getting louder and gaining voices. The statewide faithbased activist group POWER and the NAACP are joining local school districts in protest of underfunding. POWER was the organizing force this week for a rally that sent 1,000 people to Harrisburg, filling the Capitol rotunda, waving signs and singing, “Whose Side are You On?”

Meanwhile, legislative leaders were attending to other business. Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, who has the power to get legislation to the floor for a vote – or not – pushed through a bill this week to devote more money to “scholarships” for private and religious schools.

The Turzai bill would expand the existing $110 million Educational Improvement Tax Credit program to raise the income level for qualifying families to $95,000 and add an additional $100 million into the program.

The bill passed the state Senate Tuesday, a month after it passed the House. Wolf said Wednesday he would veto it because it is at odds with public school needs.

Wednesday’s rally was to support House Bill 961, which would require 100 percent of state funds for education be distributed according to the Fair Funding Formula. Sponsor Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Philadelphia, spoke at the rally. The bill has 61 co-sponsors from both parties but is unlikely to get to the floor before this legislative session ends in two weeks because it is widely recognized as having little benefit to the districts where Turzai and other Republican leaders depend on votes.

Into this mixed bag of priorities came busloads organized by POWER. The largest contingent – three busloads – came from Pottstown schools, where Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez has been a tireless voice for fair funding.

Pottstown parent and school board candidate Laura Johnson was among the speakers, pointing to the injustice that touches 52 percent of students statewide, all of them in the racially diverse, poor districts of southeastern Pennsylvania. She spoke about Pottstown:

“Pottstown’s schools are underfunded by over 13 million dollars every year. That is almost 4,000 dollars per student,” she said.

“Our caring and committed teachers are underpaid. Programs have been cut. Our students lack the supports and opportunities they need. Additionally, our economically hurting town has one of the highest tax burdens in the entire state.”

Johnson then challenged lawmakers: “If you are a lawmaker, your job is to ask what is morally and ethically right and use your power to help make it a reality. To hide from what you know is right in the name of political impossibility is to fail to do your job.

“It is time for our political leaders to find the will and the courage to correct this injustice.

“It is time to end the racial bias in education funding. It is time to pass HB961 to bring 100 percent fair funding to Pennsylvania schools.”

We could not have said it better. It’s time to do the right thing for all children in Pennsylvania.