Black School Districts in Philly Rocked by 23 School Closings

Black School Districts in Philly Rocked by 23 School Closings


 

In Philadelphia last week, the school board announced a decision to close 23 schools in mostly poor, minority neighborhoods, The New York Times reports.

The board claimed the schools were “underperforming,” and that they needed to close the schools in order to balance the budget. But critics of this decision say that even schools that aren’t performing well are community refuges and provide important services to the community.

“The school is one of the foundations of the community,” Rosemarie Hatcher, president of the Philadelphia Home and School Council, said at a public hearing. “It’s like a village. The schools know our kids and they look out for our kids.”

Now critics say that children at schools soon to be closed will have to walk long distances to reach their new schools.

Read more at the New York Times.


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