privatization

by Jonathan David
January 20, 2011—After an autumn of unrest, university students and several of England’s largest labor unions plan more actions, including a national demonstration in both London and Manchester on January 29th to protest the government’s passage of a law to raise university tuition from £3,290 to £9,000, (or $14,200), a year. Students could finish college with £40,000 or $63,000 (including living expenses) in student loan debt.

By Jonathan C. David

Philadelphia — A weekend night in Olde City. Restaurants bustle with diners unwinding from the pressures of the work week, and Independence Park is alive with Chanukah celebrants. This is not where you would expect to hear animated conversations about the benefits or drawbacks of charter schools over public schools.

The U.S. health care debate, with the public option used as a bargaining giveaway, reflects the perilous state of the public sector in America. It seems likely that Democrats will soon pass a health care “reform” bill that locks in the current privatized system, even going so far as to create what amounts to a mandatory “private tax” that helps insurance companies make even greater profits at the expense of people's health security.

On June 17th, the School Reform Commission voted 3-1 to renew the contracts with all of the private managers running schools in the district. This vote came over loud protest from community groups including the Philadelphia Student Union, who pointed out that there is no proof that the management organizations (EMOs) have been working, and that in fact, many studies point to the opposite. There has been a lot of pressure from the state legislature to renew the contracts, many of which were already operating on a one year probation renewal.

Philadelphia Student Union asks you to attend the School Reform Commission (SRC) meeting this Wednesday April 22 from 6-8 p.m. at 440 North Broad St.  In this meeting the SRC may vote on Imagine 2014, the District's strategic plan for school reform.

See MMP and Philadelphia Public School Notebook's coverage of the last SRC Meeting: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4