by Diane Payne
The 8-member Board held its 7th remote Action Meeting on June 25th as the Covid-19 crisis continues to necessitate quarantine. Mayor Kenney has not yet replaced Chris McGinley, who resigned at the end of April, nor given any indication when he will. Kenney has said that his Nominating Panel must reconvene, even though the Panel submitted names of 27 candidates just months ago. Concerns about current Board members’ appearance of conflict of interest (See Possible Conflicts below), coupled with alarm over support of anti-public education measures, amplifies APPS’ call for an elected school board. Until Philadelphia ends the disenfranchisement of its people when choosing school board representatives, it is imperative that Mayor Kenney institute an open and transparent nominating process with full public participation.
Why are Philadelphians the only voters in the state barred from choosing their school board members? The answer points to the systemic racism people have taken to the streets to demand an end to.
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Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools 