Tag: Charter School Accountability

Public School Board Bars Public School Parents, Educators from Speaking and Attending

Board of Education Action Meeting: June 26, 2025

by Lisa Haver

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” George Orwell, 1984

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CASA President Robin Cooper testifies at June 26 action meeting. (Photo: Lisa Haver)

A governing body convenes an action meeting. They listen to a presentation from the director of a department they oversee. The president of the board raises each issue, and members of the board comment and question. The president then calls on each member to give their position. He tallies the responses, then directs the department chief to carry out the action that the majority of the board voted for. Except when the Philadelphian Board of Education does this, according to Board President Reginald Streater, it’s not voting. True, the terms “motion”,  “roll call” , and “vote” were not used. But the board came to decisions on the futures of six charter schools in the renewal cohort after listening to Charter Schools Chief Peng Chao and deliberating on the information presented.  Streater called on each member to state their position on whether the school would be granted a 5-year renewal, a 1-year renewal, or no renewal. He counted their responses, then directed Chao on what type of document to draw up. How is that not voting? Every time APPS members called out that the board was voting, even though none of those charter items had been placed on the agenda, Streater insisted they were not.  The dictionary definition of the word “vote”: a formal indication of a choice between two or more candidates or courses of action, expressed typically through a ballot or a show of hands or by voice. The public’s faith in this board continues to erode because of its lack of transparency and public engagement, along with its reluctance to hold the administration accountable. Now they want to tell people not to believe what they see and hear with their own eyes and ears. 

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Board Violates Sunshine Act, Civil Rights of Constituents

Board of Education Action Meeting: October 24, 2024

by Lisa Haver

Board votes on official items after locking public out of meeting (Photo: Lisa Haver)

After all of the public speakers had testified, and before the voting on action items, about twenty-five members of the audience went to the front of the room, held up signs and demanded the reinstatement of Keziah Ridgeway to her teaching position at Northeast High School.  Less than a minute after the protestors stood, board members and Superintendent Tony Watlington left the room without comment or explanation. During this time, Lisa Haver went down to the board’s office on the first floor, knowing that they would do what they did five years ago when students protested their vote on metal detectors: scurry down to their committee room, accompanied by security, and lock the door.APPS members demanded entry to the meeting then, and we demanded it this time. Haver knocked on the door as the board members entered the committee room; she continued to knock for the entirety of the secret meeting. Several district security and Philadelphia police officers ordered her to move, even threatening arrest, but she refused to move. Eventually they backed off. Board members could be heard on hot mics over the livestream commenting about Haver: “Why is she knocking?” and “Is she taking pictures?” In their barricaded room, with no public allowed, the board voted to approve over $94 million in contracts to various vendors. They also voted unanimously to grant the KOZ (Keystone Opportunity Zone) tax abatement extensions to developers of properties at the Navy Yard and the massive Hilco/Bellwether site. APPS had intended to state a formal objection to the KOZ votes under the state’s Sunshine Act as the board did not disclose in its item how much the KOZs would be costing the district. None of the votes taken in that private meeting is legitimate.  Ilene Poses contributed to this report.

Continue reading about the board’s secret meeting here.

Board of Education Silent on Every Issue Raised by Constituents

Board of Education Action Meeting: August 22, 2024

by Lisa Haver

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Board renews three substandard charters. (Photo: Lisa Haver)

At its August action meeting, the Board of Education passed thirty-six agenda items totaling over $79 million. They also approved three 5-year charter renewals, whose projected costs–at least $85 million total, based on the current district budget –were not posted.  Board member Cheryl Harper was absent, as was Chou-Wing Lam, who has not attended a board meeting since April. At this point, Board Member Lam should have communicated to the public the reason for her third consecutive absence and whether she is able to continue to serve. If she is not able to carry out her duties, she should resign. Most notable about this meeting is what didn’t happen: none of the board members spoke about any of the agenda items or responded to any of the issues that parents, educators, and community members came to testify about. Not one question, not one comment. 

Continue reading about Board of Education August 22, 2024 action meeting here.

Board Outsources Extended Year Programs

Board of Education Action Meeting: June 27, 2024

by Lisa Haver

APPS member Lynda Rubin testifies at June 27 board meeting (Photo: Lisa Haver)

APPS members have asked the Board of Education many times, most recently at its June 13 “community hearing” at Rush middle school earlier this month, why they set up so few chairs for the public at their monthly meeting. In an auditorium that holds 240 people, there have been only 140 chairs. At this meeting, the board set up only 102 chairs. Why? The board raised the issue during the meeting of how they can improve public engagement, yet they have no explanation why room for the public shrinks with every meeting.

Board Outsources Extended Year Programs 
The board also raised the issue of public engagement when they discussed the pilot program for an extended school at 20 district schools. The district sent out emails to staff at the 20 designated schools on June 24–almost two weeks after schools closed for the summer. Many teachers found out when the email, sent by Deputy Superintendent Germaine Dawson, was reported in news stories and posted on social media. In addition, the Watlington administration has not sent emails to parents at the designated schools. On Thursday, hours before the board meeting, Mayor Cherelle Parker held a news conference to launch the pilot program for year-round school, a signature plank in her campaign platform. She was adamant, however, that reporters not refer to it as “year-round school”, saying that it was limited, at this time, to more extended day and extended year services. Parker expressed frustration that the story was “leaked”, but the fact is that her administration failed to communicate with those who would be involved, including the PFT, whose spokesperson told the Inquirer that they were “still awaiting direct communication” from the administration” about the program. The lack of coordination between the Watlington and Parker administration, and the failure of both to communicate with affected parties before the announcement, raised concerns about the success of the year-round initiative.

Read more about June 27 2024 action meeting.