Board of Education Action Meeting: October 29, 2026
by Lisa Haver
If we are the leaders of tomorrow, we deserve to be heard today.
Student, Parkway Northwest High School for Peace and Justice
If you are not going to represent our interests, put your resignations in tonight.
CASA President Robin Cooper
Why do we need a local school board if you are going to do the same thing the School Reform Commission did?
City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier
Students, teachers, principals and parents from the 17 school communities under threat of closure rallied on the steps of 440 before the board action meeting. Student drum lines played, accompanied by Philly Elmo. Several elected officials spoke, vowing to fight the facilities plan. Ninety people had signed up to speak: 21 students, 63 adults, 2 union leaders and 4 elected officials. Yet the board set up only 165 seats in the auditorium, 75 fewer than capacity. APPS members demanded that more chairs be set up, promising to interrupt the meeting if people were detained in the atrium despite plenty of room in the auditorium. After initially saying it wasn’t possible, district staff brought in 40 more seats. When we fight we win.
Continue reading about the meeting here
