Philadelphia – At a press conference on Wednesday, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) asked the School District of Philadelphia and the city’s school board to reconsider a proposal to close 17 neighborhood schools. Union leaders said the district’s existing $3.6 billion budget already contains enough funds to repair and maintain the facilities, keeping the schools open for students and families.
Union’s cost‑saving proposal
Jerry Roseman, the PFT’s director of environmental sciences, estimated that the 17 buildings slated for closure could be repaired, cleaned and stabilized for roughly $25 million. He argued that the work would restore the schools to a safe, functional condition without the disruption of shuttering them.
President Arthur Steinberg added that the union’s plan includes a rapid‑response maintenance team for each school. The teams would address minor repairs before they become larger, costly problems. Steinberg said the cost would be about $175,000 per school, a figure that comfortably fits within the district’s overall budget.
Concerns about student impact
Teachers and administrators opposing the closures warned that shutting down schools would harm student achievement and enrollment. “Where is the comprehensive cost comparison? Where are the students in this equation?” asked Faris Carter, a teacher at Parkway Northwest High School. Union members also called on Mayor Jim Kenney to intervene and help prevent the closures.
District’s response
The School District of Philadelphia issued a statement saying the PFT’s plan falls short of what is needed to keep the schools open. District officials cited declining enrollment and under‑utilized buildings as ongoing challenges that the union’s proposal does not fully address.
While the district acknowledges the budgetary numbers presented by the union, it maintains that additional factors—such as long‑term demographic trends and the cost of modernizing older facilities—must be considered before any decision is made.
What’s next?
The school board is expected to review both the district’s closure plan and the union’s alternative at its upcoming meeting. Community members, parents and local faith groups have been invited to provide input, emphasizing the importance of preserving neighborhood schools for family stability and community cohesion.
As the debate continues, the PFT hopes its proposal will demonstrate that responsible stewardship of existing resources can protect schools without resorting to closures that split up tight‑knit neighborhoods.
Original reporting: Allentown News – 6abc Philadelphia — read the source article.
