Mayor Kenney Weighs In On If It's Time For SRC To Dissolve Itself
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With two of its five members resigning, there are renewed calls for the state panel running Philadelphia schools to dissolve itself. But Mayor Kenney says, not so fast.
A lot of people say the timing is right, with the mayor and governor set to fill three seats on the five-member panel by January, there's a call for them to appoint commissioners who will vote to dissolve the SRC and return Philadelphia schools to local control.
But Mayor Kenney says while he favors a local school board, it's best to gather public input to create a model that's accountable.
The outgoing SRC chair Marge Neff agrees.
"A return to local control is important, but I think it has to be planned and done strategically."
But Kenney says one thing that can't wait is the PFT contract. Teachers have been without a new deal for three years.
Kenney says he's appointing his deputy mayor for labor to step in.
Commissioner Bill Green at last night's meeting said the district in June had offered teachers three-percent raises, plus step increases -- an offer that teachers rejected.