Philadelphia councilmembers, state reps urge board to vote down plan to close 17 schools

Some Philadelphia leaders are pushing back more forcefully on a controversial school district facilities plan that would close 17 schools, pledging to shut down the vote and even introduce legislation to more closely track the district's finances.

Officials have sparred over the plan since it was first announced in late January. After putting through a few revisions, the proposal has reduced the number of schools set to close from 20 to 17. 

School officials say many of the buildings set to close are decades old and aren't being fully utilized because of decreased enrollment. Over 160 other schools would be renovated under the plan. 

Ten Philadelphia City Council members and multiple state legislators joined teachers and parents gathered outside Paul Robeson High School on Ludlow Street Thursday to contest the plan. You can watch their full news conference on the CBS Philadelphia YouTube page.

The leaders who spoke were concerned why Robeson, a school with a 96% graduation rate, would be slated for closure. The officials called on the district to instead renovate the Robeson building, or if it can't be renovated, build a new school building on the site.

Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. said he will introduce a bill that calls for an independent audit of the school district's budget and how money is spent.

City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, whose district includes Robeson High, addressed each member of the board by name and asked them to "together transform Robeson to meet this moment."

"When the city closed University City High in 2012, Robeson became the last public high school in the heart of University City. And if the board closes it, that means none of the city's young people will be able to learn a stone's throw away from some of the world's finest scientific and innovative institutions, and that can't be replicated at Motivation or anywhere else."

"Save Paul Robeson," Gauthier said.  

Councilmember Isaiah Thomas asked the crowd to contact board members at their email addresses or via social media messages and urge them to vote "no" on the facilities plan.

"We're prepared to sue if we have to sue, we're prepared to file an injunction if we have to file an injunction," Thomas said. "The plan in general, it doesn't work."

Rep. Rick Krajewski said the district has faced "years upon years of lack of funding for public education."

Councilmember Kendra Brooks said the district tried to close Robeson in 2013, but after opposition from parents and the school community, it was taken off the list of buildings to be cut.

"This board, which was appointed by the mayor, is not responsive to City Council and it's not accountable to our communities, " Brooks said. "If we have to force changes to the school board, we will. We did it in 2017, and we can do it again. That means a board that listens to the feedback of the people ...  and right now, that means a board that stops this vote and listens to what the people in the city are saying loudly and clearly."  

Earlier this month, the board postponed a vote on the 10-year, $2.8 billion plan. Council members had written to the board asking for more time to allow the school communities to fully digest what's in the proposal. Stakeholders were critical of the district for announcing major changes to the plan last Monday and then calling for a vote to approve it just three days later.

Other schools among the 17 that could be closed are Lankenau Environmental Science High School and Overbrook Elementary School.

District leaders say the cuts are necessary to make the school system financially stable and improve student achievement. Mayor Cherelle Parker has called the plan "difficult but responsible."

The school board is set to meet and vote at 4 p.m. Thursday.