Education

New Board, New Opportunities in Philadelphia School District

• Colleen Hroncich
• January 19, 2018

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney recently appointed a 13-member nominating panel that will shape the district’s new school board. High on the panel’s list of requirements should be instilling a…

Media

Education

News Release: Wolf Rewards Ghost Teacher, Union Campaign Contributor with Cabinet Nomination

• July 26, 2017

Failing to show up for work is usually grounds for dismissal, but for Gov. Wolf, it’s reason for promotion. In nominating Jerry Oleksiak as the next Secretary of Labor &…

Press Release

Education

Op-Ed: Contract Secrecy Plagues Public Schools

• James Paul
• July 20, 2017

Taxpayers were kept in the dark, only to be slipped a $395 million bill—along with the admission that there’s no way to pay for it—at the 11th hour. These secret…

Commentary

Education

Philly Union Contract Underscores Need for Transparency

• James Paul
• June 19, 2017

On Monday evening, members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) voted to approve a new labor contract with the School District of Philadelphia. Scant details have emerged on…

Media

Ghost Teacher Ban Passes Senate Committee

• April 27, 2017

These ghost teachers are teachers in name only; many haven’t taught in decades and will never return to the classroom. In some cases, ghost teachers receive taxpayer-funded salaries, gain seniority,…

Commentary

Ghost Teacher Ban Passes Senate Committee

• April 27, 2017

These ghost teachers are teachers in name only; many haven’t taught in decades and will never return to the classroom. In some cases, ghost teachers receive taxpayer-funded salaries, gain seniority,…

Commentary

Education

Op-Ed: The Cure for ‘March Madness’

• James Paul
• April 5, 2017

While the NCAA basketball tournament had the nation on the edge of its seat, Philadelphia students faced their own version of March Madness—full of drama, heartache, and uncertainty, but with far more…

Commentary

Regulation

Phila. Cigarette Tax to be Levied on Non-Philadelphia, Non-Smokers

• James Paul
• January 5, 2017

Since Philadelphia residents aren’t buying enough cigarettes, taxpayers across the state will chip in millions to fund Philadelphia schools. Huh? Julie Shaw of Philly.com attempts to make sense of…

Media

Education

Taxpayer-Funded Union Politics in Philadelphia

• James Paul
• February 18, 2016

It's no secret that the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) plucks teachers out of the classroom to work as full-time union operatives. These individuals are known as ghost teachers—and their…

Media