To: Justin Simmons, State Rep., Paul Clymer, State Rep., Will Tallman, State Rep., Jim Christiana, State Rep., Bernie O'Neill, State Rep., Kathy Rapp, State Rep., Ryan Aument, State Rep., Joe Emrick, State Rep., Hal English, State Rep, Mike ...
Stop playing politics with our schools
Stop playing politics with our kids. We, the people of Pennsylvania, demand that our state legislature take responsibility for our public schools and students. Repair the damage done by Corbett's cuts and commit to full and fair funding so that schools across Pennsylvania can provide the education and the support that our children deserve. Governor Corbett's corporate agenda and reckless approach doesn't work for Pennsylvanians, and we are counting on YOU, our state legislators, to stand up for our schools and our kids."
Why is this important?
Why is Governor Corbett prioritizing playing politics with our kids
Under Governor Corbett, Pennsylvania's children have been hit by $1 billion in cuts to our schools and the loss of 20,000 laid-off educators and school staff. At the same time the Governor is pushing through corporate tax breaks that perpetuate the underfunding of education. This Governor’s radical agenda of mass school closings, mass firings, mass privatization and mass budget cuts is destroying our public schools, destabilizing communities, and hurting our children.
For the children of Pennsylvania Governor Corbett's agenda means:
• losing art, music, physical education, libraries and the rich learning environment our kids need
• gutting sports and extracurricular activities
• fewer social workers, school nurses, counselors, paraprofessionals and teachers and more crowded classrooms with less one-on-one time with kids
• cancelled after-school programs that keep kids safe and engaged
• losing services that address the social, emotional and health needs of our children
• fewer quality neighborhood schools that anchor our communities
This petition has been started by two young women: Deionni Martinez, a 9th grader, from Philadelphia and Jamaka Scott, a recent high school graduate, from Pittsburgh.
At Kensington School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) in Philadelphia, Deionni is worried about how these cuts will impact her dreams of a future in the performing arts. Deionni practices her clarinet 90 minutes a day and immerses herself in the arts programs at her school. But what will happen when her teachers and the arts programs she loves get cut?
"Students talk about the cuts all the time...and everybody is saying the same things. That they stay in school because the arts gives them something to look forward to. It is a reason to stay in school, to get through math class, because here we get to do something that makes it worthwhile. But if they cut out the programs that get us through the day, many students will just leave...they'll be gone."
Jamaka just graduated from Pittsburgh Creative And Performing Arts School and knows how destabilizing these budget cuts are to students. In recent years, cuts to the music and the arts program at her school eliminated a mentor and music coach she had practiced with since 5th grade.
“These cuts are bad for students because they take away the people we felt most comfortable with. It’s hard for students to do their best when your teacher changes all the time. We need more funding for our schools. Students shouldn’t be denied a good education because politicians cannot stand up for more funding.”
We can't afford to turn our backs on Deionni, Jamaka or any of Pennsylvania's children.
It's time for Governor Corbett and the state to prioritize children over prisons and corporate tax breaks.
Under Governor Corbett, Pennsylvania's children have been hit by $1 billion in cuts to our schools and the loss of 20,000 laid-off educators and school staff. At the same time the Governor is pushing through corporate tax breaks that perpetuate the underfunding of education. This Governor’s radical agenda of mass school closings, mass firings, mass privatization and mass budget cuts is destroying our public schools, destabilizing communities, and hurting our children.
For the children of Pennsylvania Governor Corbett's agenda means:
• losing art, music, physical education, libraries and the rich learning environment our kids need
• gutting sports and extracurricular activities
• fewer social workers, school nurses, counselors, paraprofessionals and teachers and more crowded classrooms with less one-on-one time with kids
• cancelled after-school programs that keep kids safe and engaged
• losing services that address the social, emotional and health needs of our children
• fewer quality neighborhood schools that anchor our communities
This petition has been started by two young women: Deionni Martinez, a 9th grader, from Philadelphia and Jamaka Scott, a recent high school graduate, from Pittsburgh.
At Kensington School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) in Philadelphia, Deionni is worried about how these cuts will impact her dreams of a future in the performing arts. Deionni practices her clarinet 90 minutes a day and immerses herself in the arts programs at her school. But what will happen when her teachers and the arts programs she loves get cut?
"Students talk about the cuts all the time...and everybody is saying the same things. That they stay in school because the arts gives them something to look forward to. It is a reason to stay in school, to get through math class, because here we get to do something that makes it worthwhile. But if they cut out the programs that get us through the day, many students will just leave...they'll be gone."
Jamaka just graduated from Pittsburgh Creative And Performing Arts School and knows how destabilizing these budget cuts are to students. In recent years, cuts to the music and the arts program at her school eliminated a mentor and music coach she had practiced with since 5th grade.
“These cuts are bad for students because they take away the people we felt most comfortable with. It’s hard for students to do their best when your teacher changes all the time. We need more funding for our schools. Students shouldn’t be denied a good education because politicians cannot stand up for more funding.”
We can't afford to turn our backs on Deionni, Jamaka or any of Pennsylvania's children.
It's time for Governor Corbett and the state to prioritize children over prisons and corporate tax breaks.