Live From ...

The pickets continue. Twenty picketers circle outside the Mint building. Not sure what that chant means. "CCP works! We do!" Something like: This is a good college because we're good. "What do we want? Contracts!!! When do we want it? Now!!!"

Much better are the picketers around the corner at the West Building:

"No work!"
"Say what?"
"No contract!"
Give it up!
No contract!
Give it up!
No contract!
Say what?
Give it up!

They sashay side to side, arms in the air, bouncing, half-dancing, then cheering as beeping cars go by.

Across the street, another 20 pickets. Clearly, there are more than 60 picketers in three places now.

Michaline Mizeraczyk, 54, who's been at the college 25 years, working mostly in admissions, explains that the strike includes almost all of the office workers, too. Housekeeping, electricians, painters, maintenance workers, cafeteria workers, people who keep records, help with registration, etc. The Northeast resident is taking classes herself ... in math ... so she can get another associate's degree.

The ones who got here early are gone ... and now the sidewalks are fairly clear ... except the picketers.

"No contract, no work!"
Can't hear you!"
"No contract, no work!"
What you say?
No contracts, no work!"
Go ahead!
No contracts, no work!
Uh-huh!
No contracts, no work!

Should have gotten some video of this.
Oh, well, my battery's dying .. so signing off.... No longer live from... college strike.

Volatile feelings and earnest questions are likely to come forth this morning as the Philadelphia School Reform Commission considers adopting it's $2 billion-plus spending plan. The Inquirer's Susan Snyder details how concerned parents and activists met with Mayor Street last night to hammer out an action plan for opposing the drastic cuts. "We want to force public disclosure of the true impact," said Harry Levant, a parent association president. One fed-up Northeast family is moving out, saying the schools' budget mess is a big factor.

We'll have live reports and photos from the hearings throughout the morning.

"A vote of no confidence" is the subject of the Rev. Leroi Simmons of Germantown College. "backrookm deals, like we'll put 100 teachers back if you give us $6 mil for our friends. .... I'm saddened by what I see if a broken process ... how can we trust you after many of the promises weren't kept? ... To date, there is still no process for true public input." He rattles off a list of goals the school disctrict should have, like raising SAT scores and increased graduation rates. "I for one have no confidence in this budget ... It's not us against you. It's US for our children," he says.

Several speakers on the agenda apparently didn't show, so next up is No. 5 on the list, Mary Jo Kannon. She talks about attending a meeting that explained the budget weeks ago. "You still refuse to enter into a meaningful open dialogue about next year's budget." She says that "sudden and unexplained concessions" may have "tamed" some voices, including the media, but she still has no confidence. If trust is what you were hoping for, you missed the mark completely," she says to a round of scattered applause from about 100 people in the half-filled auditorium. Picture: Kannon with a sign after she returned to her seat.

We need to rally support from Harrisburg and City Council, says Dwayne Ming of We Overcome. Let's take a few weeks and find more money, he says. "Absolutely no cuts. We don't believe there have to be any cuts," he said. "We have a right to go to the city, we have a right to go to the state and ask for these funds."

Karen Hill, listed as a concerned parent, makes a pitch to save a single problem: ROTC. She talks about it helped her son, and gets choked up as she recalls his attaining a special rank.

Jeannine Standen follows, continuining the pitch for Junior ROTC. "It's a brother- and sisterhood," she says. "These kids get it. They get that there's more going on in the world than their own lives. ... This is about protecting a legacy ... It's teaching them the importance of being good citizens. These kids are amazing. ... They are always polite ... They have countless trophies and awards... We were astounded to find out that the school district wasn't going to pay for this program."

Next up is Edurne Irizarry of the Eastern North Philadelphia Youth Service Coalition, who laments the problems Latino students face and builds to her "no confidence" statement.
She calls for more "transparency and public input" and decries cuts in the number of teachers and security guards and in art and creativity in schools. "Priorities are not consistent in showing sufficient quality for each student in our system," she says, calling for more collaboration and trust. 'Take a step back and establish a fair process that is inclusive."

Anna Figueroa says FitzSimmons High needs more, not less. She's Home and School President but speaks softly, saying she's doesn't often speak out like this. But her emotion builds as she makes clear how much she cares: "I don't believe I don't have one son, I have 550 boys in that school ... We need hands-on. We need all this! And I believe that if we work together it can be done. That's it!" She finishes with a smile.

Harry Levant, Home and School President of Shawmont School:
'This commission has failed the ... children of Philadelphia. ... We as your consistuents have lost all confidence ... The actions you stand ready to take today will only increase the damage.... Parents stand united as never before ... to reverse the damage that you are causing." Harrisburg must not be allowed to take control, he says. He calls for new leadership, prompting applause.

The loudest voice of all came from parent Helen Gym, who might be just 5 foot tall, but packed a lot of energy into her jackhammer talk. She decried the lack of openness to public input, saying the commission violated the Sunshine Act. She sympathized with parents and others sacrificing their time to testify, "ripping their hearts out." She spoke passionately about "failed EMOs" and deals and politics, and threatened legal challenges if the budget is adopted today.
"You may hold the title, but we hold the power," she said, finishing with a call of no confidence, and urging others to stand show their opposition, too. About 50 people rose, holding their signs.

The bathrooms in schools are deplorable, declared a tall balding man who spoke strongly about making schools decent places for kids. The media should investigate, he said. When he'd finished, a commission member asked for a list of schools with objectionable bathrooms. It's all of them, the man declared, and the audience agreed with its applause and mutterings.

He followed a David Lewis, who hoped to help by suggesting the police raise money for schools by fining bad drivers more, such as people on their cell phones. He said he'd gone to jail at a young age, then couldn't continue for at least two minutes, as another gentlemen put a hand affectionately on his back. He continued his personal story a bit, but said he'd like to write up his suggestions, and a commission member said the commission would like to read them.

A representative for the Mayor read the proposals he's been working on:
First resolution: The commission should provide by June 4, details about this budget compares to past budgets.
Second resolution: The commission should hold more hearings that are "transparent" and open to the public, and the commission should supply a written impact statement that spells out the consequence of various budget cuts.
Finally, a call for long-term plans, not only for future budgets but adopting policies that ensure the process will give the public more time and access to get involved.

Members of the commission.

Sandra Dungee Glenn speaks at length, explaining the need to defend the progress in the schools in order to obtain additional funding from Harrisburg and possibly other sources. Martin Bednarik declares he'd like to see many cuts restored, saying he's especially concerned about class size. "Some of these programs are needed and can't be cut," he says. For example, the International Baccalaureate program, if ended, would mean its students just wasted a year of their time. There's lots of talk about specific proposals and recommendations, that, frankly, is confusing. Apparently the commission is considering 5 pending resolutions, including the budget itself, as well as the four resolutions suggested by the Mayor's representative. The first resolution passes.

Glenn and Bednarik ask a member of the advisory staff about a five-year borrowing plan. The speaker explains that about one third of the $890 million will go for new construction, including $67 million for the replacement of West Philadelphia High School. The rest of the capital spending will be for renovations and maintenance projects. That second resolution also passes.

A third resolution, concerning funding for the education of non-public school students, also passes. (The commission then performs a procedural switch of hats, to approve corresponding resolutions for the Intermediate Unit.)

Now that the budget has passed -- apparently with two of the resolutions -- Mayor Street calls in to respond. "I just can't see how the SRC can go forward with a budget" that has proved so disruptive, he says. "These people care so much about the system," he says about parents and other concerned citizens, and declares their voices should be "adequately heard." He urges the committee to adopt two of his proposed resolutions, "setting the record straight and getting the public involved." He praises the SRC and says he'll keep working with them as well as with City Council to obtain more money. Ultimately, the tone is one of cooperation more than disagreement or pressure.

Commissioner Glenn proposes the Mayor's resolution gets extended an extra week, to June 11, for compiling "comparative financial data for the budget year 2004-2005." The resolution also calls for the commission to "make available to the public a list of those schools that are proposed for closure, along with an explanation of how the educational needs of students in these schools would be addressed in the event of such closures."

The paragraph about school closures isn't needed, since no school could be closed without a year's notice and public hearings, Superintendent Paul Vallas explains.

Discussion continues, not on the budget, which has passed, but on what the public must be told and when about the impact of specific cuts, including the closing of schools and the ending of programs. Those are the concerns covered by Mayor Street's proposed resolutions.

The budget as passed includes:
$2.16 billion for fiscal 2007 operating budget
$736.7 million for the fiscal 2007 capital budget
$2.68 billion for fiscal 2007 to 2012 capital budget
$451.8 million for fiscal 2007's capital budget
$1.88 billion for the six-year capital budet, 2007 to 2012

The first, calling for financial comparisons with a 2004-05 and the pubicizing of any school closings, passes after an amendment given the commission an extra week, till June 11, to comply.

The second resolution -- that at least two public hearings be held about the budget's impact by June 20 -- passed.

The third -- that a five-year plan with more specifics be created in 60 days -- was amended to give the commission till Aug. 31. It passed.

The fourth resolution -- that future budget hearings be preceded by at least 20 days of conversations with the public -- prompted a lot of discussion about wording and time-frames. Chairman James Nevels suggested more work is done on the wording before considering this proposal. A commission committee will consult with the Mayor's office.

Amid a huddle of media, commission chair Nevels makes it clear how awkward the budget process is, because the schools have to adopt their own budget before Harrisburg and City Council decide theirs. "We're racing to get to Harrisburg," he says, expecting steps in the next 5 to 10 days.

He also defended his committee. "There have been no secret meetings," he said, stating his it's a great body that works well together on behalf of children. "This SRC works together, works collaboratively." He emphasized that today's votes were unanimous.

He didn't see the Mayor's late involvement as unwanted pressure, either. "We have welcomed the input of the Mayor. The Mayor is a friend of children," he said.

"This is still a moving target," said Glenn. "Obviously, we have not gotten a bottom line on our revenue."