Philadelphia JLC at June 25th Rally to demand adequate funding for public education across the Keystone State.
These "missing" posters were made for each of the Pennsylvania public school system employees whose jobs have been lost due to cuts. When pressed about a billion dollars in tax cuts for Texaco, PA State Representative Keith Gillespie said Texaco brings jobs. What about the 3,000 teachers Mr. Gillespie? Photos by Michael Hersch
June 25, 2013 - Harrisburg, PA: Philadelphia JLC was out at the June 25th Rally and lobbying day coordinated by the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools (PCAPS), which included statewide action in and around the state capitol. Five members of the Philadelphia JLC Board - Bill Epstein (UFCW), Ian Hartshorn (PhD Candidate, University of Pennsylvania), John Meyerson (UFCW), Barbara Willig (Singing City, Philadelphia), Che Zelterman (Fight for Philly) - were in Harrisburg with Philadelphia JLC Regional Director Michael Hersch.
Nearly 2,000 teachers, aides, activists, parents, teachers and members from various unions around the state drove or went by bus to Harrisburg to "protest Governor Corbett's looting of Pennsylvania 's public education system," as Hersch put it succinctly.
"Governor Corbett and his cronies are continuing to implement their plan to destroy the teachers unions around the state and make it impossible for children to who are not wealthy to get a proper education," he continued.
All music teachers and programs are being terminated. No more high school marching bands. All teachers aides, vice principals, and school safety officers are being terminated. 3,000 jobs have already been lost statewide. At the same time, we've been told, a billion dollars in tax breaks have been given to Texaco - Keith J. Gillespie, Republican member of the PA House of Representatives (47th District) said that Texaco will bring jobs - but what about the 3,000 that have already been lost.
The rally marked the 9th day of a hunger strike. Here are some of the six hunger strikers sitting in the Capitol in Harrisburg, PA, parents of Pennsylvania school children protesting the proposed looting of Pennsylvania's public school system. Music Programs, after school program, vice principals, teachers aides, school safety officers are all on the chopping block. Three thousand jobs lost!
Despite the heat in Harrisburg - it was 90 degrees in the shade - there was no heat exhaustion or passing out, because Philadelphia JLC supplied 70 cases of water which kept all of the demonstrators hydrated.
For more information on the work of the Philadelphia JLC, contact Michael Hersch.
Here's some mainstream news coverage of the rally: