Civil and Human Rights Coalition Responds to PA Governor’s Release of $45 Million to Philadelphia Schools

Media 10.16,13

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WASHINGTON –Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement in response to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett’s announcement that he will finally release $45 million in federal funds to the cash-strapped School District of Philadelphia. Last week, The Leadership Conference and several local and national civil rights groups called on Governor Corbett to release these funds and to reinstate and modernize a previous state funding formula that more fairly distributed education funding to low-income school districts:

“After months of vocal advocacy from a broad cross-section of the local Philadelphia community, Governor Corbett has taken an important step in the right direction. Depriving students of access to teachers, nurses, librarians, and guidance counselors should never be used as a bargaining chip in school funding negotiations. Governor Corbett should be commended for today’s action; however, his earlier brinkmanship might still embolden governors of other states with school funding inequities to take a page from his political playbook.  That’s why this is not just a local issue – but a national one. Governor Corbett must now move forward to fix the dysfunctional way in which the state unfairly funds schools to meet the educational needs of students, families, and communities.”

Wade Henderson is president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.