Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Council Members Urge Mayor Parker to Step In as 17 Schools Face Closure in June

Dozens of students, teachers, principals and school staff rallied outside the School District of Philadelphia headquarters at 440 North Broad Street on Thursday, ahead of a Board of Education meeting, to protest the planned closure of 17 schools in June. City Council members joined the rally and aimed their message at Mayor Cherelle Parker, who has supported the plan but has stayed mostly out of the public fight over it.

Council members press the mayor

Education Committee Chair Isaiah Thomas told the crowd the mayor needs to get off the sideline. "We're asking the mayor: Please get involved. Step off the sideline. Help us fix this problem. Save our schools," Thomas said, according to Chalkbeat. Councilmember Rue Landau said, "The mayor has to come to the table ... to broker a deal to keep our schools open." Councilmember Jamie Gauthier also urged the mayor to intervene, FOX 29 reported, and protesters chanted, "Where's the mayor?"

Dr. Robin Cooper, president of the Commonwealth Association of School Administrators, led chants outside the headquarters, and Arthur Steinberg, president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, joined union leaders at the rally. Parker's office did not respond to requests for comment from FOX 29 or Chalkbeat. Debora Carrera, the Parker administration's chief education officer, said in a statement in August that the mayor supports the plan and will work with the district, City Council and state lawmakers to help fund it.

A $3 billion plan approved in April

The Board of Education approved the district's $3 billion facilities master plan in a 6 to 3 vote on April 30. The plan modernizes nearly 170 schools over the next ten years and closes 17 schools at the end of this school year. The closure list shrank as the plan moved through the board: 20 schools were proposed in January, and the final list settled at 17. More than 4,000 students attend the schools set to close, according to Chalkbeat.

The district says it will commit $1.1 billion of its own money, raised through bonds, and seek the remaining $1.9 billion from government and philanthropic sources. Superintendent Tony Watlington highlighted four priority schools set to receive $200 million in investments, and district officials say they will keep engaging with students and staff affected by the changes. Board President Reginald Streater said the board has "taken the football and have given it back to Dr. Watlington" to carry out the plan, and he has said the closures are needed so students learn in high quality buildings.

Some council members have said they want to explore creating an elected school board in response to the closure plan. For now, the district's timeline points to the 17 schools closing their doors in June, and opponents say the mayor is the one person who can still change that course.