– From PFT President Jerry Jordan:

“Once again, the School Reform Commission is using the budget crisis as an excuse to privatize public education, one position at a time.

“Voting to give the management of substitutes to Source4Teachers is not only disrespectful to Philly’s educators, but unnecessary. Our District has access to a wealth of retirees who are certified, familiar with our schools, and willing to work as substitutes. Instead of using this resource, Dr. Hite and his administration have instead allowed vacancies to go unfilled in order to save money. They, then, used the shortage of substitutes as an excuse to abdicate their responsibilities to provide services to students.

“The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers is deeply disturbed by Dr. Hite’s willingness to pay private companies to deliver critical services to our schoolchildren. We are committed to fighting the privatization of substitutes and nurses, and are considering several legal actions, including the filing of an Unfair Labor Practice against the School District.”

# # #