Several politicians who hold the Philadelphia School District’s purse strings threatened Tuesday to oppose school system funding requests if the district closes certain schools, including Lankenau High School.
The escalation came first at a news conference at Lankenau, where city and state lawmakers spoke out against school board president Reginald Streater’s decision to call a vote this week on Superintendent Tony B. Watlington’s sweeping facilities plan, which would close 17 schools and renovate 169.
“You’re not getting my vote unless you fix this situation at Lankenau,” said City Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr., who represents the Roxborough district where the school sits. “I love you, President Streater, but don’t make me show you: mess around and find out.”
https://www.inquirer.com/politics/philadelphia/city-council-school-district-closure-uber-tax-parker-20260421.html
Then, the heat ratcheted up at a City Council hearing on taxes. Watlington and Streater, who had not been scheduled to testify before Council until Wednesday, were summoned to City Hall early at Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson’s request.
It was an extraordinary move, one that showed the fractious state of current relations between many City Council members and district leaders.
“The problem is that you’re asking us to engage in this difficult conversation and decision with you while simultaneously telling us that you’re not going to listen to us or our communities. That is the problem with the entire conversation, because that’s not what partnership is,” Councilmember Jamie Gauthier said.
Watlington made amendments to the facilities plan Monday, removing Ludlow Elementary in North Philadelphia from the closing list and making other changes, including adding 10 modernization projects to the facilities list and upping the price tag to $3 billion.
But his announcement — and Streater’s decision to call for a vote on Thursday — caught many lawmakers off guard, they said.
While Council does not have a say in the school closures, the city budget provides funding for the district.
Read more about the proposed facilities plan
Wholesale changes are coming to the Philadelphia School District, with Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. proposing a $2.8 billion facilities plan that includes closing schools.
Watlington presented the plan to the school board Feb. 26 and it has already faced strong opposition. It’s not yet final. Here’s what we do and don’t know.
And to see the proposed list school closures and check how your school could be impacted, use our interactive charts.
Each of the schools proposed for closure has its own story. Find them all here.