DN! looks at a major education victory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where parents, teachers and activists mounted a successful campaign to reclaim control of their local public school system after then-Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker declared it financially distressed in 2001. Under the plan, dozens of Philadelphia public schools closed, and the city saw a spike in charter schools. Community groups responded by forming a coalition to pressure Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney to return control over the School District to local voters. Last month, Mayor Kenney heeded organizers’ demands and called for the dissolution of the commission. This came as the city also elected civil rights attorney Larry Krasner as district attorney, who campaigned in part on ending the school-to-prison pipeline. DN! speaks with Helen Gym, a longtime community activist and now a Philadelphia city councilmember, and Kendra Brooks of the “Our City, Our Schools” coalition as well as Parents United. She is the parent of two children who attend Philadelphia district schools.

Education Pennsylvania Philadelphia Public Schools