Philadelphia Council and Union Leaders Urge Mayor to Halt Planned School Closures

Philadelphia students, teachers and community members have been protesting the district’s plan to close 17 schools for more than a year. The plan, approved by the Board of Education in April, would also renovate nearly 170 schools and is intended to address declining enrollment and improve building conditions. The Board’s proposal is estimated to cost $3 billion, with $2 billion expected from public and philanthropic grants that have not yet been secured. Mayor Cherelle Parker has publicly supported the closure plan but has largely stayed silent on the issue. She has not convened the committee she promised to guide the closures, nor has she responded to calls from council members and union leaders for her to intervene. Education Committee Chair Isaiah Thomas and Councilmember Rue Landau have urged the mayor to step in and broker a deal to keep schools open. Union leaders, including Nicole Hunt of Unite Here Local 634, have called for the mayor to be removed if she does not prevent further closures. The district has begun preparing for the transition, with some students already visiting schools they will attend next year and a school transition office established to assist affected families. The Board of Education is expected to vote on a $200 million allocation for priority projects such as building improvements at four schools. Despite the protests, the district’s timeline to begin closures at the end of the school year is approaching, and the mayor’s office has not yet addressed the concerns raised by the community.