Group urging end to SRC control of Philly schools

 A child holds up a sign at recent rally calling for an end to the School Reform Commission.  (Tom MacDonald/ WHYY)

A child holds up a sign at recent rally calling for an end to the School Reform Commission. (Tom MacDonald/ WHYY)

A group calling for the end of Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission went to City Hall to again call for restoring district control to the city.

Members of the Our City, Our Schools Coalition demonstrated outside City Hall Wednesday. Protester Ethel Lynn Baylor said it’s time for the School Reform Coalition to vote to disband itself.”The SRC has not been accountable to the parents, to the children of our school district,” she said. “And we need somebody who is going to have a vested interest in our kids.”Commissioner Estelle Richman said she is not ruling out an end of the SRC, which was put in charge of  the school district in 2001. The governor appoints three members, while the mayor appoints two commissioners.”I wish it were as simple and uncomplex as people would like it to be, but there are factors we need to consider,” Richman said. “I think we will take it very seriously and come up with what will represent local control for Philadelphia.”Factors Richman cited include what bond rating agencies would think of the change.

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