NAACP urging Philly voters to weigh in on school disrict control May 19

The NAACP is urging primary voters to support a ballot question to bring Philadelphia schools back to city control. 

Even though the question on the May 19 primary ballot is nonbinding, it’s important, said Minister Rodney Muhammad, head of the Philadelphia NAACP.

If it is the will of Philadelphians to have an elected school board instead of the appointed School Reform Commission, it would send a powerful message to those who do have the ability to change things in Harrisburg, he said.

“I believe we can put the pressure on to make our officials that are involved take the steps to bring us back to local school governance,” Muhammad said.

Getting rid of the SRC would requires a new law from the Legislature or a vote by SRC members to  abolish the board.

The group is planning a get-out-the-vote effort, saying the 20 percent turnout in the past election was “dismal.”