Philly school board approves new contract for principals; advocates defend educators amid congressional investigation

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The Philadelphia School Board approved salary hikes for principals and administrators.

The ratified contract with Commonwealth School Administration Association, Teamsters Local 502 was announced at Thursday night’s board meeting. The labor union represents 1,000 principals, safety supervisors and other administrators in the city.

The four-year agreement will give administrators 3% annual raises, along with $1,500 bonuses in 2025 and 2028. They will also receive a variety of increased benefits, including five weeks of paid parental leave.

Robin Cooper, president of CASA Teamsters 502, said that while the union didn’t get everything they wanted, the contract is fair.

“I leave here today thinking that the school board heard me, they heard the concerns for our union,” Cooper said. “We were able to get things together relatively quickly.”

Cooper said that over half of the union’s membership showed up and voted, with an almost unanimous 97% approval to pass the agreement on Wednesday.

Board President Reginald L. Streater praised the union’s work and thanked them for their continued efforts to support students in the district.

“When people come after our children you are first in line with the board fighting for our babies,” Streater said. “I think that matters for this work, so I want to say thank you so much for all you do.”

Defending educators amid a congressional investigation

Teachers and advocates came together in support of educators Ismael Jimenez, Keziah Ridgeway and urged the school district to resist congressional pressure from Washington to investigate the two educators.

Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., announced Nov. 24 that the Philadelphia School District, along with Berkeley Unified School District in California and Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, should be investigated for alleged antisemitism.

In a letter to Superintendent Dr. Tony Wallington, Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, a Pennsylvania Republican representing parts of Monroe County, said that the district is “rife with antisemitic incidents,” following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.

Jimenez is a social studies curriculum director, and Ridgeway is a teacher at Northeast High School. Both had been targets of activist groups, and Ridgeway was suspended in September 2024.

After her initial suspension last year for alleged antisemitism, she is currently back teaching at the school. Ridgeway, who is suing the Philadelphia School District for discrimination, spoke at the meeting.

“All I’ve ever wanted was to protect students in the ways that I wasn’t protected from the racism and discrimination that permeates the SDP schools,” Ridgeway said. “While recently the district has addressed antisemitism, it has not addressed racism, Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian discrimination with the same rigor.”

Ridgeway said that the school district has a choice to make, to “capitulate to McCarthyism tactics or channel the spirit of Harriet and Martin.”

In Dec. 2024, the district came to an agreement with the Department of Education to resolve incidents of antisemitism and harassment in the city’s schools, following an investigation spurred by complaints from the Anti-Defamation League.

This new investigation is “deja vu,” according to Alex Volin Avelin, a teacher and instructional coach in Philadelphia. She said that the district is currently in compliance with the settlement reached after the previous investigation, and this new one is “political theatre.”

“Don’t waste time complying with a redundant investigation,” Avelin said. “Put your energy and resources into combatting discrimination against our black, muslim and Palestinian students.”

Thomas Quinn, a civics teacher at Central High School and one of the educators who came to the defense of his colleagues, said he understands what it’s like to be caught in political crosshairs. In 2018, he was targeted after starting a city-wide campaign to register students to vote.

“Right now, Philly schools are under politically motivated attacks,” Quinn said. “We need the district to stand up for teachers and students.”

Updates on potential school closure recommendations

The school board provided some clarity on the Facilities Planning Process following a survey released in mid-November, asking for staff, parents and students’ opinions about their schools.

Officials said the goal of the process is to modernize, repurpose, close, consolidate or maintain school buildings to meet the needs of the community and the student population.

Wallington said that since Nov. 20, over 5,000 responses have been received. The survey will remain open until Dec. 11. District officials said they hope to get the responses and findings out to the public a week after the survey is closed.