Thomas said he has been asking district leadership for a plan for months, since “this crisis is not new.”
“To respond to a plan to get rid of asbestos and other hazards with a lawsuit reinforces that the school district is working to maintain the status quo, rather than working collaboratively to bring our schools into the 21st Century,” Thomas and Clarke said.
Sarah Peterson, a spokesperson for MayorJim Kenney, echoed Clarke’s and Thomas’ sentiments. She said in a written statement that overcoming “decades of disinvestment” in the city’s schools requires partnership between the district, city, and other stakeholders.
“We believe this goal is best achieved through collaboration and not through litigation,” she said.
President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Jerry Jordan said in a written statement that the district’s decision to challenge the law is “wrongheaded and disheartening.”
“While advocating relentlessly for a dedicated funding stream to invest in the health and safety of our students and staff, we have had to simultaneously navigate a historically recalcitrant district that fought us at every turn,” Jordan said.
The district’s record has been “spotty at best” when it comes to sharing information about remediation efforts, he said, and the law provides a necessary layer of oversight.
Streater said the district isn’t trying to “skirt accountability or responsibility.”
“Quite the contrary. This suit should provide clarity and predictability,” he said. “It should enable the district to focus its resources on the existing extensive federal, state, and local regulations.”
Philadelphia schools have long struggled with facilities issues, including asbestos, lead, and mold. The school board argues that it’s doing the best it can to remediate schools, but that the process is slow-going due to lack of funding and a hefty price tag — $5 billion by the district’s estimate.
Streater highlighted the district’s progress in his statement. He said the district has taken more than 4,400 “actions” to address asbestos in 241 schools in 2022 alone, and at least 168 schools have “lead safe” or “lead-free certifications.”