This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.
To the editors:
After attending Public School Notebook’s 10th anniversary celebration in June, I realized that the same decade which witnessed the tremendous growth and impact of the Notebook witnessed the death of three key education and parent advocacy organizations: Citizens Committee on Public Education in Philadelphia, Parents Union, and the Alliance Organizing Project.
In a milieu that has not been kind to public education advocacy, we need to reflect on why the Notebook has succeeded in swimming against the tide. My answer is twofold: the advantage of a high-quality and tangible product that folks can hold in their hands, and the tenacious pursuit of a sharply defined mission – furthering community investment in Philadelphia’s public schools.
Debra Weiner
Philadelphia Futures