This article was originally published in The Notebook. In August 2020, The Notebook became Chalkbeat Philadelphia.
by Tom MacDonald for NewsWorks
As Philadelphia City Council got back to work for the first time in 2013, one of its first actions was approval of a nonbinding resolution calling for a one-year moratorium on public-school closings in the city.
The financially struggling Philadelphia School District is proposing to close 37 schools in the fall. City Council approved the nonbinding resolution by a 14-2 vote, saying the District should wait a year before closing any schools.
Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who wrote the bill, says Council needs to have a say in the closings.
"We want the opportunity to have inclusion in the discussion about which schools close and to make sure that all the issues that involve the transportation issues, the turf issues that could get some kids killed," Blackwell said. "We want a chance to have those kind of discussions before they close schools."