March 10, 2022
PHILADELPHIA—"As the landmark education lawsuit draws to a close, I am immensely grateful to the tremendous work and dedication of the plaintiffs, activists, and attorneys who have never wavered in their unrelenting pursuit of education justice.
"Throughout this case, attorneys from the Education Law Center and Public Interest Law Center have done a remarkable job illustrating, point by point, the inherent inequity in Pennsylvania's system of school funding. Further, from parents to educators to students, witness after witness offered compelling, heart-wrenching testimony on the cost of the Commonwealth's discriminatory funding mechanism. Shoulder to shoulder with advocates across the Commonwealth, the PFT has been an unapologetic force pushing for systemic change.
"And yet, throughout the case, the defense doubled down on their justification of a racist system. From their outrageous claims in the opening arguments that school facilities are sufficient to their overtly racist claims about the career trajectories of our young people, the defense has put forth a deeply disturbing case.
"From day one, the PFT has supported this lawsuit and in fact filed an amicus brief outlining the ways in which our students are denied their constitutional right to a thorough and efficient system of public education.
"A favorable ruling in this case--one that truly recognizes what it means to be constitutionally entitled to a thorough and efficient system of public education--would not right the wrongs of so many decades of neglect, but it would allow us to finally move towards a better tomorrow for our young people."