Press

PFT PRESIDENT JERRY T. JORDAN ON PA HOUSE PASSAGE OF HISTORIC FUNDING BILL

June 10, 2024

Following a coalition lobby day and the PA House's passage of an historic funding bill for public education, PFT President Jerry T. Jordan released the following statement:

PHILADELPHIA-- "Once again, PA House Democrats have delivered. Their passage of the historic funding bill that would enact a multi-year plan to truly meet this moment is monumental. I commend the House Democratic leadership for their thoughtful and comprehensive approach to implementing a multi-year plan to meet this moment. Speaker Joanna McClinton has been a relentless advocate for public education, and

PFT PRESIDENT JERRY T. JORDAN ON SHOOTING THAT INJURED THREE, INCLUDING DISTRICT STUDENT, TEACHER

May 23, 2024

Following a triple shooting this afternoon that injured three, including an 8-year-old student and a teacher, PFT President Jerry T. Jordan issued the following statement:

PHILADELPHIA-- "I am horrified by another act of senseless gun violence in our city, this time a triple shooting that left three individuals wounded--including an 8-year-old student at Elkin Elementary and a beloved teacher at Conwell Middle School.

"Our students, staff, and families need and deserve to feel safe--but today, a random shooting shortly after schools dismissed once again showed that so much

PFT PRESIDENT JERRY T. JORDAN ON PASSING OF FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND CHAIR OF HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE JIM ROEBUCK

May 16, 2024

PFT President Jerry T. Jordan issued the following statement on the passing of former State Representative Jim Roebuck:

PHILADELPHIA-- "Representative Jim Roebuck was a good man with a deep and unfailing commitment to public education, to his constituents, and to the city and commonwealth at large. I am saddened by the loss of a friend and a champion for so many of the issues we fight for every day.

Representative Jim Roebuck and PFT President Jerry T. Jordan, March 29, 2014

"For years, Representative Jim Roebuck was a mainstay in the fight for full and fair funding for public education. Not only was he always on the front lines speaking out

May 8, 2024

Following the murder of Ondria Glaze, a special education teacher and SPECM at Olney High School, PFT President Jerry T. Jordan issued the following statement:

PHILADELPHIA-- "I am deeply saddened by the murder of Ondria Glaze, a special education teacher and SPECM (Special Education Compliance Monitor) at Olney High School. On behalf of all of our members, we mourn for Ms. Glaze, for her family, for the Olney High School community, and for all who knew and loved her.

"There are no words that could possibly capture this level of loss, and our deep condolences are insufficient

Coalition of Labor, Faith Groups, and Education Advocates Urge House Leadership to Act on Court Public Education Funding Ruling

Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Jerry T. Jordan emphasized, "The time is now to once and for all address the decades-long underfunding of our schools. Our students need, deserve, and are constitutionally and morally entitled to a thorough and efficient system of public education. With the funding case now decided with finality, and the Basic Education Funding Commission having completed its review, the legislature must enact a multi-year plan this year that meets the moment.”

April 29, 2024

Following Mayor Cherelle L. Parker's subsequent appointment of Joyce Wilkerson to fill the vacant School Board position, PFT President Jerry T. Jordan issued the following statement:

PHILADELPHIA-- "Right is right. And Mayor Cherelle L. Parker was right to nominate Joyce Wilkerson to the first School Board under the Parker administration. Mayor Parker was right to continue to push for Joyce Wilkerson's reappointment, despite tremendous headwinds.

"And Mayor Parker was absolutely right in appointing Joyce Wilkerson to fill the vacant position left upon Council's misguided

April 28, 2024

Regarding the delay in moving forward with the nomination of Joyce Wilkerson to the School Board, PFT President Jerry T. Jordan issued the following statement:

PHILADELPHIA-- "I urge members of City Council to advance the nomination of Joyce Wilkerson to the School Board of Philadelphia.

"As I shared in my letter to every member of Council last week, Ms. Wilkerson has been laser focused on ensuring that our District has the resources that are needed to ensure our students’ success. As the District has worked to claw its way back from the devastation of the Corbett

PFT, PARTNERS JOIN PRO-PUBLIC EDUCATION PRESS CONFERENCE

April 26, 2024

This afternoon, PFT President Jerry T. Jordan joined a coalition of elected, labor, and community partners for a pro-public education press conference. The event was co-hosted by Representatives Roni Green and Elizabeth Fiedler. In addition to the PFT, partners participating include the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, AFT Pennsylvania, 32BJ SEIU, UNITE HERE Local 634, POWER Interfaith, Make the Road PA, NAACP Pennsylvania, League of Women Voters, Education Voters of Pennsylvania, Working Families Party PA, and DSA. Additional elected partners also joined.

PFT President Jerry Jordan Testifies in Favor of "Dr. Constance E. Clayton Education Center"

April 25, 2024

At this evening's School Board meeting, PFT President Jerry Jordan was honored to deliver testimony in support of renaming District headquarters "Dr. Constance E. Clayton Education Center."

President Jordan's prepared testimony can be downloaded here.

PFT President Jerry T. Jordan Joins Solar for Schools Coalition Event

April 18, 2024

This morning in City Council, Councilmembers Gilmore Richardson and Gauthier introduced a resolution in support of Representative Elizabeth Fiedler's Solar for Schools legislation.

PFT President Jerry Jordan's remarks are below and linked here.

Good Morning, and it is a good morning—when we have both our city and state leaders united in a cause that will better the future for all of us, and most importantly for our children.

I am going to be brief this morning, because no one should really need convincing that this program is a winning one.

Thank you, Representative