Philadelphia, Sept. 28, 2017 – Council President Darrell L. Clarke (5th District) on Thursday issued the following statement on today’s Supreme Court opinion:
“The petitioners — to whom I am sympathetic — in William Penn School District, et al. v. Pennsylvania Dept. of Education, et al. have earned an important victory today. The schools, students, and families who lead the fight for fair and just distribution of education funding in Pennsylvania deserve our congratulations and gratitude.
“The Commonwealth’s children have been starved of a ‘thorough and efficient’ education for far too long, and the current state budget impasse does not bode well for political redress in the near future. As has so often been the case in our nation’s history, the brightest glimmer of hope for justice is within our judiciary. Today’s majority opinion, while not decisive of petitioners’ complaint, does acknowledge they deserve an opportunity to pursue their case.
“It is a sorry state of affairs when a state so blessed with resources both natural and manufactured is so defined by partisan politics. I believe that a majority of Pennsylvanians agree that the Commonwealth is not fulfilling its constitutional obligation to provide every child with a quality public education.
“Again, I thank the brave petitioners – aided by the NAACP, the Education Law Center of Pennsylvania, and the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia – for leading this fight on behalf of public school students throughout the Commonwealth.”
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Council President Darrell L. Clarke is serving his second term as the President of Philadelphia City Council. He represents Philadelphia’s 5th Council District. More information at phlcouncil.com/DarrellClarke
