Hello everyone. My name is Audrey Hood. I have lived in the Abbotsford community for 50 years. I have been Home and School President of Mifflin for years. I have been a 13 committeeperson for 21 years. 14 I would like to speak about the 15 prejudice in our neighborhood and the prejudice of Mifflin School. I have seen all the teachers in back of me make little statements to our black children -- most all of them, but one -- to make statements to our children. I feel as though it has to stop somewhere and it needs to stop here. We are tired. We're getting very tired. And I would like to comment on when do a teacher deal with the Home and 111 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 School and then deal with the streets of calling people to vote for a candidate for City Council? I don't understand that. How can a teacher take all this upon herself if she's working in the school? How can she take all that upon herself? She's not supposed to. She need to leave it where it's supposed to be at. I have lived in this community for so long, I know the prejudice, I know everything about the Mifflin School, and if we don't -- we didn't ask for children to be taken out of Mifflin School. They did it on their own. And we're not taking our children out. We're leaving them there. We want our children to have a good education just like all the other children. If you're going to make the school better, make it better for all, not just some. (Applause.)
Thank you, Ms. Hood. We thank you for your 112 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 leadership. Tameria Robeny. Next is Ralph Wynder and then Dan Hughes. That is all on our list, and I will ask if there's someone else after that time. Thank you. Thank you for your patience.
Thank you. Hi. My name is Tameria Robeny. I have a daughter that does attend Mifflin. I've been a parent at Mifflin since 1991. I am a committeeperson also. I have had a lot of problems at Mifflin. It's at the point now where I just don't go into Mifflin anymore. I have been removed from Mifflin, because I was in the school yard one day and Mrs. Schmitt said that I wasn't allowed in the school yard. But my husband, who is white, he's allowed to be in the school yard. I am not allowed even in the building. So what I do now is, I allow my husband to take my daughter to school. I just won't go in there 113 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 anymore. And it's a shame, because I believe that we all should come together and be equal. Thank you. That's all I have to say.
Very, very sorry to hear that. Thank you very much. Ralph Wynder. Thank you for your patience.
Thank you, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and Councilwoman Carol Campbell. You know, I put myself last on the list because I knew that the firsthand testimony would come from those who work at the school, who have children at the school, so, therefore, they would tell the real story. In fact, my involvement in this matter is because of them coming to me and seeking help. 114 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 They felt as though they had been through many channels that were laid out for them to go through. They had asked for help from the school. They had gone above the principal to Dr. Gilbert, whom I met with also and who told me some of the things that he said to Councilwoman Carol Campbell in regards to him knowing that there were problems at the school and even inferring -- or really not inferring, stating that he felt that there was discrimination being practiced and that he would deal with the discrimination upon receiving enough documentation. And I asked him how much documentation. He said, I just don't have enough yet. I received a few letters and a few statements, but these folks won't put it in writing. I actually told the parents who approached me that they needed to put it in writing, and then they began to do so, and that's when they did submit a petition to me and they did submit to me 115 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 testimony, some letters, of which I turned over to Councilwoman Carol Campbell. Not the letters but the petition, of which she decided to deal with the issue, and I'm glad that she called these hearings. I would like to state in regards to a couple specifics and, that was, I wished that I would have been able to ask Mrs. Boyd the question, the lady who came up here along with Ms. Ishmael, I wanted to ask her the question, because it was stated to me by a couple people, one of whom testified, that she was called by Mrs. Boyd in regard to a political candidate while she was representing herself as a teacher at Mifflin. She just spoke about the Home and School Association, and I don't know if she was representing that organization or just saying she was a teacher, but I think that if I would have wanted to ask her was that true, did she do it, and have her state on the record whether that 116 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 was true or not, because that absolutely was inappropriate. Linda Norris, who spoke about the injustices done to her, has a child there. She's been a worker there for many years, and she was one of the first people who came to me. Linda Norris is a white person who cares deeply about all people, and she is one of my committeepeople, has worked very hard outside of that school every election and works before the election getting petitions for various candidates. I personally think that Linda Norris' involvement with particular candidates were not in harmony with some of the members of the school has led to a lot of her problems. She has been told that she can't come on the inside, and she has obeyed that, and that's when she's doing petitions for nominating petitions. She has stated a lot of issues before it got to this point. And then for her to be 117 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 suspended recently for an issue that took place last school year, an issue took place in May of 2007, and only when the school year resumed in September was Linda brought before or written up. And I understand that the letter that she got originally was changed to a different letter the second time. Linda Norris is a very high character, is very sincere, and everybody who I spoke to said that it is out of the question that she would have used profanity at any student or person. She just doesn't do that. And when the letter stated that she did, I thought something was funny right there.
So clearly there's some issues, and when so many people come forward, both parents and teachers -- and I have to acknowledge the fact that we've had two of the longest tenured afro-American teachers at that school who have spoken today, Mrs. Highsmith and Mrs. Ishmael, 21 years and 30-something years, they 118 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 have seen many changes. In many ways these teachers bring a greater reflection on what's been happening than the parents. Parents are at that school for a set period of time and then they move on. Teachers are there administration after administration. Ms. Ishmael indicated that she has been there and seen principals, and this is one of 11 the worst, if not the worst. 12 So there's clearly a problem 13 here. This is not any kind of makeshift 14 hearing. This hearing was necessary and 15 is significant, and I would hope that 16 further action is taken. I personally think that a recommendation from myself as the ward leader, who has seen other principals also and who has worked with the school under these principals, giving book bags to the school over many years and also bringing music programs to the school as a ward leader, I personally think that this particular principal, my recommendation is absolutely that she be 119 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 removed from this school and that she also be given wherever she goes, wherever she goes, that she is given this sensitivity training that will be necessary, because it is not enough for me to see this teacher out of this school and subject another school to what I believe is happening. So my recommendation would be that that happens. My recommendation would also be that Dr. Gilbert -- I am sorry that Dr. Gilbert, Claudia Averette and Cassandra Jones -- you asked about them. Yes, Dr. Brady does know what's been going on here, because five parents, including Linda Norris and Charlene Kennedy and others, sat down at the School Board office and met with Claudia Averette, his assistant. They met with Cassandra Jones. I spoke to Cassandra Jones after that meeting. They are very well aware of this issue. And this is why Mrs. Campbell, Councilwoman Campbell, 120 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 has been forced to call these hearings, because they are not getting any justice and any reprieve out of the School Board system that they have called upon to help them. So I thank you so much for having these hearings. And I'm not going to take a great deal more time, because I know we're after the hour, but I would just like to say that this is a very bold move by the Council. It's a move that took a lot of courage, to call upon these parents and give them an opportunity to express themselves publicly, because they have been getting a deaf ear to all of their concerns, and you have made them whole again by allowing them to come from their hearts and express this situation. And I think again, as Mrs. Campbell, Councilwoman Campbell has indicated, that it is a disrespect to this body and to these parents that Dr. Gilbert has not come, that the principal, Ms. Schmitt, is not here. Someone in the back told me 121 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 that she was not here because she was not informed. I mean, she was informed as much as anybody else in this room was informed. This was advertised in the newspapers. She clearly knows about this meeting. For her not to come here to defend herself against these allegations speaks volumes. So I again would like to thank you and hope that you can recommend something that will be very strong and give these people the justice they deserve.
Thank you, Mr. Wynder, as ward leader and a leader in the area and a leader in our city. And we intend on certainly acting on this matter. Ms. Campbell, the Councilwoman, would not have called these hearings at this time were they not urgent. We hear the cries of those who 122 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 are here, and it's unconscionable, but our hearings can make change. We've made a lot of changes. Obviously time won't allow me to talk about them tonight, but we've had hearings on everything from Ritalin and behavior-altering drugs to the health. They have now a form in schools dealing with health emergencies because this Council had hearings on emergencies when kids were hurt or got meningitis or some health emergency and there was no system in place, because the nurses are moved to three or four schools. So there's a lot that Council can do and will do. Anyone who knows Councilwoman Campbell knows she's a strong leader, and certainly she will do her part, and I am very glad that she's called these hearings, and we'll work together to make change. Thank you for your leadership, Mr. Wynder. Mr. Hayes, you're here. You're 123 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 next, Mr. Hayes.
Is there anyone else? And that will be it after you, ma'am. Anybody else? There are two more people who want to testify and then we'll close it out.
Good evening. My name is Dan Hayes. I am a parent of a child at Mifflin School who is in the kindergarten, and my wife is a teacher there as well. And it's so sad to hear all these things about the negative things. I think maybe we should shed some light on the positives. We chose -- my wife and I live in Roxborough. We have Cook Wissahickon, we have Levering School, we have Dobson and we have the private sector, which most people who live in East Falls send their kids to, is the private sector. As we know and as most people would say, that private is better than public. I'm 124 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 a teacher in the District. I've taught for ten years. I'm in Chester A. Arthur in Center City. But we chose to send our kid to public school for the first year. I like the diversity. I love working with children. I went to school for it. And to hear such negative things, the school is actually going in the right direction. The school has made AYP, as you know, which is what they consider adequate yearly progress defined by their scores on the PSSA and based on attendance. My child has not missed a day of school yet this year. And, you know, he comes home at times and says, Dad, someone called me a cracker. Dad, is "oh, snaps" a bad word? I say, No, buddy, it's not. But I want him to experience those types of things, but as parents, as my dad raised me, you are your first -- your parent is your first teacher, before school. So you need to raise your child 125 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 based on the way you were raised. But the school made AYP. It made in Safe Harbor, as you know, and it's going in the right direction. The part that concerns me today is about today's meeting. I understand that the school -- it was published in the paper, but when I called Jewell Williams' office today, who is the State Rep for that area -- and as we know, the School District was taken over by the state, so it is controlled -- he said to me, I don't know what you're talking about. And I found that kind of weird as a state rep wouldn't know there's a meeting taking place about a school that he services. I made a lot of phone calls in between battling my son potty training today. I stopped to say, Okay, let me call the SRC. So I called Tom Brady's office, and I've been in contact with him for the last month, faxing them information, faxing them that, quote, 126 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 petition that was brought up, which I have, that was found on the Xerox copier at Mifflin School at 2:10 in the afternoon during instructional time, but yet no one made that clear. 2:10 the prep periods go, teachers don't have preps at 2:10 at Mifflin. And in order to access that copier, you need -- I'm sorry. I was quiet when people were up here. But in order to access that copier, you have to have a code to use it. Now, as a parent, I have a problem with teachers so-called during their instructional day making petitions to sabotage the teacher. Whether you like her or not, I just find it really bizarre. So I faxed that to Mr. Brady, and they found it quite bizarre, too. So I called their office as well and spoke to Mr. Brady's assistant, and her name is Ms. Pat Ash, along with Ms. Sutton, and they were unaware of the meeting as well. So it was really strange. So then I 127 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 called Dr. Gilbert's office and I spoke -- he, of course, wasn't there. And he called me a month earlier, spoke to me, and he said, How are you involved in all this? And I said, I'm a parent. And his remark was, Oh. I spoke to Joanne Green, and she was aware of it because she received an e-mail yesterday -- or a fax, excuse me, a fax. And I said, That's funny, I found out before you did because someone I know sits on the East Falls Partnership Committee and they sent me an e-mail on December 22nd. And I have it right here. And I found that kind of weird, that the hierarchs don't know, but yet the people underneath.
So I felt kind of discriminated, in a sense, that if you're having a meeting off school grounds, why only are certain parents notified? I was never notified. No one ever came to me and said, Would you like to sign this 128 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 petition, would you like to attend our meeting? If we're going to bring it out to the table, we should bring it out to all parents. And not to play any race cards, which I think is being done, and it's really sad, I'd like to know is how many Caucasian people were on that actual, besides Ms. Norris, on this petition. That I would like to know. Also -- let me see what I had here. Also, these meetings that are occurring with parents on school time, they're really not instructional meetings. They're meetings that are taking place that are really, Hey, can you come sign a petition, can you come meet with us after school about what's going on. And it's just really -- it's really a vendetta. It's a personal attack against a principal. She wrote up certain people. According to my knowledge, she was writing up people that were violating the code, and now they're retaliatory or 129 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 having retaliatory remarks against her, and it's really wrong. From what I'm concerned -- from one of my statements I heard too from Ms. Schmitt, Dr. Gilbert spoke to her and said, If you get rid of Shirl Ishmael or if you write her up, quote, how am I going to know of anything that goes on in that school? So what's really strange is it seems like that Ms. Ishmael is spoon-feeding Dr. Gilbert. And I think he's part of the problem, because also --
Just a moment. I find that very inappropriate. That's hearsay. That's very inappropriate.
There was a lot of 130 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 hearsay stuff today.
That's okay. That's fine. That's fine. And I believe there are actually e-mails even with that, but that's fine. I'll stop there. Also, from my understanding, from what I understand as a parent, that the NAACP dropped all charges against Ms. Schmitt. Is there anybody that could clarify that?
I'm sorry. We can't have that kind of dialogue here. If he's testifying, if he's through, he's through. If he's not, let him finish.
I just asked the 131 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 question. That's fine. Thank you.
And obviously it has been responded to, that it is not true, the NAACP has not dropped its charge.
Okay. Thank you. I was just trying to clarify that, because that's what I heard. And, secondly -- I just have bullet points. I apologize. I just find it strange that only certain parents are privy to meetings that are taking place, because when I called Councilwoman's office, Councilwoman Campbell's office today, I spoke to her staffer, Edward, and I said, Edward, why is this meeting taking place? And Edward said to me today, he said, The meeting is taking place because some parents over the summer had come and complained about what was taking place. And I said, Well, that's strange, because if we're going to complain about things, why shouldn't we 132 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 open it up to all parents? Never once did Dr. Gilbert or anybody from Ms. Campbell's office interview other teachers or staff members to find out what problems they're having. If you're going to have --
Just a moment. Wait a minute. Just a moment. I haven't interviewed anyone. And don't you be so presumptuous to sit there and say that. I have a right as a Councilperson representing this district to put a resolution in to call for an investigation if I think something is wrong, and something is terribly wrong here.
Now, maybe because you're Caucasian, you don't see it. (Applause.)
Mr. Hayes, by law -- 133 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134
Don't tell me about discrimination. You haven't lived with it. We have. And when it's wrong, you move to stamp it out. And I don't care whose toes it steps on. And as for your dear principal, every tub stands on its own feet, and if she felt this was wrong, then she should have been here to defend herself today.
Please. Because a public hearing has to be advertised in the newspapers, and that's open to anybody.
In three newspapers. So it has to be advertised. So everybody who wanted to had a right to be here.
Okay. And I never -- unfortunately, I don't get the 134 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 newspaper.
It has to be advertised in three daily newspapers.
Can I finish, please? I understand that it was advertised, and as I was saying, I spoke to Mr. Edward and he told me that there were flyers passed out, quote/unquote. There were flyers passed out and put up in the community. So what I did today was, I drove through Mifflin's community, and there were no flyers that were put up. He said they were put and handed out. I drove through Abbotsford today and I didn't see any actual pamphlets.
It's still advertised in the paper. Mr. Hayes, you're not going to win any friends saying you didn't know because 135 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 you didn't see a flyer. That won't help you.
Okay. I'm just trying to tell you that even the staff members -- if you didn't pick up a paper, how were you supposed to know? That's my concern. But I'll finish. I know it's late. But I think before we may jump to judgment on this principal, you should not just hear people from one side of the story, meaning just certain members or staff, but you should really -- we need to look at all members. And maybe bringing them together at the school where Dr. Gilbert can sit and talk and let's get it all out and get everybody involved. It just only seems that there are certain people that are involved. And I think if we sit down, parents and staff, and say this is what's going on and this is what's going to take place, we really need to rectify the problem. It's getting worse. And I'd like to keep 136 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 my child there, but if it continues, you know, I'm going to have to pull him out, and I would rather not.
We have two or three. Ms. Ishmael was mentioned and who would like to -- she would like to say something, because her name was mentioned. Then two other people have come forward.
I'll make it brief, I promise. With all due respect, Mr. Hughes --
Hayes. I'm sorry. And his wife, Nicole Boyd, she does work at Mifflin School. He does not 137 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 work at Mifflin. And also as far as he is concerned and his wife is concerned and the admission of their child into our school, they have been admitted -- their son has been admitted to our school by exception, meaning they don't live within the boundaries of our catchment area, which is just another example of what Ms. Schmitt has done. She has systematically chosen certain families for admission that don't live within the boundaries, and parents who are non-white parents who have been found to live outside of the catchment area have been given transfer papers for their children.
As far as the copier is concerned, the copier is accessible to all staff members, not just teachers, and prep period is during that time that he mentioned. Dr. Gilbert and I are not having any kind of relationship, I said 138 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 emphatically earlier. In addition to that, in addition to that, Ms. Schmitt made an assumption early on when she first met me that my name is spelled S-H-I-R-L as Dr. Gilbert's name is also -- his first name is spelled S-H-I-R-L, and the first conversation that I had with her was that she said, Oh, you know my boss. I didn't know that gentleman. I knew nothing of him. She made an assumption that we knew each other. And in closing, there is definitely a problem at Mifflin. It is obvious, and no one is doing anything in a vacuum. We're bringing it all out, and I think this is time for it to be addressed. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much. 139 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Two people wanted to testify. You quickly and the person on the front row, and then we will close out. Is that satisfactory? Thank you.
Hi, Councilwoman Blackwell. My name is Davonn Bang. I am actually a representative of State Rep Jewell Williams. I am his legislative intern. It is very correct that Mr. Williams did not have the knowledge of this meeting that was going on tonight, and that's mainly due because he was out for about two weeks prior with the passing of his mother. So he did not know about this. However, now that he is well informed, he did send me to find out what was going on and to listen to the hearings tonight, and he plans to be very active at this point with the situation. However, aside from that, speaking on behalf of myself and not the Representative, I would just like to say this: I am a 25-year-old woman who went 140 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 to school in the Philadelphia Public School District. As I was sitting here watching this, it's just -- it just amazes me how over 475 years ago we've had the same similar problems. We had the civil rights movement and we've had several things that has happened throughout our nation's history to show that there really shouldn't be a color barrier because we're all equal. We can all do the same things. And to me, I don't look at white, I don't look at black. I do look at the fact that through my education career, it was very hard for me. At one point my mother was a drug addict and I had to depend solely on my grandmother. Now, because my grandmother was such a strong figure in my life, she did balance me out. However, my teachers also played a part in balancing me out, and not all my teachers were black. They were also white. Two of the strongest figures were white, and they supported me throughout 141 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 my years. I say that to say it is disgusting to know that a person like me who did not have certain advantages, I look to my teachers for some inspiration, because every child that comes into those schools are not from blessed or privileged families. They need to find some kind of balance somewhere, and our teachers provide that. And the fact that we have this going on in our schools now where we have somewhat of a segregation going on, it's amazing. And like one of the constituents said, it's the children that suffer. If I didn't have that balance, I wouldn't be the person that I am today. And the fact that we can't get along or come to some kind of conclusion when it deals with our children, who are slipping through the cracks -- I mean, all we have to do is look at the news. Did you see how many children got killed this year alone? You guys could be the bridge that 142 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 helps them make it out of that. Now, if you have students who don't even have a balanced home life come to school for some kind of salvation or some kind of comfort, if they can't even look at the teachers because the teachers aren't getting along, how do you want the kids to act?
Because they're looking at all of you guys not even being able to be cohesive because a person is black or someone is white or I'm a monkey with a tail or either I'm a cracker with blue eyes and blond hair. How do you want them to act? So when you get upset about them acting out and they're being bad, well, just look at yourselves, because you're doing the same thing.
Thank you very much. And please give the Representative our regards. 143 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134
First row. She had her hand up first. These will be the final two and then we will recess. Thank you.
Hi. I'm sorry. I'm Jennifer White. I work at Thomas Mifflin. I've been a teacher for about six years there. I just wanted to speak because I believe there have been a lot of things that have been said. Some are true. Many have been construed. One is, I think that it needs to be heard and mentioned and recorded that both sides -- we've been hearing one side -- both sides need to be heard. Little does anyone know, and I'm sure these fine parents will know, I was actually raised in Abbotsford part there. I was living there for a short time. Some of our community and some of actually our staff refer to me as the one 144 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 that doesn't know what she is. Sadly, a lot of that is not on the side you would think it is. And I think it's just a little upsetting. One, it seems that through our school we have a lot of teachers that have been set in their way. Allyssa Schmitt was sent because sometimes that way was not working. And as of right now, we have made AYP. We have. There are a lot of schools that aren't even there yet. Our discipline problems are, at least from my standpoint when I first came, have decreased, and, yes, we still have problems, but every school has problems. We need to focus on the positive things. We need to focus on what is going to make the school better. Unfortunately, right now we're at a turn where our staff can't even talk to each other. Our staff are making comments about each other, some of which, You don't know what you are, or things are done, You know why things are done that 145 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 way, or if that teacher was African-American, that wouldn't have been handled that way, which is a very bold statement and untrue at times, because you're not that person. Now, I think I have tried my best and I have worked so hard to be part of Mifflin. Unfortunately, I don't think that's going to be soon, and that's a shame.
This is the final person to testify today. Please.
Thank you. I came in late, so everybody knows here that I don't have the slightest idea of who said what before I came in.
My name is Vivian Hughes and I'm a parent aide at the 146 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 school. There are a lot of problems going on. There are a lot of problems everywhere, but my main concern is the safety of the children and the safety of the school. This locked gate there in the backyard, I think it really need to be addressed. I know it may be a minor issue to some people, but if they ever had a fire there and everybody started going everywhere, there should be an exit and entrance in every building, and that one doesn't have an exit. It just has an entrance. The bathroom situation with the doors going on, they are being addressed, but they weren't addressed fast enough. Children, you have seven, eight classes on a hallway and you have teachers have to go upstairs or downstairs to take their children. I was appalled at my looking at the staff picture and I see three existing teachers, Ms. Ishmael, 147 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Ms. Highsmith and Ms. White. And Ms. White is a gym teacher and Ms. Highsmith is a music teacher. Those are things that we necessarily need to have in the school, but I'm talking about classroom teachers. They just disappeared. Now, we have faculty, maintenance. We have aides. And whatever the little up and down came in, because we used to be a strong family in that school, and when I say "we," I'm talking about the teachers getting along with the faculty and the faculty getting along. I don't know what happened, but it need to be back where it was. And for the custodian aides and the teachers aide and for the children -- I mean the teachers that are teaching there, for us to have a community bond is what's going to make the teaching of the children possible. They cannot work, we cannot teach, and the school can't exist if we don't have communicative skills going in that class. Now, there was a meeting where 148 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 they had the man came in and talked about conflict of interest. I worked in Abbotsford and I was working in the social department for years. I 6 thought it was just a little joke, 7 because by the time he got around to the 8 meat, it was time for us to go. Conflict 9 of interest, talking about a school, come 10 in with high boots on, stepping tall and 11 addressing the problem, that's what we 12 need to do, and this has to happen. 13 Those bathrooms, if we need to add more bathrooms, then we need to add more bathrooms, but two bathrooms on a hallway with an auditorium on it and all the bathrooms is downstairs in the basement, it's ridiculous. Because you have to get the aides to come to rest the teachers so their kids can go to the bathroom or so they can go to the bathroom. We need more parental help. We need more stuff going on with communication skills, and that's my problem. 149 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Thank you.
You know, there is a sickness that appears to be at this school that hits you in the very pit of your stomach. Normally we adjourn. I would ask that you consider recessing to the call of the Chair for a further hearing, with full subpoena powers, to bring representatives in here from the School District to answer some of these questions. Thank you. (Applause.)
So be it. We will take the advice of this bill 23 sponsor. We will recess subject to the call of the Chair to reconvene with the subpoena powers that we are given so that 150 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 we may get to the bottom of this whole matter and air it, with the hopes that there may be some hope and some help at Mifflin School. Thank you all very much.
Thank you, Madam Chair. You've been extraordinary.
And I want these people to understand it is not easy for a Councilperson to give up their holiday time, and we have to love you for it. We really appreciate it. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Thank you. (Committee on Education adjourned at 6:35 p.m.) - - - 151 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on December 27, 2007, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)