Parents For In Person Education - PIPE

Civil Justice Reform Judge Kevin Brobson understands the role of the judiciary is to interpret laws – not to legislate from the bench! He has a proven track record of ruling on the merits of laws. Judge Brobson will bring the fairness and balance Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court so desperately needs.

PIPE Members! DON'T MISS THIS!!!

From Colleen Walton Hroncich - NOW is the TIME for School Choice! This will FINALLY give parents a seat at the school board table.

On Saturday, WV Gov. Jim Justice signed the most expansive education savings account (ESA) program in the nation. What does this have to do with us in PA? You may remember the nationwide “Red for Ed” protests a few years ago. Those started in WV in 2018. A year later, WV teachers went on strike to prevent kids from having access to charter schools or ESAs (which let state funds follow students to eligible education options that work for them). Now, just 2 years later, WV has legalized charter schools and ESAs. While most ESA programs are initially targeted to specific populations (children with special needs, lower income families, military families, etc.), the WV program is open to any current public school student.
If West Virginia can make such a drastic pivot in such a short time, we should take encouragement here in PA. We already have tax credit scholarships and charter schools, but there are waitlists for both. Fortunately, legislation will be introduced soon that would increase caps on tax credit scholarships, update the charter school authorization process, and—the most exciting part—introduce education savings accounts in PA. Unlike WV, the accounts in PA would be targeted to the specific populations mentioned above. But once parents get a taste of education freedom, they’re likely to push for more.

One of the reasons many schools are still closed despite the wishes of parents is that districts aren’t really impacted when parents are unhappy. Most parents don’t have options beyond their local district school. Even more affluent parents in what are typically considered good districts might struggle to pay tuition b/c they’re already paying high mortgage and property taxes for those schools. Expanding school choice options would benefit all parents because it would give them a seat at the table. If districts know they’ll lose state funds when families leave district schools, they’ll be more incentivized to meet children’s needs.

A key way to make lawmakers understand the need for programs like these is to share stories of children who would benefit from them. If you’re interested in learning more or sharing a story, please email [email protected].





https://www.realcleareducation.com/articles/2021/03/29/florida_and_west_virginia_are_putting_students_first_other_states_should_follow_their_lead_110557.html?fbclid=IwAR1V4kogAf7SiwB_mwHyaVTBhFYxofLY298pRvRYxlhAz3H4MAjM7XBw1HM

Florida and West Virginia are Putting Students First. Other States Should Follow Their Lead. | RealClearEducation The highest point in Florida is Britton Hill, 345 feet above sea level. In West Virginia, that would barely register as a bump in the road. Florida has some of the best beaches anywhere. West...

The CDC "now recommends that, with universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings."

"We didn't see any substantial difference in cases among students or staff in districts with 3 feet versus 6 feet, suggesting that we can open the schools safely at 3 feet..." said Westyn Branch-Elliman

"This fits with a body of evidence that suggests schools do not drive transmission of the virus, rather they tend to mirror the spread in the community."

https://www.npr.org/2021/03/19/978608714/cdc-says-schools-can-now-space-students-3-feet-apart-rather-than-6?origin=NOTIFY&fbclid=IwAR2lNyL52JRUgxxwpvX8emICw88nSJltZkKw1qT_v3R0D7VO-oPuWvJKGas

CDC Says Schools Can Now Space Students 3 Feet Apart, Rather Than 6 In many places, the 6-foot guidance was interpreted as requiring schools to operate on part-time schedules in order to reduce class sizes. A 3-foot rule would allow many more schools to reopen fully.

"If we're going to send out $170B, it ought to be linked to getting kids back in the classroom and the doors open"





https://twitter.com/SenatorRomney/status/1365035200309264386?s=04&fbclid=IwAR1gPrOOYGiKTOmoUwI5z9773IkgbazBF-edCJ734y7AxNignoK8NDsOxjk

Senator Mitt Romney on Twitter “The timetable for opening schools should be dictated by science, not teachers unions. Data does not indicate spikes in schools that are open. Schools that can safely reopen should do so. https://t.co/KWMO7lMHQP”

Exciting news to share! Rep. Carrie Lewis DelRosso announced she'll be introducing the "In-Person Education Act." According to co-sponsorship memo: "My legislation would not require students to attend in-person instruction, nor would it require schools to offer in-person instruction. It simply says that schools with no in-person instruction must give families an option to use their child’s share of state education funding to access educational alternatives. This would help ensure every child in every family in every community has equal opportunity to attend the school that’s best for them."
The bill hasn't been officially introduced yet, but if this gains traction it'll help all Pennsylvania children. (1) It would give parents options if their schools stay closed. (2) It would incentivize districts to open.
I'll keep you posted, but I wanted to share the news right away.

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20210&cosponId=34802&fbclid=IwAR1GRRGKxTepP0niGmqO7TzpASzA8SDERGW_8E2VzOWhwDAP8idRXBYVZpY

House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

"Yes children are resilient, but they are not unbreakable..."

Scott Schild from Syracuse.com

Article from Syracuse, NY saying what doctors all have been saying. Three feet is enough distance in schools as long as kids wear masks and follow the basic guidelines. It has legitimate resources to reference as well.





https://www.syracuse.com/opinion/2021/02/remote-school-is-crushing-our-kids-reopen-the-schools-editorial.html?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=syracusedotcom_sf&fbclid=IwAR0VGwkPbXsms_YPeDAtkBRFspSfOKijWrNz2V3MaPf8Rf5iYxQSSCpBiEk

Remote school is crushing our kids. Reopen the schools (Editorial) Almost a year of isolation is harming their mental health and education. Adults must push harder to get kids back in the classroom.

Meet Melanie, a 13-year-old who is passionate about sounding the alarm for people about what is happening for teens. She shares that 90% of her friends are suicidal or have attempted before. “We’re not okay,” she shares and she will not be okay until they get their social interactions back. She shares that she considered taking her life, but got help and now wants to help others.





https://www.thedoctorstv.com/videos/teen-sounds-the-alarm-saying-we-are-not-okay?fbclid=IwAR3qrC2yKiOG2Mso4pByTIsd2QKa9iR7oct8uvnpLiAhUiIEf7MIrXlUVVw

Teen Sounds the Alarm Saying ‘We Are Not Okay’ Melanie shares that 90% of her friends are suicidal or have attempted before.

This is a MUST read...Literally children are starving in the US because they cannot go to school and receive the meals provided there.

The mother in this article lost her job because of restaurant closures and didn’t qualify for food stamps and services. She and her children were left to starve.

This is the reality. We need to all come together to petition for an end of these school lockdowns. The risk of children dying or going missing from school lockdowns is far worse than the risk of this virus. There continues to be next to NO transmission of Covid found in schools from student to student or student to teacher.

And children are found to have next to no risk of death from Covid. We need to wake up America... This is far worse than children “complaining”. These extended lockdowns have become physical and phycological harm to millions of children across America. And unfortunately the disadvantaged communities have been hit the hardest.

I believe if we care for the poor in our nation, we should care about schools opening.





https://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/amp/29286735/monmouth-co-girl-8-confesses-to-virtual-class-shes-starving?fbclid=IwAR2rLw_pn3xcLJl_ZNQkeM9JgL04TgpZZUqegvFZm5yybUPTNvjV0FeFogg

Monmouth Co. Girl, 8, Confesses To Virtual Class She's Starving Fulfill, the food bank of Monmouth and Ocean counties, stepped in after a third-grader started crying in the middle of a virtual class.