Governor Corbett Blames Teachers Union for Child’s Death

[RandySF]

When people write Pennsyvania Governor Tom Corbett to complain about the devastating effects of his budget cuts on the children of Philadelphia, he responds by blaming the teachers’ union for not accepting even deeper cuts. A few days ago, a first-grader died; there was no school nurse on duty. Her position had been cut from five days a week to one day a week plus another occasional day. This was the second child to die in a school where Corbett’s budget cuts had eliminated the full-time nurse. Corbett blames the teachers.

Governor Corbett accepts no responsibilty. His response to critics betrays a guilty heart, or a man without one.

This teacher, Steven Singer, describes what happened when he wrote a letter to Governor Corbett.

“Wow! I am flabbergasted by PA Gov. Tom Corbett’s reaction to the second Philadelphia student dying at school without a nurse on duty! As many of you did, I wrote him a letter asking him to please increase funding so tragedies like this are not repeated. He must be getting some heat because this is the first time he’s ever actually answered any of my correspondences.

“His answer was basically: (1) how dare the Philadelphia Teachers Union intrude on the family’s suffering to make a political point and (2) if only the teachers union would take concessions and work for less money, the state would have enough to pay for nurses!


http://dianeravitch.net/2014/05/25/governor-corbett-blames-union-for-childs-death/#comments

[femmocrat]

1. What was the cause of their deaths?

The article doesn't say. Anyone know?

[Freddie]

2. The girl this past fall was asthma

She might have been saved if she had medical attention right away. The boy this week died of a previously undiagnosed congenital heart defect.
I live in the Philly burbs and my brother lives in Pennsyltucky near Harrisburg. He says that the locals out there are extremely opposed, no doubt racially motivated, to any of their tax dollars supporting Philly schools. Corbett knows this and plans on campaigning about the "greedy Philly teachers (who are paid less than their suburban colleagues)." Words can't describe my white-hot hatred for that man.

[femmocrat]

3. Thanks for your reply.

There are so many kids with asthma now... I wondered if that was the cause.

Corbutt's campaign ads saying he had done so much for education were a farce. Damn hypocrite.

[Doctor_J]

4. Wolf should run an ad lambasting Corbett for politicizing these deaths

the fucking ad practically writes itself. If it were me it would end with an unflattering picture of this monster with the words, "Tom Corbett - disgusting"