Arts Charter School Gets $3 Million State Grant-While Public Schools Layoff All Art & Music Teachers

[JPZenger]

OK, what is wrong with this picture?

The Lehigh Valley Charter School for the Arts is working on building a brand new $27 million building to replace their existing space. They recently received a $3 million state grant towards the building, with the help of 2 local State Senators.

Meanwhile, the nearby Allentown School District has announced that they are laying off their last few art and music teachers (as well as many gym and academic teachers). This will bring their total number of position that have been eliminated since Corbett took office to over 400. These layoffs are despite a 9% real estate tax increase this year and a 5% real estate tax increase last year.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2013/04/the_lehigh_valley_charter_high.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10743828

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The Repubs like to limit their discussion of school funding to the State Basic Education Subsidy. However, they don't talk about the other public school funding cuts they instituted, which are completely independent of any federal spending, including:

High School Reform Grants $ 10.7 million eliminated
Accountability Block Grant $171.4 million reduction
Tutoring Grants $ 65.1 million eliminated
Dual Enrollment Grants $ 10.0 million eliminated
Science: It’s Elementary Grants $ 13.6 million eliminated
School Improvement Grants $ 22.8 million eliminated
Charter School Reimbursement
Grants to Public Schools $226.9 million eliminated

Total: $520.5 million

[Scuba]

1. That puts Corbett ahead of Scott Wanker by 3, but Wanker's ready to sell off all State property.

That'll put Wanker back on top by 5. The race to see which can destroy his State first continues.