The William Penn School District is having a funding crisis that is directly impacting students, writes Kenny Cooper for WHYY.
The homecoming dance is cancelled, along with extracurricular activities.
Plus, there aren’t enough seats or laptops in classrooms that have been way too hot.
“We don’t have enough seats in most of our classes, like in one of my classes, not even all of us can sit down,” said Rikaya Clark, a senior at Penn Wood, speaking at a Monday school board meeting.
“I’m asthmatic, so it’s hard for me to breathe in class, said Caira Nelson, a Penn Wood junior. “I can’t do my work. It’s making me drop my grades, and I’ve always been an A-student since day one.”
No state funding is going to the school district because of the Pennsylvania budget impasse, and new contract negotiations with teachers have stalled.
The situation prompted Penn Wood High School students to stage a walkout in late September.
The school district relies on local taxpayers, the state government, and the federal government for funding. Half of its funding comes from the state.
The district’s deficit comes from rising benefits and salaries, charter school tuition costs, debt service payments, and special education expenditures.
Read more about William Penn School District’s funding issues at WHYY.
