civus
ResolutionADOPTED

Resolution 140527

Submitting to the electors of the City an amendment to Article VIII, Chapter 5 of The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, entitled "Referenda Approved by the Voters," by adding a new section providing that the citizens of Philadelphia call upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor to abolish the School Reform Commission and return local control of Philadelphia's schools, as proposed by a petition filed with the Council.

Introduced Jun 5, 2014Committee on Law and GovernmentOfficial record: City of Philadelphia via Legistar

Introduced by

Councilmember Blackwell

From the floor

Passages in the official transcripts that cite this file number. Every quote links to its exact place in the record.

  1. “… role that you play here today and the expectation as voters we have of you. We need you to support Resolution 140527 and 140514. We need to have the opportunity to voice our opinion about the SRC. That's not your job; it's our job. We need the opportunity to take over our schools to determine what the curriculum should be, because they don't have a curriculum now. They don't have enough textbooks now. We need the ri…”

    Ms. Blunt · Stated Meeting, September 18, 2014 · Sep 18, 2014 · official transcript, this passage

  2. “Hold on, folks. Hold on a minute, please. The ayes are 16; the nays are one. The motion passes. So Resolution 140527 is approved. Mr. Decker, would you please read the title of 140660.”

    Council President Clarke · Stated Meeting, September 18, 2014 · Sep 18, 2014 · official transcript, this passage

  3. “…ote and defend the will and mandate of the people, and that mandate was embodied and is embodied in Resolution 140527 and Bill 140514. It is clear after 13 years of SRC control that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, when under leadership hostile to Philadelphia, has held our children and our educational system hostage to a state and national political whims and aspirations. Our educational system, the largest in the …”

    Ms. Blunt · Stated Meeting, September 11, 2014 · Sep 11, 2014 · official transcript, this passage

  4. “…or to abolish the School Reform Commission and return local control of Philadelphia's schools"; and Resolution No. 140527, entitled "A resolution submitting to the electors of the City an amendment to Article VIII, Chapter 5 of The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, entitled 'Referenda Approved by the Voters,' by adding a new section providing that the citizens of Philadelphia call upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly…”

    Chief Clerk · Stated Meeting, June 19, 2014 · Jun 19, 2014 · official transcript, this passage

  5. “The ayes have it, and the bill will be placed on our First Reading Calendar for today. Resolution No. 140527 will be placed on the Final Passage Calendar at our next session of Council. The Chair now recognizes Councilman Henon for a report from the Committee on Public Property and Public Works.”

    Council President Clarke · Stated Meeting, June 19, 2014 · Jun 19, 2014 · official transcript, this passage

Status timeline

  1. Jun 5, 2014
    Introduced and Referred · CITY COUNCIL

    Recorded result: Pass

    A motion was made by Councilmember Blackwell that this matter be Introduced and Referred to the Committee on Law and Government. The motion carried unanimously.

  2. Jun 18, 2014
    HEARING NOTICES SENT · Committee on Law and Government
  3. Jun 18, 2014
    HEARING HELD · Committee on Law and Government
  4. Jun 18, 2014
    NO RECOMMENDATION, RULE SUSPENSION · Committee on Law and Government
  5. Jun 19, 2014
    ORDERED PLACED ON FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR FOR NEXT MEETING. · CITY COUNCIL
  6. Sep 18, 2014
    ADOPTED · CITY COUNCIL

    Recorded result: Pass

    A motion was made that this matter be ADOPTED. The motion carried by the following vote:

Official documents

Documents open on the City of Philadelphia’s legislative site.

Full text

Read the full text as published

..Title Submitting to the electors of the City an amendment to Article VIII, Chapter 5 of The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, entitled "Referenda Approved by the Voters," by adding a new section providing that the citizens of Philadelphia call upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor to abolish the School Reform Commission and return local control of Philadelphia's schools, as proposed by a petition filed with the Council. ..Body WHEREAS, Under Section 6 of the First Class City Home Rule Act (53 P.S. §13106), amendments to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter may be proposed by a petition presented to the Council signed by not less than twenty thousand registered electors; and WHEREAS, Such a petition has been presented to the Council, and after review of the petition by the Clerk of Council, the petition has been accepted for filing with the Council; and WHEREAS, The First Class City Home Rule Act requires the Council President, upon the filing of such a petition, to submit for the consideration of the Council, by resolution, the question as to whether the amendments proposed by the petition shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the City for their approval; now, therefore RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the following amendment to Article VIII of The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter, as proposed by a petition filed with the Council, shall be submitted to the electors of the City on an election date designated by ordinance: ARTICLE VIII PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION * * * CHAPTER 5 REFERENDA APPROVED BY THE VOTERS * * * §8-504. Restoring Local Control of Philadelphia's Schools. We, the citizens of Philadelphia, believe the state's takeover of our schools through the School Reform Commission has weakened the voices of parents and community in the operation of public education in Philadelphia. We call upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor to abolish the School Reform Commission and return local control of Philadelphia's schools. All appropriate City officials are hereby vested with the duty and the responsibility to take all appropriate steps, to the fullest extent allowable under law, to promote and defend the will and mandate of the people. ______________________________________ Note: Italics indicate matter added by this amendment. ..End