How Pa. handles teacher misconduct | Morning Newsletter
And an Amazon data center in Bucks.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Hi, Philly. We may see more rain and we will certainly see more clouds today.
Pennsylvania is supposed to “immediately” suspend teachers charged with serious crimes. That doesn’t always happen.
And Amazon will spend $20 billion to construct multiple data center complexes in Pennsylvania, including on the site of a former steel mill in Bucks County.
Plus, this year’s winning Philly-inspired potato chip will become a regular Herr’s flavor. Read on for these stories and more.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
P.S. Today is New Jersey’s governor and state assembly primary election. Visit Inquirer.com for updates throughout the day and see live results here.
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When teachers in Pennsylvania are charged with serious crimes, the state Department of Education is supposed to “immediately” suspend their certifications.
But in at least a dozen recent cases, the state took more than a year to act on the licenses of Philly-area teachers charged with crimes.
And some school administrators say they were not informed of their employees’ arrests — which meant that in at least two cases, a teacher accused of sexual offenses continued to work in the classroom.
Overall, more than 280 educator licenses have been revoked or surrendered by teachers last employed at a local school between 2004 and May 2025, though not all cases involved a crime.
The Inquirer’s Maddie Hanna, Lizzie Mulvey, and Chris A. Williams dig into the data.
In other education news:
Some students at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts got fake grades, and parents are getting mixed messages about it.
The Community College of Philadelphia has settled its contract dispute with former president Donald Guy Generals. But the college now faces another conflict with its faculty and staff union.
And the Philly school district has installed 2,404 water bottle filling stations in schools citywide, meeting a legal obligation to replace old-school water fountains.
Amazon plans to build two giant data centers in Pennsylvania — one in Falls Township, Bucks County, and one in Salem Township, Luzerne County.
At $20 billion, officials say it will be the largest private-sector investment in the state’s history. The so-called “innovation campuses” will support Amazon’s cloud computing and artificial intelligence efforts.
Notable quote: “The future of AI is going to run right here through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday.
Reporter Nick Vadala has the details.
What you should know today
The Pentagon planned to deploy about 700 Marines to Los Angeles on Monday to help National Guard members respond to immigration protests, as California prepared to sue President Donald Trump over his use of Guard troops to confront the protesters. Plus, Gov. Gavin Newsom cited Eagles fans when questioning the Trump administration’s responses to the protests.
A man impersonating law enforcement zip-tied a 50-year-old woman and stole around $1,000 from a business in Mayfair, police said.
The Philadelphia man who shot and killed 16-year-old Tyshaun Welles on a crowded SEPTA subway platform last year has been sentenced to up to 45 years in prison.
A Chester County man was sentenced Monday to three life sentences for killing his girlfriends and unborn son in 2022.
A teen who had explosive materials in Moorestown did not have plans for an attack, police said.
Four staff members were let go from WURD, the last Black-owned and operated radio station in Pennsylvania, amid cutbacks.
The number of federal labor investigators hit a 52-year low in the United States, according to a report co-produced by Rutgers University.
Chester County snack company Herr’s has opened voting for a new potato chip that would become part of its regular lineup.
Think of this year’s Flavored by Philly: Crunch Off as an all-star game of sorts. While the annual competition usually introduces three new flavors, the 2025 edition pits the past three years’ winners against each other. The top vote-getter will be made a permanent flavor.
At bat are long hots and sharp provolone (2022), tomato pie (2023), and hot stromboli (2024).
And yes, there’s a reason for all these baseball puns: Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber is the spokesperson for the challenge.
Food reporter Mike Klein has more details.
🧠 Trivia time
The 76ers and Comcast Spectacor have selected an architecture firm to design their new South Philly stadium. What did the firm not previously design?
A) The Sphere in Las Vegas
B) The Baltimore Orioles’ Camden Yards
C) The Wells Fargo Center
D) The Sixers’ abandoned Center City arena plans
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🚇 Asking: Will SEPTA be intact when the World Cup comes to Philly next year?
🏡 Quizzing: Our knowledge of closing costs, down payments, and other home ownership basics.
🍣 Anticipating: These five new Japanese restaurants coming to Philadelphia.
🏈 Wondering: Are the Eagles still selling single-game tickets this season?
🕊️ Learning: The history of Black Catholicism in Philadelphia.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: FIFA event coming to Philadelphia next week
CROWD CUB PULL
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Michelle Hong, who solved Monday’s anagram: Martha Graham Cracker. The Philly drag queen performed at the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Pride concert, which brought a flood of goodwill from the city’s arts community after the Trump administration canceled a National Endowment for the Arts grant for the show.
Photo of the day
Wishing you a day worthy of your own happy dance. See you back here tomorrow morning.
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