Letters to the Editor | June 6, 2024

Now that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a letter to the director of the Penn Center for AIDS Research stressing the public health benefits of needle exchanges, will Mayor Cherelle L. Parker be humble enough to admit she was wrong? She says needle exchanges are fine as long as the city doesn’t pay for them. Would she say the same thing about masks or vaccines in the next pandemic? This is a public health issue, and as such must be supported by public funds. It is not only economically right to do so but also morally right. Denying funds is like saying to people struggling with addiction that we don’t see their humanity and don’t care what happens to them.

Barbara Gold, Philadelphia

A chief joy officer for the Philadelphia School District — what a wonderful idea! Students need to feel joyful when going to school, and school needs to be enjoyable for students. There are many ways to help make this happen, including by creating positive school environments where students are welcomed and like being there, making sure students have recess and extracurricular options, having school libraries that provide students with reading choices and options to choose from, having students work on passion projects, and rewarding students for both good behavior and successful achievement. Someone at the school district office who is there to support changes like these, which make teaching and learning more enjoyable and students more successful, would be a significant move in the right direction.

Elliott Seif, Philadelphia

Despite operating at a fraction of the cost of district schools, most cyber charter schools are financially sound. This is prudent stewardship of public funds, not “excessive profiteering,” as described in a recent Inquirer editorial. Our student body is not only one of the fastest growing but also one of the most diverse. At Achievement House, we proudly enroll about 40% white, 32% Black, and 28% Hispanic, reflecting our unwavering commitment to inclusivity. Students with learning differences also find cyber charters to be a supportive refuge. At Achievement House, 37% of our students have an individualized education plan (IEP) — almost three times the rate at district schools.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, IEP students are 27 times more likely to enroll in a cyber charter, signifying how many students with learning differences rely on our educational model. Our students choose cyber charters after struggling with traditional brick-and-mortar schools. Whether escaping bullying or searching for academic flexibility, our students want a fresh start — and it is our duty as educators to provide them with such a space. Cutting cyber schools not only threatens Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable students but also creates a two-tiered system, violating these students’ constitutional right to an equitable education.

Don Asplen, CEO, Achievement House Cyber Charter School, Exton

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