Public-school rally targets Corbett

"Hey hey, ho, Tom Corbett has got to go," about 100 people outside Gov. Corbett's Philadelphia office chanted on a wind-whipped afternoon Monday.

The crowd, protesting funding levels for public schools, included the president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, Jerry Jordan, and community members, students, and teachers.

"It's time to live up to our responsibility to make sure [schools] are funded adequately so students get the education they need," Jordan said.

The event was part of what organizers called a national "Day of Action to Reclaim the Promise of Public Education," which teachers' unions and others were staging in 90 cities across the country.

Not everyone thinks Corbett has broken that promise. There is sharp disagreement between his administration and those who say he has cut school funding.

Corbett was not at his satellite office at Broad and Walnut Streets as protesters chanted outside. Tim Eller, press secretary for the state Department of Education, commented afterward, "I would question their understanding of the issue. If people want to point the finger, they need to point it at Washington for taking away the federal money."

The debate did little to quell the concerns of Devonne Fisher, 17, who was at the rally. He went to Bok Technical High School until it was closed last spring - amid a wave of closings brought on by shrinking enrollments - and now attends South Philadelphia High. He said he was struggling to adjust to the new environment.

"It messed up my ability to get recommendations from old teachers for college," said Fisher, who wants to attend Ohio State University.

Sam Reed, a teacher at Beeber Middle School for more than 15 years, said, "Our neighborhood schools are being decimated."

He said Beeber has no full-time nurse, is down to one counselor, and has fewer aides to monitor the halls, making them less safe.

The rallies in different cities focused on the same issues, Jordan said.

"We just want to make sure kids in cities are getting quality education," he said.