11/02: School Choice: The Role of the Constitution and the Courts in Improving Education
Does the Constitution guarantee an “equal education” to every child? What do the U.S. and Pennsylvania Constitutions say about school choice, teacher tenure, standardized testing, and more? The Center hosts two conversations exploring these questions.
In the first discussion, education policy experts—Donna Cooper of Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY), Mark Gleason of the Philadelphia School Partnership, Deborah Gordon Klehr of the Education Law Center, and Ina Lipman of the Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia—examine the state of Philadelphia public education, what an “equal education” in Philadelphia would look like, and their specific proposals for getting there. They also explain what, if anything, the Pennsylvania state constitution says about these questions, and how state government interacts with local government in setting education policy.
The keynote presentation features Dr. William R. Hite, Jr., Supreintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, who offers his perspective on the issues facing Philadelphia schools.
In the second discussion, James Finberg of Altshuler Berzon LLP and Joshua Lipshutz of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher—two attorneys involved in Vergara v. California, a landmark dispute over the legality of teacher retention policies—present the best arguments on both sides and discuss what’s next in the case. They also explain what the U.S. Constitution and major Supreme Court cases like Brown v. Board of Education, San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez, and Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 say about education and our national debates.
Admission: Free for Members • $7 teachers & students • $10 public
Reserve your seats online or by calling (215) 409-6700.
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