DEVOTED TO HARRISBURG'S CHILDRENA fervent belief in the transformative power of education has long inspired Eric Papenfuse in his civic and business endeavors, just as in his historical writing and academic studies. A solid, wide-reaching education is not merely a key to a good job; it provides an essential pathway to personal growth and development as well as economic advancement. It is a promise we have made to the children of Harrisburg, yet one we have far too frequently failed to fulfill. In 2008, the “Harrisburg School District’s student failure rates on state assessment tests dipped below 50 percent … [for]the first time since the control of the district was seized under Pennsylvania’s Empowerment Act in 2000.” (Patriot-News, July 23, 2008) Moreover, only 30 percent of students demonstrated basic proficiency in reading and a mere 29 percent were proficient in math. The Harrisburg School District was ranked a stunningly low 498th out of 498 Pennsylvania school districts by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2007.
While these statistics are deeply troubling, Papenfuse has seen first-hand the possibility of every student. As a former public school teacher, he knows that even the most challenging or disinterested children are reachable. What Harrisburg's school system requires is a fundamentally different culture, where school books matter more than buildings, and children's whole lives take precedence over Administrative salaries.
The first step in creating a more child-centered culture in Harrisburg’s schools is community involvement. Schools are not factories, producing trained automatons; they are organic institutions that arise from and reflect the communities they serve. Schools can either perpetuate the social and economic divisions in their neighborhoods or provide students with the tools to transcend theses differences. The best way to empower students to think, write, and live freely is by offering them the best possible role models. This means establishing and nurturing a more involved citizenry, in which not just parents and grandparents, but other residents and Harrisburg-area businesses all take an active interest in the success of the school district. Our city needs City Council members who will attend the School Board of Control Meetings. Our city needs a forum for those who have useful viewpoints to be heard. Our city needs community spaces for youth to learn outside of the classroom.
To help bring about these changes, Eric Papenfuse vows to do the following:
- Personally attend the Board of Control meetings.
- Ensure that community members are provided a forum, in the City Council, for discussing the Harrisburg School District.
- Support expanded funding for neighborhood organizations and community centers that offer after-school programs for students, including the city's libraries and YMCAs.
- Challenge the School Board to prioritize spending money on students not buildings, and on support for classroom teachers over salaries for administrators.
- Advocate that the School District's monies be directed toward the equal benefit of all students, not just the few who are chosen to attend Sci-Tech High School .
Nothing is more important to the future of our city and our children than ensuring literacy, supporting educational proficiency, and establishing the life-long love of learning.
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