Letter to the Editor: Fix the crumbling schools

I became a part of the School District of Philadelphia system when I entered Masterman in fifth grade, and I have experienced my fair share of frustrations with the district throughout the years. Our school has had many problems during the pre-COVID era. Ceiling tiles were falling, roofs leaked for mysterious reasons, and asbestos and flaking paint became an issue. However, coming back in September 2021 after a year and a half of virtual school, I saw little difference. On my first day back, there was construction on the side of the building, and our roof was in the process of being completely replaced, bringing additional leaks to the third and fourth floors of the building. I was glad that the district was finally working to restore the school, but it made me wonder what has the school been doing when they had over a year to fix all these problems in an empty school building? It seems that our school district has not been prioritizing issues regarding school infrastructure that pose health risks to both students and staff. 

A few years ago, Superintendent Dr. Hite announced that the school district office building would be renovated with an estimated cost of $600,000. It angered me that he was willing to use that much money to renovate an office that was already in a condition much better than our crumbling school that was only a few blocks away. That is why I am urging the school district to continue setting aside funds specifically for the restoration of school buildings, and improve communication between schools and the district so that the schools can be heard and needs can be met. 

I also have a proposition regarding school renovations. There are many schools in the district that are old and deteriorating to that point that repairs will have to be made continuously. Simple repairs made on a school whose foundations were built a century ago will not last. And over time, this will take a tremendous toll on the school budget. That is why I think some of the repair funds should be set aside for some schools to be demolished and completely rebuilt. I know that this will cause issues with the relocation of students and staff, but that could be solved by allocating them to a nearby school, or several schools large enough to take in the influx of students. Virtual classes are an option as well. I believe this sacrifice is necessary so that our future generations of students can learn in a healthier environment, and funds can be used for better alternatives to promote education instead of being wasted on the continuous repair of schools with already crumbling foundations.

Queenie Chen – Senior, J.R. Masterman School