Keystone State News Connection – Danielle Smith

Pennsylvania’s teachers’ union is voicing concerns that the state’s public school voucher program will negatively affect public education in lower-income families and communities.

The most recent budget proposal would direct an additional $1 billion to K-12 education, affecting more than 1.7 million students, and doesn’t include any specific funding for school voucher programs.

Arthur Steinberg is president of the American Federation of Teachers in Pennsylvania.

He said the Educational Investment Tax Credit programs allow parents to send students to private and religious schools, if they think the public school is underperforming – siphoning funds from public schools.

“They go to schools, which are allowed to – permitted to – discriminate based on any facts, religion, gender, political beliefs, anything they want,” said Steinberg. “There’s no restriction on that money. And there’s no accountability for how it is spent. So, the choice really goes to the schools, not students – so there’s no benefit to them whatsoever.”

Steinberg pointed out that Senate Bill 1057, introduced this month, would fund $300 million in scholarships for students at nonpublic schools – when public schools are underfunded by $5.4 billion, according to a Commonwealth Court ruling.

He added that diverting funds widens gaps, without improving education or equity.

Supporters argue vouchers let children leave under-performing public schools and get a better education at private schools. Test school data does not consistently confirm the argument that voucher students are better educated.

Steinberg said school voucher program do not exclude low-wealth areas, but mostly benefit wealthy people that can afford the private-school tuition.

“It’s really a handout to wealthier individuals that are already in those schools,” said Steinberg. “If you give a family living below the poverty level $7,000 to go to a school where the tuition is $28,000, they can’t afford the difference anyway, so they still can’t go.”

Steinberg emphasized that the Educational Investment Tax Credit program began at $30 million and has ballooned to $550 million – and said 89% is spent on private schools.

But there’s no achievement data available in Pennsylvania to let parents know how well those children are doing compared with other schools.

AMBRIDGE, Feb. 16 – State Rep. Rob Matzie issued the following statement in response to news that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has approved PennEnergy’s amended permit to withdraw water from Big Sewickley Creek for fracking operations:

“I have reached out to the DEP acting secretary to express my disappointment and to submit my formal request for reconsideration.

“This has been an ongoing area of concern for my constituents, and a personal issue for me, going back many years. I grew up very close to the creek, playing in the water and the surrounding woods as a child. This creek is a vital natural resource for fresh water in the area, is stocked with trout, supports a variety of wildlife nearby, and in some years, parts of the creek dry up during hot summer months. I understand that the department has regulations and guidelines to follow, but after speaking with hundreds of constituents who feel the same way, I am baffled by this decision.

“This large amount of water that will be withdrawn is likely to cause trauma to the ecosystem. I believe protecting the creek – instead of trying to fix it after it’s damaged – should be the most important part of the decision-making process. It’s just common sense.”

Environmental Protection Agency administrator Michael Regan speaks as President Joe Biden listens after Biden toured the East Palestine Recovery Site, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in East Palestine, Ohio. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says it is distributing another $5.8 billion for water infrastructure projects around the country, paid for by one of its key legislative victories. The money will go to projects in all 50 states, bringing the total awarded to states for water infrastructure projects to $22 billion. It comes from the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law that President Joe Biden signed into law during his first year in office. Vice President Kamala Harris and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan will formally unveil the plans at an event in Pittsburgh later Tuesday.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Hundreds of Penn State students have raised more than $16.9 million for pediatric cancer patients in the annual 46-hour dance marathon known as Thon. The total was announced Sunday afternoon at the conclusion of the Penn State Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon. It topped last year’s total of just over $15 million. Money raised benefits pediatric cancer patients and their families at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Child cancer survivors and their families also participate along with the dancers, who are helped by thousands of other students in support roles. Officials say the dance marathon has helped more than 4,800 families over more than five decades.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published February 19, 2024 2:23 P.M.

(Beaver Falls, Pa) District Attorney Nate Bible joined Mike Romigh during “Live Mic” on Beaver County Radio Monday morning. When asked about the Beaver Falls homicide that took place in Beaver Falls last month, the District Attorney says there are a couple people of interest at this time. The DA said there is not much else he can say at this time due it being an ongoing investigation. He relayed that it was not known that the incident was a homicide until the Autopsy came back the next day. Coroner Gabauer has still not released an autopsy report publicly. Bible also said that Police returned to the scene weeks later due to new information that came to light, and they performed another check of the area. Stay tuned at beavercountyradio.com for continued coverage of this ongoing story.

Story by Curtis Walsh – Beaver County Radio. Published February 19, 2024 1:39 P.M.

(East Palestine, Oh) President Joe Biden made a visit to East Palestine Friday afternoon over a year after the train derailment. Beaver County Radio was on scene as the presidential motorcade arrived to town. Taggart Road was lined with mostly anti-Biden and Donald Trump supporters, yelling expletives and holding signs while the president arrived. Biden went on to meet with East Palestine local officials and made a speech.

During his speech, the president blasted Norfolk Southern stating “Let me be clear. While there are acts of God, this was an act of greed that was 100% preventable,”. Biden also made a stop in Darlington Township to the fire department where he met with Beaver County officials. Beaver County Radio was not given access to either of the stops.

Beaver County Radio spoke with some locals in East Palestine on their opinions of Biden’s visit to the town. The most common answer was that “it’s too late”.

One man said “we don’t want him here, we don’t need him here, he’s late, he didn’t do nothing for us the first time, Trump showed up. It ain’t about Trump/Biden, it’s about help”.

Another man said “It’s just a shame, half the people in this town probably owe more on their house than what it’s worth now, something needs to happen to make it right.”

Congressman Deluzio, who met with Biden in Darlington, said he’s “grateful that the Biden Administration has been on the ground responding to Norfolk Southern’s toxic train derailment and providing federal resources since the beginning.

Photo/Video of Biden’s visit:

Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published February 19, 2024 1:33 P.M.

(Beaver County, Pa) Governor Josh Shapiro was a guest on Beaver County Radio last week, when he made a comment suggesting he did not know who State Representative Josh Kail is. Shapiro was asked about Kail’s comments towards him, which included calling him a “California Democrat”. Kail responded Monday to the remarks made by the Governor.

“Look about a year ago, the governor and I worked together on the East Palestine train derailment situation. My office is right above his office in the capital, but what’s more concerning to me isn’t that he doesn’t remember who I am, what’s more concerning to me is that he doesn’t remember his own campaign promises, his campaign promise to cut taxes and his budget this year is adding new taxes.

He had a campaign promise to advocate for school choice, in his budget this year, he is actually cutting school choice measures across the commonwealth. In his campaign, he said now is not the time to enter into the regional greenhouse gas initiative. When in fact, his administration is appealing the decision to ensure that we stay in this initiative, which is essentially a carbon tax, an energy tax on all consumers in Pennsylvania. It’s concerning to me that the governor’s memory has lapsed to the point where he’s not going to be remembering his campaign promises.

But over the course of the next few months, we will make sure that he does remember them and hopefully we can get some of these initiatives done.”