PETITION! Working Families Need Access to Summer Schools and Camps NOW! / PETICIÓN!! Las Familias Trabajadoras Necesitan Acceso a Escuelas y Campamentos de Verano AHORA!!

Philadelphia City Council and School District

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The Committee of Immigrant Working Moms and Allies is concerned about the lack of Summer Camps and Programming offered by the City and the School District of Philadelphia for our children and working families in the South Philly area.

Spaces in summer schools provided by the School District are aimed at children in need of remediation. Additionally, there are very few low-to-no cost summer camps funded by the City through the Office of Strategic Partnerships or Parks and Recreation. We surveyed 78 families in South Philadelphia and 88% of them were not able to enroll their children in a free summer camp. Almost all of these parents (89%) said that this had a negative effect on their family, ability to work, and/or finances. Just this month, an Inquirer article revealed that less than half of the spaces available for children in pre-pandemic summer camps are available this summer.

The fact that there is not enough institutional support for our families not only hinders the psychological, physical and social development of our children, but also the economic survival of families by limiting the work opportunities of parents, many of whom are still feeling the economic shockwaves of COVID-19.

Intensely amplified in the media in the month of May, the so-called "labor shortage in the restaurant industry" is NOT because workers "do not want to work," but because of the precarious working conditions that the industry mandates. The lack of medical benefits, lack of payment for sick days, salaries below the minimum wage, and sexual harassment and discrimination are the standard once again in a post-pandemic world. Most of the establishments in our city perpetuate labor exploitation and the impoverishment of working families.

It has been brought to our attention that the School District of Philadelphia has found it difficult to find staff to work in the Summer Camps due to the precarious employment conditions it offers. A recent report by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) detailed toxic conditions endured in our schools including lead in water and paint, asbestos, poor ventilation, and roofing issues. We cannot expect teachers and students to endure these deadly conditions; we need real solutions that provide safe, free, and public summer camps for our children. Summer camps outdoors can be staffed properly with fair conditions and living wages. Our committee stands in solidarity with workers and opposes job insecurity fostered by public and private organizations in our city.

This lack of support in connecting our children to educational opportunities while we are at work - such as summer camps - threatens the economic stability and survival of our families.

Our Committee of Immigrant Working Moms and Allies demands that our City Council expands Summer Camp opportunities and that the School District of Philadelphia opens the Summer School Program to ALL students. These programs need to be free to low-income families and have robust educational initiatives and language services. We expect an urgent response to our demands that centers the needs of working families.

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El Comité de Mamás Trabajadoras Inmigrantes y Aliadxs está preocupado por la falta de Campamentos y Escuelas de Verano ofrecidos por la Ciudad y el Distrito Escolar para nuestrxs niñes y familias trabajadoras en el área del Sur de Filadelfia.

Las plazas en las escuelas de verano proporcionados por el Distrito Escolar son escasos y solo están reservados para niños que necesitan remediación. Además, hay muy pocos Campamentos de Verano de bajo o ningún costo financiados por la Ciudad a través de la Oficina de Asociaciones Estratégicas o Parques y Recreación. Encuestamos a 78 familias en el Sur de Filadelfia y el 88% de elles no pudieron inscribir a sus hijes en un Campamento de Verano gratuito. Casi todos estos padres (89%) dijeron que esto tuvo un efecto negativo en su familia, capacidad para trabajar y/o finanzas. Solo este mes, un artículo en el Inquirer reveló que menos de la mitad de los espacios disponibles para niños en campamentos de verano prepandémicos están disponibles este verano.

El hecho de que no exista suficiente apoyo escolar-institucional para nuestras familias no solamente entorpece el desarrollo psicológico, físico y social de nuestres niñes, sino que obstaculiza la supervivencia económica del núcleo familiar al limitar la salida laboral de los padres y madres.

La tan llamada "falta de mano de obra en la industria restaurantera" intensamente amplificada en los medios de comunicación en el mes de Mayo, -NO existe porque lxs trabajadorxs “no quieren trabajar-,” sino por las condiciones laborales precarias que la industria impone. La carencia de beneficios médicos, falta de pago por días por enfermedad, salarios por debajo del mínimo, y acoso sexual y discriminacion, intenta de nuevo ser el estandar en un mundo post-pandemia. La mayoría de los establecimientos de nuestra ciudad perpetúa la explotación laboral y el empobrecimiento de las familias trabajadoras.

Ha sido traído a nuestra atención que al PSD (Distrito Escolar de Filadelfia) se le ha dificultado encontrar personal para trabajar en los Campamentos de Verano debido a las -también- condiciones precarias de empleo que ofrece. Un informe reciente de la Federación de Maestros de Filadelfia (PFT) detalla las condiciones tóxicas que padecen nuestras escuelas, incluido el plomo en el agua y la pintura, el asbesto, la mala ventilación y los problemas de los techos. No podemos esperar que maestrxs y estudiantxs soporten estas condiciones insalubres; necesitamos soluciones reales que proporcionen campamentos de verano públicos, gratuitos y seguros para nuestros hijes. Los campamentos de verano al aire libre pueden contar con personal adecuado con condiciones justas y salarios dignos. Nuestro comité se erige en solidaridad con les trabajadorxs y se opone a la precarización laboral por organismos públicos y privados de nuestra ciudad.

La falta de apoyo para dejar a nuestros niños en establecimientos educativos cuando estamos en el trabajo -como son los Campamentos de Verano- amenaza la estabilidad económica y supervivencia de nuestras familias.

Nuestro Comité de Mamás Trabajadoras Inmigrantes y Aliadxs exige que nuestro Concejo Municipal amplíe las oportunidades de los Campamentos de Verano y que el Distrito Escolar de Filadelfia abra el Programa de la Escuela de Verano a TODXS les estudiantes, no solo a les estudiantes que necesitan remediación. Estos programas deben ser gratuitos para las familias de bajos ingresos y deben contar con iniciativas educativas sólidas y servicios lingüísticos. Esperamos una respuesta urgente a nuestras demandas que centre las necesidades de las familias trabajadoras.



To: Philadelphia City Council and School District
From: [Your Name]

Dear Philadelphia City Council and School District,

The Committee of Immigrant Working Moms and Allies is concerned about the lack of Summer Camps and Programming offered by the City and the School District of Philadelphia for our children and working families in the South Philly area.

Spaces in summer schools provided by the School District are aimed at children in need of remediation. Additionally, there are very few low-to-no cost summer camps funded by the City through the Office of Strategic Partnerships or Parks and Recreation. We surveyed 78 families in South Philadelphia and 88% of them were not able to enroll their children in a free summer camp. Almost all of these parents (89%) said that this had a negative effect on their family, ability to work, and/or finances. Just this month, an Inquirer article revealed that less than half of the spaces available for children in pre-pandemic summer camps are available this summer.

The fact that there is not enough institutional support for our families not only hinders the psychological, physical and social development of our children, but also the economic survival of families by limiting the work opportunities of parents, many of whom are still feeling the economic shockwaves of COVID-19.

Intensely amplified in the media in the month of May, the so-called "labor shortage in the restaurant industry" is NOT because workers "do not want to work," but because of the precarious working conditions that the industry mandates. The lack of medical benefits, lack of payment for sick days, salaries below the minimum wage, and sexual harassment and discrimination are the standard once again in a post-pandemic world. Most of the establishments in our city perpetuate labor exploitation and the impoverishment of working families.

It has been brought to our attention that the School District of Philadelphia has found it difficult to find staff to work in the Summer Camps due to the precarious employment conditions it offers. A recent report by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) detailed toxic conditions endured in our schools including lead in water and paint, asbestos, poor ventilation, and roofing issues. We cannot expect teachers and students to endure these deadly conditions; we need real solutions that provide safe, free, and public summer camps for our children. Summer camps outdoors can be staffed properly with fair conditions and living wages. Our committee stands in solidarity with workers and opposes job insecurity fostered by public and private organizations in our city.

This lack of support in connecting our children to educational opportunities while we are at work - such as summer camps - threatens the economic stability and survival of our families.

Our Committee of Immigrant Working Moms and Allies demands that our City Council expands Summer Camp opportunities and that the School District of Philadelphia opens the Summer School Program to ALL students. These programs need to be free to low-income families and have robust educational initiatives and language services. We expect an urgent response to our demands that centers the needs of working families.