What are some education issues in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburban area?
I live in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Though I don’t have kids of my own, I have several friends who keep me informed about schools. There’s a vast difference between schools in Philadelphia proper and those in the suburbs. Many of Philadelphia’s ‘burbs are quite wealthy and have some of the best school districts in the state. On the other hand, Philadelphia’s school district is constantly in the news for violence against students and teachers, poor management, low budgets, and poor test scores. Aside from the violence, the main issues affecting Philadelphia area schools also affect the entire state. First, schools are primarily financed by property taxes. So poor areas which probably need more money don’t get it, and rich areas have great schools. Philadelphia particularly has problems/corruption with home value appraisals. For example, a very wealthy state official literally lives in a mansion, but pays almost no taxes on it. But some retirees and poor people find themselves facing
