Josh Shapiro Throws Children Under the Bus
Jeff Yass: Was the Pennsylvania governor lying on the campaign trail or is he simply unwilling to stand up to the union bosses? July 11, 2023 11:53 am ET Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks in Philadelphia, June 11. Photo: Joe Lamberti/Associated Press When Josh Shapiro ran for Pennsylvania governor last year, he claimed he supported school choice, especially for low-income kids trapped in underperforming public schools. Unfortunately, last week he announced he would veto the very bill he promised to support. Was Mr. Shapiro lying on the campaign trail or is he simply unwilling to stand up to the union bosses? The losers are the kids, of course, and as your editorial “A Josh Shapiro Sellout on School Choice” (July 7) points out, his flip-flop was most likely due to his cowering before his union financiers. In siding with radical education activists like Am
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks in Philadelphia, June 11.
Photo: Joe Lamberti/Associated Press
When Josh Shapiro ran for Pennsylvania governor last year, he claimed he supported school choice, especially for low-income kids trapped in underperforming public schools. Unfortunately, last week he announced he would veto the very bill he promised to support. Was Mr. Shapiro lying on the campaign trail or is he simply unwilling to stand up to the union bosses?
The losers are the kids, of course, and as your editorial “A Josh Shapiro Sellout on School Choice” (July 7) points out, his flip-flop was most likely due to his cowering before his union financiers. In siding with radical education activists like American Federation of Teachers union President Randi Weingarten and threatening to veto school-choice funding, Gov. Shapiro threw the poorest and most needy children under the bus while blaming Senate Republicans for failing to win over House Democrats.
Sadly, only 34% of Philadelphia public elementary-school students test at or above the proficient level for reading, and 17% test at or above the proficient level in math, according to the district’s annual progress report. Meanwhile, 85% of Philadelphia public-school students are minorities.
If Mr. Shapiro follows through with his flip-flop, he will betray the most disadvantaged students in Pennsylvania, whose parents he suckered into voting for him by promising to throw them an educational lifeline.
Jeff Yass
Susquehanna International Group
Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
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