East Allegheny No Longer Able To Pay Its Teachers & Staff
NORTH VERSAILLES (KDKA) -- It's a common refrain: school districts throughout Pennsylvania are running out of money because the legislature and Gov. Tom Wolf can't reach a budget agreement.
"We're currently owed roughly $4.2 million from our basic education subsidy," East Allegheny Schools superintendent Donald Mac Fann told KDKA political editor Jon Delano on Tuesday. "It's very difficult to continue forward."
Mac Fann says his district has no more cash.
"As of this time, March 25 will be the last pay day that we can fund," he said.
This Friday will be the district's last pay date because the district can no longer borrow money from lenders who doubt that Harrisburg will ever act.
"Ultimately, they have to look at their own well-being, and they wonder, are we as districts going to be able to pay them back in a timely manner when there seems to be no end to this."
The school district's last pay check may be this Friday, but that doesn't mean the school doors are going to close.
The teachers have agreed to teach without pay into the foreseeable future.
Matt Edgell, of the PSEA, says the local teachers' union doesn't want children to suffer because of politicians in Harrisburg.
Edgell: "They're going to continue to teach. They're making this about the kids."
Delano: "So they're going to work without pay?"
Edgell: "Correct. The East Allegheny teachers are going to work without pay."
Delano: "For how long?"
Edgell: "As long as possible."
Whether that will happen at other school districts remains to be seen, which is why no matter where you live the message to Harrisburg is the same.
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Hopefully folks that are watching this right now will got on the phone with their legislators and demand a state budget -- enough of the games -- that fully funds education," says Edgell.
"This needs to be resolved. It needs to be put to rest now," urges Mac Fann.