Commentary
Opinion: Pa. must adopt clear, sustainable plan to address unconstitutional school funding
By Aaron Chapin Every morning, 1.7 million students wake up and head off to public schools across Pennsylvania, eager to learn and grow in classrooms that are supposed to provide them with a “thorough and efficient system of public education.” That’s what our state constitution guarantees to every student. But in February Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court […]
Opinion: Time to move on fracking safety measures
By Molly Parzen For years, advocates have been calling on Harrisburg to implement commonsense safety regulations to mitigate harmful health impacts of fracking – particularly for children and other vulnerable populations. Gov. Josh Shapiro has taken a step forward in delivering for these impacted communities. Now, it’s time for the state legislature to do the […]
Opinion: PA leads the way in early mental health and wellness tools, access for young people
By Bob McCullough We are in the midst of a mental health crisis here in the United States and young people, sadly, are not immune. The prevalence of mental health challenges for young people is well-documented, but access to mental health services remains extremely limited. The pandemic exacerbated mental health issues while decreasing access to […]
Unthanksgiving Day: A celebration of Indigenous resistance to colonialism
the Indigenous People’s Thanksgiving Sunrise Ceremony, an annual celebration that spotlights 500 years of Native resistance to colonialism in what was dubbed the “New World.” Held on the traditional lands of the Ohlone people, the gathering is a call for remembrance and for future action for Indigenous people and their allies.
Gettysburg tells the story of more than a battle
By Katrina Stack and Rebecca Sheehan On Nov. 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln traveled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to dedicate a cemetery at the site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Four months before, about 50,000 soldiers had been killed, wounded or captured at the Battle of Gettysburg, later seen as a turning point […]
Commentary: Gov. Shapiro has a unique opportunity to continue leading on public education
Pennsylvania has an opportunity, as well as a court-ordered mandate, to fix our state’s unconstitutional public education funding system.
Commentary: Remembering veterans today ‘It’s altogether fitting and proper’
The strong sinews of remembrance and honor bind both into lasting chords of who we are and what we are as a people. “Taps” honors the living and the dead.
Commentary: We are the majority
Contributor Jill Sunday Bartoli asks: How can we the people begin to take back control of the policies and practices that have put our democracy into a downward spiral?
Commentary: RGGI is about climate change. It’s also about environmental justice
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) offers a chance to add funding and emphasis to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s stated focus on environmental justice, writes Joseph Otis Minott, president of the Clean Air Action Fund.
Commentary: The politics of aging, 2024 edition
Older voters may be set to reassert themselves in 2024 because, in a country which seems hopelessly divided along partisan lines, an issue not necessarily heading the list for squabbling politicians is top of mind of many seniors. That issue? The dramatic increase in the cost of food and other necessities and the resulting impact on those with relatively fixed incomes.
Canceling school lunch debt would have meaningful impact for children’s health
Making sure children have access to healthy school lunches is key in the fight against childhood obesity, writes Dr. Leila Hilal.
Five years after the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, the painful echoes of history: A perspective
Andrew Goretsky, Philadelphia Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League, says the painful anniversary is a time to reflect.