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In this Update:
Pennsylvania Colleges Must Prevent Campus Antisemitism
The antisemitic protests which we all witnessed on Pennsylvania college campuses last year, including the defacing of the Ben Franklin statue on Penn’s campus pictured here, should NEVER happen again. Pennsylvania college students victimized by antisemitism called on college and university leaders to do more to hold protesters calling for genocide and violence accountable during a public hearing of the Senate Education Committee which I chaired earlier this summer. The need for this was made clear when two Jewish students at the University of Pittsburgh were attacked with a glass bottle shortly after returning to campus just a few weeks ago. Aaron Kaufman, the Executive Director of Penn State Hillel, said, “I anticipate that Jewish students will unfortunately continue to face increasing levels of antisemitic activity. It is crucial that University leaders enforce their policies and codes of conduct to ensure that universities are safe and welcoming spaces.” I was pleased to hear that Penn has taken more concrete steps – including banning encampments of protesters – to defend Jewish students. They must be vigilant and ready to act if hateful protests begin again. Students and representatives from Jewish organizations also called for the passage of the Stand with Israel Act. Introduced by Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks) and Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R- York), this legislation would prevent Pennsylvania colleges and universities that boycott or divest from Israel from receiving any state tax dollars. Since it was approved by a strongly bipartisan vote of 41-7 by the Senate, it has remained in the House State Government Committee for months without any action. Should Cell Phones be Banned in Schools?
There has been a lot of discussion lately – in schools, in the media, and in the state legislature – about the negative impact of cell phone use on our children. This year’s bipartisan state budget made funding available for schools to purchase lockable smartphone bags in which students would deposit their mobile devices until the end of the school day – the first policy enacted in Harrisburg to address this growing issue. Studies have shown a clear correlation between the rise of cell phones, the decline of student performance, and the rising youth mental health crisis. Many have called for restrictions or outright bans on cell phones in schools, to allow students to focus on their studies and interact with their peers. On the other side of the issue, many parents oppose full bans to ensure their children would be able to call 911 during an emergency. Some school administrators in Pennsylvania have also raised concerns about the feasibility of securing every single cell phone every day, especially in larger school districts. The results of this program will help guide us as we consider how best to protect our students from the distractions and harms posed by social media and constant access to cell phones. Investing in Pennsylvania’s Future
To make higher education more affordable, the Senate passed Grow PA earlier this summer – a package of bills to recruit the best talent to Pennsylvania schools in industries that will grow the state’s economy and focus on the key jobs we need to fill now, in the trades and in many other professions. This year’s bipartisan state budget also increased funding for career and technical centers by $25 million – an increase of 21%, with additional funding for Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster and the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport. This higher education plan included the creation of a new council to promote collaboration between Pennsylvania colleges and universities. I spearheaded this effort because ALL of our colleges and universities need to plan for a challenging future and better prepare our students for in-demand careers here in Pennsylvania. Read more about this new council here. Keeping School Safe and Secure
When I chaired ten public roundtables in 2018 across Pennsylvania on school safety after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, we heard from students, parents, and educators that we needed to do more to protect our public and nonpublic schools. Since then, we’ve invested hundreds of millions of dollars into safer, far more secure schools, but we must do more – NOTHING is more important than protecting our children. Almost $120 million in state school safety funding for public and nonpublic schools will be awarded to meet both physical security and behavioral health needs later this year. This funding was allocated through the bipartisan 2024-25 state budget. Eligible applicants can find information about each of these grant programs, including eligibility criteria and application instructions, on PCCD’s School Safety and Security webpage. PCCD staff will also host informational webinars and provide other resources to assist school entities and eligible applicants. Holding Looters and Thieves Accountable
The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General announced that five people were charged under the new, stronger penalties for organized retail theft signed into law last year. According to the news release, these individuals operated a significant organized retail theft operation that targeted stores across nine counties, stealing more than $71,000 in over-the-counter medications and other health and beauty products. I wrote the law that strengthened the penalties these thieves were charged with and gave the AG’s office more resources to hold them accountable. This crime ring shows exactly why I advocated so strongly for this change. Theft at this scale doesn’t just hurt employers – it results in the loss of jobs and makes our communities less safe. I’m grateful to see stronger action is already being taken. |
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