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Group Says Some Philly Schools Are Getting Short Shrift

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- About a dozen members of a citizen activist group protested today in front of the School District of Philadelphia offices, saying the distribution of the most experienced teachers is not fair and equitable, and neither is the education of children across the school district.

William Browning (holding bullhorn in photo), legislative and educational director for Action United, says this is not a new problem: that more experienced teachers are opting for schools in the northeast or southwest sections of the city.

"Those schools are progressively successful," Browning says, "but in the inner city schools the large proportion of teachers that are there have less than three years' experience.  And our schools are continuously failing."

And the schools with the more experienced teachers, AU says in a new report, receive more money to handle the higher salaries of the more experienced teachers.

Browning says AU would like to see the money spread out equally, and go to support inexperienced teachers.

Frances (no last name given), a concerned parent and grandparent, agrees.

"My kids had new teachers, and they came home with papers and said, 'Mom, can you help me with this?' ", she recalls.  " 'Well, didn't you go over this while you were there?' 'Uh, no.' "

Our calls to the School District of Philadelphia were not immediately returned.

Reported by Michelle Durham, KYW Newsradio 1060.

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