PHILADELPHIA – Mayor Jim Kenney released the following statement on the School Reform Commission’s decision to ratify the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) contract.

“This afternoon’s vote by the SRC concludes what has been a long journey for the School District and our teachers. I commend Dr. Hite and SRC Commissioners Wilkerson, Richman, Jimenez and McGinley for putting the past behind them and moving forward with the fairest possible outcome for our schools and our City.

“Long before this contract, the District was facing a serious financial deficit. In order to solve it, all of us will have to make sacrifices, including our teachers who just accepted a contract that will still cause many of them to lose tens of thousands of dollars. In the coming months, I look forward to having conversations with the state, City Council and others about how to create the fairest possible solution for the financial and organizational future of the District. Our kids and the future economic health of the city and the state depends on us finding that solution.”