Petition to Withhold Anthony Hamlet’s salary

Dear Pittsburgh Public School Families and Staff,

As parents, we have remained silent, not because we agree with the decisions being made, but because we are exhausted with all the roles we have had to take on this past year and a half. To challenge the decisions of the school board and the Superintendent is another task for us that some are too exhausted to fight. However, this latest decision to push back the start of the school year is enough. I will not sit idly by anymore and let another school year go by with approximately 25,000 students being negatively affected. I love this school district and would hate to be another family forced to leave because these horrible decisions are negatively impacting my children’s future success.

Pittsburgh Public School’s poor leadership and horrible decision making have impacted thousands of families over the past year and a half.  While I understand these are ‘uncertain times’, other school districts are still succeeding. The transportation issue has been an ongoing issue, since at least January of this year. It is now August, two weeks before the start of school and the issue has still has not been handled adequately. With better leadership this would have been handled months ago. It has nothing to do with the heat and mask wearing. The difference in temperature, on average, between August 25th and September 8th is only two degrees. They could at least came up with a better excuse as to why students once again will not be in the classroom learning like every other district in the county.

Pittsburgh Public School has missed more days of school than any other district in Allegheny County. While I understand we are a larger district, other larger districts, comparable to PPS, have managed to provide in person learning throughout the country. It is not my job as a parent to research how to make this happen. I am not the one making $236,000 a year. This is Dr. Anthony Hamlet’s job and should be his priority. Families should not be notified two weeks before school starts that start/end times to the school day are changing and start/end times to the school year are also changing. The students are the ones that are suffering because of these atrocious decisions.

We are asking at minimum his salary be held until further notice or removal from his position.

Thank you,

Bethany Fullwood