Teachers, district headed for Commonwealth Court

The School District of Philadelphia cannot force members of the teacher’s union from changing their health care plans.

But the district will appeal this decision to the Commonwealth Court.

Common Pleas Court ruled today that the district could not force members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers to pay their health care premiums.

The School Reform Commission, which governs the school district, attempted to cancel the PFT’s contract on Oct. 6. As part of the cancellation, it attempted to forced the more than 11,000 teachers to start paying toward their health care premiums starting Dec. 15.

In it’s appeal, the School Reform Commission is hoping that the court will uphold its attempt to cancel the PFT’s contract.

According to a statement from the School District, district officials are “ pleased with the action taken by the Common Pleas Court.”

“The parties asked the Common Pleas Court to enter this order and agreed on the terms to be maintained while an appeal of the order is under consideration,” the statement added.

In a statement, PFT President Jerry Jordan said “This ruling, emphasizes what the PFT has been saying all along: these and other economic issues need to be worked out at the bargaining table, not the courtroom.”