The House Education Committee held two days of meetings this week in Harrisburg on school choice proposals and how they could affect students and the education system in Pennsylvania. Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Clymer (R-Bucks) said lawmakers need to be informed on the full spectrum of alternatives as a number of school choice proposals are expected to come before the General Assembly this fall. Mike Davies reports, wrap and stand alone bite available.

At a time when Pennsylvania holds the unenviable title as the “Teacher Strike Capital of the United States,” lawmakers in Harrisburg have introduced new legislation that would outlaw public school teacher strikes. Chairman of the House Education Committee, Rep. Paul Clymer (R-Bucks) said he supports the bill and feels strikes should not be allowed to disrupt public education services. The STRIKE-FREE Education Act would immediately outlaw teacher strikes and provides financial penalties that include teachers losing two days of pay for each day of an illegal strike. Mike Davies Reports – Story and Bite available.

Legislation that would require Pennsylvania school districts to provide comprehensive sex education was narrowly approved this week by the House Education Committee in Harrisburg. The Democrat sponsored bill would mandate that public schools not be allowed to teach an abstinence-only curriculum, but would continue to give parents the option to excuse their children from instruction. Rep. Paul Clymer (R-Bucks), Republican Chairman of the House Education Committee, said he could not support the bill that mandates a sex-ed curriculum and diminishes parental and local control over the materials used in Pennsylvania schools... Mike Davies reports.

A constitutional amendment to ban teacher strikes in Pennsylvania has been introduced in Harrisburg. The Strike-Free Education Amendment would prevent the economic and parenting hardships brought about when strikes result in school closures. Rep. Paul Clymer (R-Bucks) said he believes that public employees should not be afforded the right to strike, especially when schoolchildren must face the consequences of an interrupted education. Chuck Nichols Reports – Story and Bite available.

Funding for state related universities like Penn State may be in jeopardy, as Governor Rendell has decided to withhold approval of money budgeted for the schools, in an effort to drum up support for the expansion of gambling in Pennsylvania. Rep. Paul Clymer (R-Bucks) said the Governor is wrong to leverage thousands of students’ education against the expansion of an industry which is in obvious need of reform. Chuck Nichols Reports - Story and Bite available.