ELEPHANT CORNER: Jimenez For SRC – Hooray!

Last Friday, GOV. TOM CORBETT appointed COUNCILMAN WILLIAM GREEN IV and FARAH JIMENEZ to the School Reform Commission. Green, who was appointed Chairman of the SRC, has received most of the attention in large part because he is a Democrat appointed to a key position by a Republican governor. Also Green will need to resign from City Council to take the SRC position.

The good news is his views on public education echo those of the Governor and this elephant. He believes strongly in charter schools and is open to vouchers, especially for students in underperforming public schools to attend private schools.

Some Republicans are concerned that the limelight of the SRC position may help Green in a future run for Mayor. However, if the SRC enacts the real changes wanted by the Governor, the teachers’ unions and other proponents of the current broken system might be pointing their fingers at a fellow Democrat and not us.

Corbett’s selection of Jimenez for the SCR is good for Philadelphia and the Republican Party. Jimenez is the CEO of the Peoples Emergency Center, a not-for-profit that aids the homeless. In this capacity she clearly sees the intersection of homeless and poor education. She is an Afro-Cuban American Baptist with solid Republican values who defies the image that we Republicans do not care about the poor. Jimenez wants better education options and truly effective programs for the poor.

The Republican Party in Philadelphia needs more people like Jimenez. Appointing her to SRC enhances her visibility and better positions her for public office. Perhaps we will eventually see Republican Farah Jimenez running against Democrat Bill Green for Mayor.