Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia

Michael Churchill
Jennifer R. Clarke
Thomas Gilhool
Judith Gran
Barbara Ransom

Testimony on SB 99 - Proposed Truancy Fines

On March 15, 2010, Michael Churchill testified on SB99 which proposes a statewide law fining parents of truant students, purportedly as a deterrent to delinquent behavior. Michael’s testimony, based in large part on his research in Lebanon, PA where parents, Law Center clients, are challenging a similar law already in effect, stated that imposing large fines on poor parents and threatening or putting them in jail has not demonstrated any ability to eliminate or reduce truancy; in fact, in the most extreme cases, it further disrupts family life when parents are jailed for inability to pay fines.

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School Reform Commission Meeting - Vote on Order ending School Desegregation Case

On July 8, 2009, Michael Churchill spoke at the Philadelphia School reform commission meeting on behalf of our client ASPIRA, a community intervenor in the long-running school desegregation case, in favor of the proposed Order which would end the case with the School District's commitment to increase resources and opportunities for low-performing, high poverty and minority concentrated schools. The SRC unanimously approved the order.

Michael's remarks

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Andrew Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award

December 9, 2008 - The Public Interest Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association awarded Michael Churchill the Andrew Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award. This prestigious award is given annually to an experienced public interest laywer who has demonstrated a personal vision and commitment to the mission they serve, innovation in their work, and clear results achieved throughout their career. The award was presented to him by Judge Louis H. Pollak.

Michael's Remarks

Congressional Briefing

September 8, 2008 - Mr. Churchill participated in a Congressional Briefing hosted by PA Representative Chaka Fattah on the topic of Educational Equity and the role of the federal government in Public Education. The other panelists were Law Center Executive Director Jennifer Clarke, Penn History PhD candidate Patrick Spero, The Campaign for Educational Equity's Michael Rebell and The Education Law Center's David Sciarra. IFEEO Executive Director Sheilah Vance moderated the panel.
Briefing Remarks

April 24, 2008, Mr. Churchill participated in a panel discussion entitled "All Children Left Behind" at the Philadelphia Bar Association's Minority Attorney Conference. The other panelists were Donna Cooper, PA Secretary of Education, and Sandra Dungee-Glenn of the Philadelphia Reform Commission. Mr. Churchill's portion of the presentation was entitled "Pennsylvania's Unequal School Finance System: It Can Be Changed." "All Children Left Behind" Powerpoint Presentation

October 17, 2007 - Michael made a statement to the School Reform Commission urging them to take responsible action with regard to the Philadelphia Public Schools in corrective action. At the time of his statement, 64 schools are identified in this category. In particular, Mr. Churchill strongly cautions against turning to independent contractors for help when they have not proven to be successful in improving performance at other schools.
School Reform Commission Speech

Jennifer R. Clarke

The Law Center’s Jennifer Clarke testified at the first of eleven hearings on school violence in Philadelphia, hosted by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission on February 3, 2010. These meetings were held in response to an outbreak of assaults against approximately 30 Asian students on December 3, 2009 at South Philadelphia High School.
Read the testimony

On October 18, 2007, Jennifer Clarke, the Law Center's Executive Director, was the Distinguished Guest Speaker at Philadelphia's Naturalization Ceremony. She was honored to address 99 new citizens from 37 countries following the administration of their Oath of Citizenship. The Ceremony was held at the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia.
Naturalization Ceremony Speech.

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Thomas Gilhool

Syracuse University Commencement
On May 12, 2007 Tom received the honorary degree of Doctor of Education from Syracuse University. Nancy Cantor, Syracuse's Chancellor and President said of Tom, "Mr. Gilhool's role as architect of the landmark right-to-education case (PARC v. Pennsylvania) and involvement in groundbreaking litigation to enable people with disabilities to live in the community will be an inspiration to our students and their families, for inclusion has long been a hallmark of our School of Education."
Syracuse University Commencement Speech
Syracuse University Honorary Degree Citation

Holy Family University Commencement
As Tom received the Doctor of Humane Letters from Holy Family University in February 2007, he urged the graduates to action: "Our globe has grown now very small and the inequalities of income and schooling and health that beset most members of the human family have become easier for us to see and the cost of wars, suffering, and pestilence harder to ignore. Thus, for educators, nurses, young business leaders, rising thoughtful people, you...there are crucial fields for courage, for thought, and for action, wide open to you as professionals and as citizens."
Holy Family University Commencement Speech

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Judith Gran

Competence and Confidence- Inclusive Education
On October 28, 2006, Judith Gran presented at a conference on special education inclusion sponsored by a project at Temple University's Institute on Disabilities entitled, Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking (C2P2). Judith informed an audience of special education teams (instructors, their administrators, and the parents of their students) from 15 schools across Eastern Pennsylvania. She spoke on the legal history of special education inclusion in Eastern Pennsylvania with specific reference to the Gaskin settlement. The conference achieved substantive results by requiring each team to complete an Inclusion Action Project.
C2P2 brochure
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Barbara Ransom

Pennsylvania Bar Association Diversity Summit

On October 2, 2008 Barbara Ransom moderated a panel on Public Interest/Indigent Legal Defense at the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Diversity Summit. The panel was attended by several hundred lawyers from around the state and Barbara made a presentation herself on the need to attack the root causes of the astonishing high incarceration rates of African Americans in this country. The panelists were Robert B. Dunham, Esq., Defender Association of Philadelphia, Khadija Diggs Terry, Esq., Allegheny County Public Defender’s Office, and Kai Niambe Scott, Esq., Defender Association of Philadelphia. Intern Anna Laski assisted on the preparation of some of the materials presented:

"Diversity Summit Introduction" Powerpoint Presentation by Barbara Ransom

"Issues in Indigent Capital Defense in Pennsylvania" Powerpoint Presentation by Robert Brett Dunham

"Race and the Death Penalty" Powerpoint Presentation by Robert Brett Dunham

Archived Speeches and Presentations

Andrew Hamilton Award
December 5, 2006, the Public Interest Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association presented Tom Gilhool with the coveted Andrew Hamilton Award at their 15th Anniversary Celebration. This prestigious award is given annually to a lawyer who has demonstrated a personal vision and commitment to the mission they serve, innovation in their work, and clear results achieved throughout their career.
Audio recording of the Andrew Hamilton Award presentation

National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC)
The Law Center's own Barbara Ransom was a keynote speaker at the 34th National Down Syndrome Congress in Atlanta, Georgia that was held July 21st through July 23, 2006. Her address to the audience of 2000 people was entitled "IDEA: Make no Mistakes, It's About Politics"

Dr. Samuel Francis Ninth Annual School Law Symposium
On Wednesday, June 14, 2006, Tri-State Area School Study Council, Administrative and Policy Studies, School of Education, and The University of Pittsburgh School Law presented the Ninth Annual Dr. Samuel Francis School of Law Symposium. During the symposium, The Law Center's Barbara Ransom, had an opportunity to speak to an audience of Attorneys and Educators about the Challenge of Implementing the Gaskin Settlement.

After the Gaskin Settlement - Least Restrictive Environment Mandate and Inclusion Practices for Students with Disabilities in Pennsylvania
On Wednesday, May 31, 2006, Barbara Ransom and Education Law Center conducted a free audio-teleconferenced training. The training was intended to help understand how the Gaskin Settlement and other recent court decisions impact the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) mandate and inclusive practices for students with disabilities in Pennsylvania. The audio-teleconferenced training was focus on: the nuts and bolts of the Gaskin Settlement; how are parents and students better off?; the "Inclusion Report Card" for PA's School Districts, and other recent issues affecting LRE.
Read more about our Disabilities Project