East Allegheny Schools Struggling As State Government Impasse Drags On

NORTH VERSAILLES (KDKA) -- The winds of concern are swirling around the East Allegheny School District, talk of teachers not getting paid and schools closing.

Superintendent Donald MacFann tells KDKA the district is struggling and it needs the $3.8 million it is owed by the state.

But as for the immediate future, MacFann says, "The teachers will be paid tomorrow, the board will meet Monday, and we will take a look at the books next week and see where we are."

The Pennsylvania School Board Association is now asking the Commonwealth Court to order Pennsylvania to pay the districts what they are owed.

Gov. Tom Wolf said in Pittsburgh on Thursday, "They want what I want, and that is for the state to step up and fund public education."

But he says the state simply doesn't have the money and those payments are locked in a political log jam between the governor and the Republican legislative majority.

The school board association's Executive Director Nathan Mains says the districts can't wait long for an end to the political bickering, "We are hearing from too many districts that without state funding, they are seriously contemplating closing schools."

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Asked if his district may be forced to close, East Allegheny's MacFann said, "We will do the best we can to make sure the students of East Allegheny continue to get the quality public education they deserve."

Will Gov. Wolf allow East Allegheny to close its doors, "Yeah, I mean, in this fight, we're in a real long-term fight because if we don't fight, I mean really fight in this round, then we're going to be faced with a disaster and those doors are going to be closed all over Pennsylvania for a long time to come."