412 Justice

🍃What a big hit! Much love to everyone who showed up and showed out. We got into it! We played Jeopardy on the health impacts of industrial pollution from the mill, Bingo focused on who is in power and can make change, and Pictionary centered on people power. We had a great time!

Ms. Toni shared a report-back from , and special guest Eric Jones, who has family roots in Clairton, joined us as a recent Ph.D. graduate of Brown University’s Africana Studies Program. Eric presented research from his dissertation on the human cost of air pollution from U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works. As he prepares to launch a book on the topic, he will be sharing his research at our Environmental Justice meeting later this month. He dedicates his work to his grandmother, a lifelong Clairton resident.

We were able to distribute FREE air filters provided by our friends at
AIU Clairton Family Center 💜
Environmental Justice PGH

Last night hurts. There is no way around that.

Many of us spent the last two years fighting for Fulton because we know exactly what this school means to our children, our families, and this community. Fulton is a place where every child feels seen and that magic doesn’t stop because of this vote. Our resilience is part of the fabric of this school. The reason so many of us fought, testified, organized, emailed, protested, and showed up over and over again is because we believed our kids deserved better than a process that often felt rushed, predetermined, and performative.

We know it is hard to find hope right now but our voices still matter and can still make a difference in how this transition plan is carried out. Many of us continue to believe this plan is unrealistic and leaves serious unanswered questions for students, families, and staff. Since the board voted to move forward with this decision, it is now our responsibility to hold both the board and the district accountable for every commitment they made (or didn’t think through) during this process.

Fulton has long been more than just a school building. For generations, it has been part of the fabric of this neighborhood and a place deeply connected to community. That legacy matters. The relationships built here, the pride carried through these halls, and the sense of belonging so many families found at Fulton cannot simply be measured in reports or enrollment numbers.

We all know the vote did not go the way we hoped, and the Fulton PTA wants to take a moment to thank the incredible people who stood beside this community throughout this fight. Thank you to our fierce Fulton advocate and Board Director Devon Taliaferro, 412 Justice & Education Rights Network - for giving us a place we felt acknowledged and seen when the district did not provide that space, the Highland Park Community Council - for cheering us on and sharing information, and to our former PTA President Rebecca who never gave up on us, also our parent and student advocates, community organizers, neighbors, and every single person who used their voice to fight for our students and public education. Your time, energy, compassion, and persistence mattered deeply.

We also want to thank Fulton's teachers and staff for being a steady source of care, stability, and support for our children through an incredibly difficult and uncertain time.

We won’t sugarcoat it. This vote sucks
but we want to remind Fulton families of something important…

Fulton is still Fulton.

The teachers who love our kids are still here.
The friendships our children built are still here.
The community that doesn’t stop showing up is still here.

For families feeling scared right now, we understand. But we cannot let fear drive an exodus from a school that continues to do incredible things for students every single day. Our children deserve stability, joy, friendship, and consistency next year. They deserve classrooms full of familiar faces and adults who know them well.

One of the bright spots of this painful process was watching our community rise up together.

Tonight’s Spring Carnival gives us an opportunity to be together, to laugh, and to remember why we fought so hard. DJ Dolla Bill can cheer anyone up. Just ask your kids! Dance party starts at 5 pm.

And next, we hold this district accountable for every promise they made about transparency, support, transition planning, and protecting students. We will not allow them to overlook us.

Thank you for being a part of the magic that is Fulton.