Let’s be real
Sharon Sedlar | October 2, 2025
PaFEC is entering its fifth year of serving families. Building awareness and becoming a trusted resource for both families and educators took time, dedication, and heart.
For 15 years, I was a full-time mom – cookie baker, PTO president, community motivator. It was a beautiful chapter. But then came the calling. It began with my own family’s devastating experience in the education system. I watched my 7-year-old child unravel over the course of months while I tried to “work things out” with the school. When I saw legislation threatening her later-found educational refuge, I spoke up.
I was fortunate that Senator Scott Martin truly listened. He invited me to testify before the Senate Education Committee during COVID, when everything was virtual. That opened doors to speak and testify before both the Pennsylvania House and Senate Committees, participate in press conferences and rallies, and even testify before the United States Congress. Sometimes, it still feels surreal.
I’ve spoken before about the pressure to be perfect – whether self-imposed or projected by others. My team at PaFEC encouraged me to “be real” with parents on social media, but I hesitated. I felt I had to be “perfect” – in appearance, wording, and delivery – and that slowed our outreach and impact while our children are literally fighting to survive.
Last week, there was a stabbing at a school just a mile away. This city school has an 84% attendance rate, a 58% chronic absence rate, and 82% of students are considered economically disadvantaged. According to SafeSchools.pa.gov, the school’s 2023 incident history was 107.91%. That means nearly 108 incidents per 100 students – 45% involving violence – and 10% of students received out-of-school suspensions. The school ranks 6th out of 1,942 for incidents.
A parent was quoted in a recent article:
“This is where they’re supposed to learn, and they’re scared to go to school… And it’s not like they’re scared to get bullied—they’re scared for their lives. They’re scared to die. And that is wrong.”
This is the REALity our children face. It’s gritty, heartbreaking, and deeply affects families and communities. Nearly every week, we hear of multiple violent incidents in Pennsylvania schools. We can talk endlessly about what we’re “going to do” and how we’ll “fix it,” but our kids are still walking into these same dangerous environments – day after day, year after year.
Some families can afford homes in well-zoned areas with strong school districts and tax bases. But many cannot. As parents, we must think beyond our own neighborhoods. We must consider our communities – and our Commonwealth – as a whole. We cannot afford to be disconnected from what happens “elsewhere,” because all too often, something ultimately finds its way to our city, our school, our home – and turns everything upside down.
So expect more REAL from us – in our newsletters, on social media, and in our conversations. Because our children deserve better. And the need for change is urgent.
