Santa is making his list and checking it twice. 

Children First has some suggestions for Santa about who’s been naughty and who’s been nice. But, as always, there’s room for a Christmas miracle so folks on the naughty list have a few more days to change their fate and avoid coal in their stocking. (Well, except for Joe Manchin, who prioritized coal over children when he sabotaged the passage of Build Back Better.)

NICE: National leaders who passed the American Rescue Plan (ARP), which sent an economic life preserver to American families, schools, and health care providers in dire times.

NAUGHTY: The PA legislators who decided to hoard millions of our state ARP dollars instead of fully funding public schools and early childhood education.

NICE: Teachers and child care providers who went above and beyond in an incredibly difficult year to give children educational and emotional support.

NAUGHTY: Cyber charter schools who preyed on legitimate parental confusion over virtual learning to enroll more kids in failing programs and waste millions in taxpayer education dollars.

NICE: Governor Wolf and the General Assembly who passed $30 million in new funding to expand pre-k and Head Start, and $350 million additional dollars for PA public schools.

NAUGHTY: People who harassed and threatened school officials because of masking and equity initiatives that make schools safe and engaging for all students.

NICE: The Pittsburgh City Council and the Norristown Municipal Council for passing tough new lead poisoning prevention ordinances, and Philadelphia ramping up enforcement of its tough lead law.

NAUGHTY (again): The Glen Mills youth detention facility in Delco was shut down in 2019 for covering up decades of horrific child abuse by staff. It’s back on the naughty list for trying to erase its past and sneak back into the business of institutionalizing kids under a new name.

SUPER NICE: The many students throughout southeastern PA who bravely blew the whistle on racism in their schools by revealing how they suffer from a lack of resources and an abundance of unfair punishment.

SUPER NAUGHTY: The January 6th Capitol rioters. They didn’t just damage the Capitol Building; they set a horrible example for children on how to react when an election (or just life) doesn’t go your way. 

Just like Santa can’t deliver his gifts without the help of the workshop elves, Children First relies on our own merry helpers who tinker away behind the scenes to create joyful moments for children throughout the year, like:

• The Give Kids Sight/Smile Days volunteers and medical offices who donated their time and professional resources to give kids clear vision and healthy smiles.
• The Toy Drive volunteers – especially the Young Professionals Advisory Council, the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, and Kitchen Cabinet – who collected toys that will delight hundreds of children this holiday. 
• The many restaurants that supported our Toy Drive, especially Bridget Foy’s, by collecting gifts for us and giving their own. Patronize these generous places! 

Of course, your support of Children First puts you on
Santa’s nice list because you are making a REAL difference
in children’s lives. Thank you. 

We wish you a safe, healthy, and happy holiday and
a very Happy New Year!

P.S. Who have we missed? Share with us on Facebook and Twitter at @childrenfirstpa.