Is the âhold harmlessâ provision in Pennsylvania state education funding a modern-day version of disenfranchising people of color?
After the 15th Amendment gave Black men voting rights, various state laws were enacted to effectively bar them from voting. For example, some laws disqualified those who could not pass literacy tests. Few Black people could pass because, during slavery, learning to read and write was illegal for them. At the same time, many white people who were also illiterate were granted exemptions from these tests.
The âhold harmlessâ policy enacted over 30 years ago in Pennsylvania prevents a school districtâs state funding from falling, regardless of enrollment changes.