Philadelphia public schools crack down on violence

Philadelphia Schools can’t take it anymore. They are stepping up and cracking down on school violence. New mandates have been put in place regarding how the Philadelphia Public Schools will handle violence or even threats of violence going forward.

In the past, the filing of a police report against a student was left to the discretion of the principal. In a March 2007 meeting between the executive offices of Philadelphia schools, Paul Vallas, union representatives, and Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson, new policies were laid out on how all Philadelphia schools will handle problems going forward. .

The problem came to light when recent reports said that teachers were being harassed and that principals were not calling the police, even when the teachers wanted them to. Under this new plan, the police will be called, no matter what. The policy affects all students over the age of 10. Students who assault or threaten school personnel will receive an automatic 10-day suspension. Deportation and criminal charges are also possible. Students who commit a violent act and are under the age of 10 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Some people worry that this new policy is too inflexible. The children’s advocacy group Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth is among those interested. They are concerned that while some situations are serious and require police presence, there are likely to be others that do not. Also skeptical is the Education Law Center, an advocacy group for parents and students of the Philadelphia Schools. They are concerned that this new policy will give teachers complete discretion over whether to bring in the police, and would like to see more collaboration on the decision with school principals.

While the district seems to appreciate the views of the entire city, it feels Philadelphia Schools had better be more cautious. In addition to the arrest policy, there is also a new hotline for staff and teachers who want to report assaults.
Other new steps taken by the Philadelphia Schools in response to this issue include:

 Training in preventive and disciplinary processes in the nine most dangerous Philadelphia Schools in the District.

 Placement of a “Distinguished Educator” in those nine Philadelphia Schools to support teaching staff.

 Evaluation of the District’s Philadelphia Alternative Schools and the academic and behavioral performance of its students.

Everyone can agree that it is important for children to attend school without the threat of violence against them or their friends. The same can be said for the teachers and staff; they deserve to be able to offer their gifts and talents to work with children without fear of harm. The Philadelphia Schools are working hard to ensure that these rights are upheld.