School district of philadelphia | wmur school closings

School district of philadelphia - State Rep. Paul I. Clymer (R., Bucks) sent letters Jan. 7 to Robert L. Archie Jr., chairman of the Philadelphia School Reform Commission, and to the four other commission members asking for answers to several "serious concerns." Clymer's letter is the most recent development stemming from The Inquirer's Nov. 28 disclosure that Ackerman intervened on behalf of IBS Communications Inc., a small minority-owned firm in Mount Airy that was awarded a $7.5 million emergency, no-bid security contract.
The state provides approximately 55 percent of the district's $3.2 billion budget.

"I am willing to work with the Philadelphia School Reform Commission; however, it is important to learn the position/recommendations and planned action of the School District (not just requesting increased funding from the state) on the issues outlined in this letter."

In the case of South Philadelphia High School in the Philadelphia School District, however, the school and its district failed on both fronts.

The following is a timeline of events that transpired over the last year at South Philadelphia High School and in the Philadelphia School District. On December 3, 2009, 26 Asian students were attacked and beaten by a large group of their peers, mostly African American, throughout the school day at South Philadelphia High. After meeting with district officials following the attacks, a group of over 60 Asian students from South Philadelphia High remained unconvinced that their safety at school would be ensured and organized an eight day-long boycott. Dozens of students have already committed to meeting during school hours.

The complaint charges that the District and School acted with "deliberate indifference" to the harassment against Asian students and "intentional disregard for the welfare of Asian students" at SPHS. The complaint cites numerous instances in which school officials were notified by teachers and Asian students about the increasingly hostile environment towards Asian students but failed to take any steps to prevent the widespread attacks on Asian students on December 3, 2009.

On December 3, 2009, large numbers of Asian immigrant students from SPHS were assaulted in and around the school throughout the day. In February, a little more than two months after the attacks, the Philadelphia Schools District commissioned a report on the violence that had occurred at South Philadelphia High School. In particular, it does not address how the ongoing harassment of Asian immigrant students and the school's failure to respond creates a hostile climate for Asian immigrant youth at South Philly.

In April, another Asian student at South Philadelphia High School was assaulted, but the school district ruled that the student had been attacked "carelessly but unintentionally," despite a conflicting witness account.

Before the start of the next school year, in August, the U.S. Department of Justice informed the Philadelphia School District that they'd found merit in the Asian students' claims that they were singled out for abuse at South Philadelphia High School. From the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The settlements, which hold the district responsible for implementation and oversight, resolve eight discrimination complaints alleging widespread harassment of Asian students at South Philadelphia High School.