[RSCT] Violence at South Philadelphia High School targets Asian immigrants

[hgbf at aol.com]

Dear RS Friends:
 
Hi: Helen Gym from Philadelphia's Asian Americans United here. This past  
week we've been working with an amazing group of immigrant students who are  
boycotting their school in the wake of a violent incident where two dozen 
Asian  immigrant students were assaulted in a targeted racial attack 
(unfortunately by  other students). The students are particularly frustrated with a 
school and  district that has allowed problems at the school to fester.
 
Here's 2 blog posts about the issue: 
_http://youngphillypolitics.com/racial_assaults_south_philly_what_went_wrong_ 
(http://youngphillypolitics.com/racial_assaults_south_philly_what_went_wrong) 
_http://thenotebook.org/blog/092007/students-wont-go-back-south-philly-Monda
y_ 
(http://thenotebook.org/blog/092007/students-wont-go-back-south-philly-Monday) 
 
and an updated news story:
_http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20091207_Asian_students_boycott_
S__Phila__High.html_ 
(http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20091207_Asian_students_boycott_S__Phila__High.html) 
 
The students are beginning to draft recommendations on improving safety at  
their school but basically am wondering if folks have positive solutions 
that  have worked. This is our own edited list below. 
 
Thanks for any suggestions!
 
Helen Gym
Asian Americans United
215-925-1538; _aau at aaunited.org_ (mailto:aau at aaunited.org) 
_www.aaunited.org_ (http://www.aaunited.org) 
 
 
 
a)      An  immediate in-depth investigation of the incidents of violence 
which includes  interviews of all affected students and staff members. A full 
report must be  issued following this investigation and should be completed 
no later than  January 5, 2010 and  must be reported publically. The report 
must  include data on the number and kinds of harassment incidents, 
repoprted by  ethnicity, language, gender, location of incident, and grade level.   
b)      Immediate action, including removal, against  any staff who are 
found to have contributed to/allowed the acts of harassment of violence by  
supporting/disregarding the students who were  creating the problems or by 
failing to protect students who are being  victimized. 
c)      Hiring of administration (principals and  vice-principals) who are 
known to have knowledge about racial diversity and the  needs of immigrant 
students. 
d)      An  acknowledgement by administration (in the school, the region 
and the district)  that the violence had a racial part to it and a commitment 
to solve the problems  in the school in a way that is fair to everybody. 
e)      Increased security and the addition of  security staff who speak 
Chinese, Vietnamese and Spanish. 
f)        The development of  a system for reporting bias-based harassment 
of  all kinds, physical, verbal, emotional. The  system must allow victims 
and others to make reports in their language of  choice, and not be 
intimidated by administrators  (those taking reports) who are insensitive to their 
native languages. The system must also require recordkeeping and regular  
public reports. Also create and implement a  universal reporting system 
throughout the school district, so that students are  not forced to go through 
numerous emotional reporting processes as they are now  - with their school, the 
district, the Phila PD, and school medical facilities  in order to be served 
and documented appropriately.   
g)      A requirement that all staff in South Philadelphia High  School and 
the region be trained on diversity,  including the needs of ESL students, 
and bias-based harassment. 
h)      Meetings with all different groups of students  and parents(African 
American, Chinese, Vietnamese, Khmer and Lao, Mexican and  White) to 
discuss how they feel about the school and to make recommendations for  
improvements.  
i)        A program to educate students about diversity  and harassment for 
all students at SPHS. 
j)        A plan to develop racial, cultural and  language diversity among 
members of the administration, faculty, and staff at  the school and 
regional office.  
k)      Provide counseling and other support services  for victims of bias 
motivated violence.  
l)        Develop a committee on human relations that  include students, 
faculty, parents, community members, and staff. 
m)    Reflect the cultural and language diversity of  the school in 
teaching strategies and in the materials used for teaching, to promote the value of 
language and culture, instead of  making students feel as though their 
language and culture is a burden to their  fellow students, teachers and  
administrators. 
n)      Return the Chinese bilingual program to  operation and add other 
bilingual programs of support for larger language  groups. 
o)      Develop a plan with specific activities  and a timeline to affirm 
racial and cultural differences within the school,  such as open forums with 
community members and groups  to discuss these issues as a community, 
mentorship programs with folks from  other different racial/cultural backgrounds… 
(http://thenotebook.org/blog/092007/students-wont-go-back-south-philly-monday
) 
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