Students revolt at this top Philly school | Morning Newsletter
And a look inside Philly prisons
The Morning Newsletter
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The rains are gone, but the temperatures remain as we’ll stay in the low 50s.
Today we’re in Northern Liberties, where students have walked out of classes on multiple days at Bodine High School protesting the administration they say has created a “toxic culture.”
And staffers, inmates, and others say the situation inside Philly jails has gone into full-blown crisis mode.
😷 Also, SEPTA defied city mandates with the announcement of lifting its own mask requirements late last night. Why is Philly back in mask-wearing mode while other cities are not? We asked a few experts.
— Kerith Gabriel (@sprtswtr, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Fights. Body-shaming. Administrators failing to act.
These are just a few of the grievances students at Bodine High, one of the city’s top high schools, said led to a decision to walk out of classes and hold a series of demonstrations.
Now, students along with some staff are calling for changes to the school’s current administration and felt this was the only way to garner attention. They say that reports of bullying, harassment, and discrimination arrive with little recourse.
“There’s been so many fights. [There are] no repercussions for anything. You can be late, you can fight, you can not come to school — no one gets called, nothing happens to anyone for anything. Nothing is reported,” said one Bodine teacher, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal.
Principal Michele Wilson-Dawson, who has led the school for three years, was unavailable for comment, according to Philadelphia School District officials. Wilson-Dawson’s lack of involvement is what one student suggests is part of the problem.
“This principal is totally absent — she stays in her office, with the door closed,” said Alexianie Negron, a junior. “Even if the students wanted to build [a] relationship with her, they couldn’t.”
Our reporter Kristen A. Graham has the latest on this situation, including a town hall held yesterday between administrators and the Bodine community.
What you should know today
Jurors in the Kenyatta Johnson trial say they’ve reached an impasse in the city councilmember’s bribery trial. The judge has requested they keep trying.
The family held hostage for three days in February in the basement of their Holmesburg home described their ordeal in court yesterday.
The Sixers turned in another smothering performance en route to a 112-97 Game 2 victory over the Raptors. Game 3 is tomorrow night in Toronto.
With more than 50 shootings over four days in Philly, The Inquirer Editorial Board, which operates independently of the newsroom, examines what the city could be in for as the weather gets warmer.
Another workplace change, courtesy of the pandemic: Companies large and small are placing more of an emphasis on employee mental health.
Want to know just how much Pennsylvania GOP Senate hopeful David McCormick is worth?
Meet the Philly nurse who ran a marathon – in her scrubs.
Local Coronavirus Numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
People are dying at an alarming rate inside Philly jails.
Mark Subher could have been among them after being viciously attacked and stabbed multiple times inside his cell at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. He managed to survive, despite it taking over an hour to receive care from staff.
Subher was acquitted of an attempted-murder charge, but in his 22 months in jail, 25 people died — an annual jail mortality rate 77% higher than the national average. Of those, at least three died by suicide, five by homicide, and 10 by drug overdose. During at least two deaths, no staff was present, according to eyewitness accounts and internal documents obtained by The Inquirer.
In interviews and lawsuits, staff and prisoners have attributed the deaths, riots, and assaults to a dangerously short-staffed department, and the numbers tell the story:
644: The number of staff shortages in correctional officers. Over the last year, twice as many officers left as were hired.
20%: The average correctional officer staff shortage per shift inside Philly prisons.
90%: How high absenteeism has sometimes reached.
4,300: The number of prisoners inside Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. More than half still await trial.
Still, prison officials contend that despite these deficits, no units have been left unstaffed or even short-staffed.
Our reporter Samantha Melamed takes you inside the state of Philly prisons with her latest investigation, looking at the deficiencies, complaints, and the “aggressive hiring” we were told in a written response to our inquiry would resolve these challenges.
🧠 Philly Trivia Time 🧠
With the Sixers in full swing, we dropped our list of the 50 best players in franchise history. Today’s question: Who holds the all-time record for most three-pointers made in a season? Take a guess and find the answer here.
a. Wilt Chamberlain
b. J.J. Redick
c. Eric Snow
d. Dana Barros
What we’re …
🤔 Wondering: What persuaded Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Sims to suggest he was endorsed by Pennsylvania Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Josh Shapiro for lieutenant governor in his latest campaign ad?
🏒 Watching: The potential league-wide fallout from the pair of Flyers trainers who claim chemicals from a Zamboni gave them cancer and other disorders.
🤦 Revealing: That until yesterday, I always thought Nathaniel Rateliff’s band was called the “Meat Sweats.” Sorry, Nathaniel.
🧩 Unscramble the Anagram 🧩
This Philadelphian is a pretty American runaway.
RAGRED RECHI
Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shoutout to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shoutout goes to Shiela Bassman, of Logan Square, who correctly guessed TYRESE MAXEY as Monday’s answer.
Photo of the day
What if I told you that bird-watching had magical healing powers...✌️