Schools get 'clear road map' on resolving violence

A SCHOOL DISTRICT official yesterday defended the progress that the district has made in addressing racial and ethnic violence, but acknowledged that it has more to do.

His remarks followed the release of a report by the city's Human Relations Commission that found that the issue of racial violence in city schools - and the district's uneven response - is a district-wide problem.

"The district is taking this report seriously," Associate Superintendent Tomas Hanna said following the announcement at City Hall. "But the district's policies are clear and straightforward."

The report, titled "Widening the Circle of Our Concern," provides the district with eight findings and nine recommendations as a "clear, common sense road map" on how to resolve, track and prevent conflicts.

The report and 11 hearings that preceded it were spurred by the anti-immigrant violence against Asian students at South Philadelphia High in December 2009.

The commission heard testimony from 130 students, teachers, parents, administrators and community members, and received written statements from 40 others.

Among their findings: District policies resolving conflict aren't clear; the district's zero-tolerance policy alienates students and the district hasn't made the most of student input with discipline.

"Here's what we learned: system-wide problems require system-wide solutions," said PHRC Chairwoman Kay Kyungsun Yu. "There's a disconnect between policies and what happened in schools everyday."

The commission recommended that the district update and enforce policies, improve language access and create a district-wide standard for discipline for all principals to follow.

"Part of it is communication, part of it is training staff as well as parents," Hanna said. "We'll continue to train principals. I think our services have gotten much better. We always look to improve."

He said that the district was considering recommendations outlined in four other reports released recently highlighting the dropout rate among black and Latino boys, the district's zero-tolerance policy and one focusing on cultural and racial differences. Commissioner Marshall Freeman noted that he spoke with School Reform Commission Chairman Robert Archie, who said that he's willing to do everything he can to hold people accountable.

Though the commission has no authority to enforce changes, it can investigate and adjudicate complaints. Yu encouraged citizens to contact the commission to file discrimination complaints. The full report can be viewed and downloaded in seven languages at widening thecircle.org.