Attacking immigrant students not new, say those involved

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: PNL

Officials promised to monitor the targeted students, especially at South Philadelphia, and said conditions would improve, according to people who attended.

But little changed, and on Dec. 3, 30 more Asian students were attacked. Seven required hospital treatment, and 50 students launched a boycott that lasted seven days.

"This particular incident was horrible because of the magnitude, but this isn't new," said Zac Steele, an organizer with Juntos, a South Philadelphia Latino advocacy group. "The school district knows about all of this. They've known."

Through a spokeswoman, Ackerman said she had put fixes in place after her first meeting with the immigrant community - more translators and bilingual security officers. No one told her more was needed.

"To her understanding, things had been put in place and there weren't any great issues outstanding," spokeswoman Evelyn Sample-Oates said. "She didn't know of any breakdown, that there were issues remaining. A big part of this is that a lot of the students don't report violence because they're afraid."


Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/education/79596267.html?page=2&c=y

[pampango]

1. One really sad part: Most students of all races just want calm and a chance to study.

"South Philadelphia High's second floor has mostly been devoted to English for Speakers of Other Languages classes. To immigrant students, the floor felt like a haven of quiet and learning in an otherwise chaotic building. This year, teachers said, new principal LaGreta Brown told them that she wanted to end the second-floor arrangement.

"If you don't have a system where everyone's integrated, there are problems," said Michael Silverman, the regional superintendent.

The enclave also stirred resentment, teachers said.

"There's resentment for people who would love to have the same sense of community, the same sense of calmness," said the teacher, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal. On other floors, students walk out of class "with no fear. They have nothing to lose. It's chaos," the teacher added."
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I understand why the principal wants to integrate the building and why many African American students envy the calmness and sense of community that the ESL students benefit from.