The issues in the south Philadelphia high runs deep

This is a story i just did not want to write. I sat on the sidelines while story after story fell short of the big picture and the most important facts. Folks would say, what do you mean asia gangs with names like Bloods and Crips, no way in this city, in these times. Well wake up Philly, it has been going on for about 10 years. Just as the italian, jewish, irish and negroes migrating from the south, the groups banded together to protect each other from other groups of people. It has developed here in south Philly too. It was so bad 2-3 years ago that we thought the whole city would find out! See the blacks located in the nieghborhood from 8th street to 4th street from washington avenue to jackson st, held the drug sales in their pocket.

The young first generation southeast Asian, started to blend into the schools and culture of hip hop. With the music came the fast cars, baseball caps and baggie pants. They started playing basketball and baseball, 40 oz brew and the weed came later. The Chinese groups stayed distant from the mix, see the Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Khmer and a few other groups from the area spoke English, Chinese,French,Khmer,Russian,and Vietnamese. The fight that started this mess was between a Chinese student and a black student that has a disability. The bullying had been going on for moths this school year. The Cambodian students with a mixture of blacks, started roaming the halls looking for the Chinese students.

There is a perceived pecking order that the student body as a whole dislikes.The foreign students get to go to classes called ESOL or ELL's. Programs developed for ELLs, both ESOL and Transitional Bilingual ... Pull-out: ESOL students at the Entering and Beginning Levels (1 and 2) spend a portion ... www.phila.k12.pa.us/offices/curriculum/ell.pdf From 1st grade to 12 grade the chinese students recieved additional support, thus scoring higher of PSA's and the college boards. During graduation at each level the same students would recieve the lions share of awards, grants and scholarship, never mind that they worked hard to be in position for them. The Chinese students represented business owners and has a major section of the city in their honor. Members of the other southeast asian groups like many blacks resented them for this and focused bad taste games and fun in their direction. Many are first generation Chinese and speak very little english thus they stood as a group while in school and traveling to and from, they too did age appropriate mischief.

The south philadelphia high school has been on the persistently dangerous list for years. They have had multiple administrator changes (principal). Leadership , regional changes and district guideline changes. Every effort by the district to improve the school culture was given a chance. The DHS EPIC stakeholder groups, Phila. Anti drug anti violence groups were active in the schools. Parents were encouraged to visit and join in the education processes. However when the bell rang for dismissal, the streets around the school was a slugfest 2 or more times a week. Snyder ave , east and west had fights going on, broad street north and south had fights going on, the subways would be loaded with septa and school police officers. The stats can be found in the 3rd and 4th police districts that surround the school.

The Chinese group has a group of toughs also, they would or could hurt you bad if caught alone. But every other group had to be aware or the Bloods and the Crips, on south 5th street. The Mexicans has formed a group to protect themselves as well. Many peace accords were brokered by the United Communities of southeastern PA located at 8th Synder ave. http://www.therotunda.org/calendar/for-immediate-release-crips-and-blood... Here so proof, a lot of people missed this: Jay Says: April 8th, 2008 at 7:29 pm Bloods and crips have been, I say again BEEN in Philadelphia. I had a friend killed YEARS ago becuase of that BS. JUDGE DISMISSES MURDER CASE VS. CRIPS Source: Dave Racher, Daily News Staff Writer The Bloods may have won the South Philadelphia “turf war” that resulted in two deaths and several injuries on May 28, but the Crips won the battle in the courtroom. Two frightened teen-agers took the Fifth Amendment yesterday, refusing to implicate four reputed Crips gang members charged in one of the killings. So, after a six-hour preliminary hearing, Municipal Judge Felice Rowley Stack dismissed murder, conspiracy and aggravated assault charges against the four, Published on October 9, 1997, Page 16, Philadelphia Daily News (PA) http://www.phawker.com/2008/04/08/the-valley-of-the-shadow-there-will-be... The main issue from the students is that they condone the behaviors. The school district police force leaves a lot to be desired. Many are retired city of Philadelphia police personnel , others are military veterans that chose security as their career path. October 29th members of the school police force was taped beating up a Frankford high school student allegedly while running late to class. There was a protest scheduled outside of the Frankford high school scheduled for today, Monday 12/14/2009.

The court hearing was also scheduled for today at 1801 Vine street juvenile court. More will be added as the facts come in. My son has a good friend that joined the gang and had a hard time disassociating with them. He has dated a southeast Asian young lady and the have a beautiful daughter together but the stories that the youth and young adults in my neighborhood shares about the current issues at the school may never come to light. STACY PERALTA’S, CRIPS AND BLOODS: MADE IN AMERICA Panel afterwards includes Deputy Mayor of Public Safety, Mothers in Charge, and former drug gang prosecutor addressing violence reduction in Philadelphia. (Philadelphia, PA)— In the southern portion of the richest city in the richest state in America, a civil war has been raging for more than 40 years. This war has taken more than 15,000 lives, and it passes its legacy from father to son. CRIPS AND BLOODS: Made in America searches for answers by providing a historical and sociological context for the rise of the devastating gang violence. http://www.therotunda.org/calendar/for-immediate-release-crips-and-blood... more: Phila. attacks seen as signs of gang activity Inquirer Local and Regional News — January 24, 2008 Authorities are warning that a beating this week of a teenager in Southwest Philadelphia and a killing blocks away in November - both over "gang colors" - are signs that the Crips and Bloods are expanding in the city. » about bloods, guns, crips, crime, gangs, http://outside.in/philadelphia-pa/tags/crips

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Submitted by rmship on Tue, 12/15/2009 - 9:32am

Our family is in walking distance of the school, have attended graduations, meetings, games and school district local and regional events.

The constant change in school leadership is a huge problem. Also the gang issue has not been mentioned.

The Bloods and Crips hover and recruit in and around the school. They deal drugs as well. a few blacks and a few of the gang members made up the group that roamed the halls. Aledgely one of the attackers was Cambodian, has this been reported?

The teaching staff has their hands full. The security teams are heavy handed many times and the youth try to avoid the officers labeled mean .

The South Phila EPIC group should be involved they work with many of the youth groups. They know them personally.

Come out and here the latest on SPHS issues

Submitted by rmship on Wed, 12/16/2009 - 10:29pm

Urgent Education & Safety Meeting Dec 18th

Good Evening: Please find information related to a community meeting focused on
the Education & Safety of Philadelphia's Public School Children. As many of you
are aware the School District of Philadelphia has been faced with the serious
challenge of keeping all of its children safe as well as providing a quality
education. The situation with the shooting of a student on a school bus, in West
Philadelphia, and the more recent situation at South Philadelphia High School
has highlighted the challenge faced by the School District, parents, students;
as well as residents of the City of Philadelphia.

Many of us hear and know of negative situations that happen in and outside of
school. Many of us have spoken about what is going on in and outside of our
schools and have talked about the need for us to work together in an effort to
see our children receive a quality education and to be safe at the same time.

Dr. Ackerman has expressed her position that she wants to work with the entire
community in an effort to provide safe schools and a learning environment. The
last few weeks have been stressful on many of us as the Unrest of Students has
lead to Violent Acts that have resulted in serious injury of many students. We
are blessed that nothing worse has happened.

It is because of all the above that you are being requested to attend a City
Wide Education & Safety Meeting; to be held on Dec. 18th at 6pm.(see attachment
for complete details or click here) Dr. Ackerman and members of her staff have
been invited to attend. I ask that you attend and come prepared to discuss
issues and answers related to the education & safety of everyone's children.
Remember that the agenda is about the safety and education of our children and
no other agendas. Thank you for your continued support in the struggle to see
that All Children are Safe, in the home, school and community, and All Children
are Well Educated.

If you have any questions/ideas you can contact me at 267-595-3178.

Venard Johnson

Southeast Penna. Network For

Family Health Education & Welfare.

Please share this information with Family & Friends and anyone else that you may
come in contact with.

Community Meeting and Call to Action about Safety and Education

Submitted by rmship on Thu, 12/17/2009 - 12:49am

Please mark your calendars and/or share with your networks the following information...

On Friday, December 18th at First African Baptist Church (1600 Christian Street) between 6 and 8 pm; there will be a Community Meeting and Call to Action about Safety and Education. EVERYONE IS WELCOME! Call 215-735-1050 for more information.

Please mark your calendars and/or share with your networks the following information...

Quibila A. Divine
The School District of Philadelphia
Office of Parent, Family, and Community Engagement
440 North Broad Street, Room 114
Philadelphia, PA 19130
215-400-6443
215-400-4181 (fax)
qadivine@philasd.org ods.org/

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Come out and here the latest on SPHS issues

Community Meeting and Call to Action about Safety and Education

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