Violence is a problem not just at South Philadelphia High but also at schools around the city, several parents, teachers, and residents told the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations last night.
It’s particularly acute at Audenried High School in Grays Ferry, where neighborhood violence and gang activity has been spilling over into classrooms, they said.
English teacher Brynn Keller said that last week 20 teenagers had burst into her room and attacked a female student. A male classmate dropped to the floor to protect her with his body.
“After calling for security, there was nothing I could do other than stand by and watch,” Keller said, holding back tears in testimony to the commission, which held the first of 11 hearings on school violence. “There is little keeping our students safe within our school’s walls.”
Full story: Commission hears of violence in many city schools – Philadelphia Inquirer