Asian American Leaders Criticizes Report on Racial Violence

The report on South Philly High doesn’t assign blame for the incidents between African American and Asian American students.

By Pacific Citizen Staff
Published March 5, 2010

A long-awaited report has concluded that race and ethnicity “were contributing factors” in a series of violent incidences at South Philadelphia High School between African American and Asian Pacific American students.

On Dec. 3 about 30 APA students were attacked again throughout the day and after school. Ten students — four APA and six African American — were suspended.

The report, released Feb. 23, was commissioned by Philadelphia Schools Supt. Arlene Ackerman and performed by retired federal Judge James T. Giles. It focused solely on the violent incidents that took place Dec. 2 and 3 and, critics say, was based on interviews with only some administrators, witnesses, and victims.

Helen Gym said in a Youngphillypolitics.com blog post that the report did not provide a resolution for the “widespread violence” at the school.

“The investigation was based on interviews with only a fraction of student victims and witnesses and contained vague innuendos that served to distract from the main question: could the school/district have done anything differently to avoid or minimize the assaults?” wrote Gym, an Asian Americans United board member.

Recommendations were made in the report to hold students accountable for their behavior.

APA community organizers said the tension between students began about a year ago when five to six APA students were chased into a subway station and allegedly assaulted. Students reached out for help, according to organizers. They described routine harassment at school: milk being thrown at them in the cafeteria, kids assaulting them in the cafeteria and bathrooms, money being stolen from them in the bathrooms, and more.

Giles’ report graphically describes some of the violent outbursts and concluded that the Dec. 3 incident was triggered by rumors. On that day, some African American students walked from room to room in search of APAs. When a group of APA students entered the lunchroom, they were attacked. One student suffered a broken nose that required two surgeries.

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund has filed a federal civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Related Story:
Angst Still Felt at South Philly High