Student Union campaign aims to quell school violence
Philadelphia Student Union activists believe that respect and open communication between students and administrators can stop most school violence before it starts. Through its Campaign for Non-Violent Schools, PSU organizers hope to improve relations among these groups citywide.
PSU announced the campaign at a School Reform Commission meeting in February. In March, PSU organizer DeVante Wilson testified before the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations about lessons he learned from the recent violence at South Philadelphia High School.
“One thing that was going around the school was that the African American students felt that the Asians had more resources,” Wilson said.
“We found that wasn’t true, but the whole breakdown of communication brought that [violence] on.”
Wilson, a senior at Carver High School, told the commissioners that students are