Penn boasts 2,324 members of the Facebook group "I Went to a Public School . Bitch."
That's right, we braved the dangerous halls and walked to school through the urban jungle every day. in the snow. uphill. both ways. We struggled to beat the odds and get into Penn where we still watch our backs. After all, we live in West Philly. We are bad ass (cue the laughter).
We Penn students live here for the time being, but we are not "West Philadelphia, born and raised" (Yes, I did quote the Fresh Prince.)
Recent events at West Philadelphia High School brought the significance of this distinction to my attention. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, in 10 school days there were seven assaults and several fires set by students. These incidents prompted the removal of principal Clifton James.
Amid the recent violence, Pennsylvania schools also began the 2007 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests. The results will determine whether Philadelphia schools meet the standards of the Adequate Yearly Progress system of the No Child Left Behind Act.
Assaults, fires, two new principals and tests - talk about a big week. It seems these students may perhaps be at a slight disadvantage, at least compared with those who spent four years in Ivy League feeder schools.
But in addition to students there is another group that is feeling the burden of these regrettable circumstances - a group that has overwhelming influence on students' success.
They are our fine public-school teachers who endeavor day in and day out to perform perhaps the most important task to our nation's future. They deserve our respect. Unfortunately, public education often takes a backseat to other issues and conditions are allowed to deteriorate.
In 2002, the controversial No Child Left Behind Act was passed. Both the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers (with over 4.5 million members combined) view the law as having deep flaws.
According to AFT president Edward McElroy's March 13 statement, "it misidentifies thousands of schools as failing that are making real progress. It's demoralizing for students, parents, teachers, and communities."
Of course, added pressure to perform well is not bad in itself. The real problem is that these added pressures on teachers are piled upon poor salaries and unacceptable working conditions exacerbated by gross under-funding of schools and programs, including No Child Left Behind.
On March 14, the Philadelphia School Reform Committee approved a new budget plan. Precarious to say the least, it will make large cuts and is banking on an $82 million dollar increase in state and city revenue.
If the revenue isn't provided the city schools could see major cuts in personnel like nurses and teachers. Extracurricular activities - which undoubtedly keep kids out of trouble and discourage the kind of violence that has recently plagued Philadelphia public schools - are also in danger.
Philadelphia school district spokeswoman Amy Guerin assured me that "West Philadelphia schools are the exception to the rule."
Although I was unable to reach administrators from West Philadelphia High School to find out how teachers are feeling, numbers from the city as a whole paint a disturbing picture.
A recent survey by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers reported that only a narrow majority of 51 percent reported feeling safe in their schools. Moreover, 86 percent of responding teachers feel more adult supervision is needed and 98 percent have been discouraged by administrators from reporting serious incidents and misbehaviors.
The mission of educating urban students from mostly low-income households - 4,000 of which are homeless, according to Guerin - is arduous to say the least. With the addition of threatened budget cuts and layoffs, pressure to meet progress requirements and anxiety about actual physical harm, it's a wonder there are any teachers willing to try.
In fact, research shows that fewer are.
According to a 2003 article by Stanford education professor Linda Darling-Hammond, "Since the early 1990s, the annual number of exits from teaching has surpassed the number of entrants by an increasing amount."
According to Hammond, much of this attrition is due to teachers who choose to leave the profession, many within the first five years of work. This is especially important for inner-city schools like West Philadelphia High School, where attrition rates are highest. Even the most dedicated teachers won't put up with appalling working conditions, and they shouldn't have to.
Public-school teachers are not getting their due respect (being punched in the face by students is hardly respectful). Until they do, the effects of teacher neglect will be felt by inner-city students like those at West Philadelphia High School. Before we can improve the education of our youth, we need to provide the adequate tools for our undervalued educators.
Emily Garrett is a College sophomore from Waukon, Iowa. Her e-mail address is garrett@dailypennsylvanian.com . Carpe Di-Em appears on Tuesdays.
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