If Not Now…When?

As we continue to witness the beginning of the end of the public schools in America which have been failing nationally for the last 15 years, it appears that for some individuals public schools are not closing fast enough. In Philadelphia, for example, some students are afraid to enter the “house of education” for fear of being physically assaulted.

At South Philadelphia High School, Asian American students are being attacked by fellow students for no other reason than being--Asian American. Or is it? Some accuse the Asian American students of attacking a handicapped student of African American descent off school property. Others say that some of the African American students are assaulting the Asian American youth because they are the minority group at the high school, where as others are saying its gang related. Whatever the reasons, one thing is clear: there is a lack of adults involved to effectively address the issues. Once again it seems that only until a youth is murdered do we, the adults, get involved to stop the violence albeit too late.

Although the School District of Philadelphia has promised to address the matter, the Asian American community wants action, not promises. Until such action occurs, the Asian American students have refused to return to South Philadelphia High School. It is important to understand that this problem of racial tension among African American, Asian American, Italian American, Latino American, and Irish American youth that attend the aforementioned school has been simmering for years, but safety precautions and conflict resolution programs were never put in place to counter the current strife that has boiled over. Now the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund plans to file a federal civil rights complaint against the School District of Philadelphia over a series of attacks against Asian American students attending South Philadelphia High School.

As if public schools could use anymore disheartening news, this incident is growing into a national debate which questions whether segregating public schools be initiated. As the adults and role models, it appears we’ve instilled racial intolerance compounded with the use of violence in our children and the results are catastrophic. We also continue to present “baseless rhetoric” to the youth that they are the bright future of America and then vigorously destroy it by leaving the youth to their own devises in which they self destruct. The racial tension and senseless violence at South Philadelphia High School merely highlight the continued failure of America’s public schools not only academically but also from a socialization perspective.

If not now…when do we begin to address the racial intolerance and academic impotency decaying the public schools as well as our youth attending these institutions in Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Mississippi, California and the rest of America? At the current pace, if we’re not very careful, an entire generation of youth will be wiped out of the pages of history, and when the next generation asks why, we can respond by saying, “Why not?”


Anthony P. Johnson, Author