School Relocation to a Gun Violence Epicenter Prompts Protest From Philly Parents and Students

Damaged asbestos was discovered at a school building in Philadelphia, forcing students and staff to temporarily relocate to a school with an address known to be one of the city's gun violence epicenters.

During a routine inspection at Building 21, the West Oak Lane High School located at Limekiln Pike, damaged asbestos was discovered, prompting a temporary closure, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

School district officials informed parents and students that a school relocation would be done since Building 21 requires extensive repair. Staff and students were then ordered to momentarily move to Strawberry Mansion High, located at 31st Street and Ridge Avenue, tagged as one of Philadelphia's many gun violence epicenters.

The relocation was supposed to start yesterday. However, out of the 366 students, there were only 22 who boarded one of the SEPTA shuttle buses made available for students' transit to Mansion; six students made their own way to the temporary school, while 126 confirmed that they stayed home and did school work online.

'Dumbest decision'

Philadelphia school district administration struggled to convince parents about the relocation. They were called out for not consulting the parents before they made the final decision.

CBS News Philadelphia stated they couldn't find a single parent supporting the relocation plan.

More than 200 parents and students made their way into a fourth-floor classroom in Strawberry Mansion High on Sunday afternoon. They were invited to be there to have a tour of the temporary classroom and school that the students will use for an "indefinite time of stay." However, the tour turned into a protest, sending one message - NO.

Most of the parents' concern was of their children becoming possible targets and victims of violence at Mansion. They cannot help but insist that the school district should have thought about how the school is exposed to "neighborhood rivalries" and a popular area for crime.

Parent Sheila Johnson added that the district should offer better options for the students and cannot fathom how they can "dare try to send our kids there?"

"We have a blended family of 9 kids. We now have 8, you know, due to gun violence, unfortunately. My son cannot come here. He will not come here. It's the dumbest decision they could make," Melvinia Hall, a parent of a Building 21 student who lost one of her kids due to gun violence, declared.

Another parent, Sheba Grant, a trauma nurse, narrated how she gets to see Black bodies with gunshot wounds each time she goes to work and fears that the next thing she will see is her son's body.

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Virtual learning not possible

According to 6ABC, the school district explained that the choice led to Strawberry Mansion High because it has an unused classroom space in a separate school building area. The room is enough to keep the Building 21 students together.

The majority of the parents were in support of virtual learning. However, the school district said switching to E-learning is not possible due to a state limit on the allowed number of virtual days in a school year. However, they are working with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to see whether the agency can grant them an exception.

When asked about the possibility of sending the students to a school nearer Building 21 or renting a private venue, Monique Braxton, a school district member, stated that there were no discussions made about renting a venue, but they made sure to examine the closer high schools. However, none was suitable.

Building 21 was built in 1915. It is now one of the over 2,200 asbestos abatement projects in the school district of Philadelphia. Asbestos exposure is a health risk, especially since it is reported to cause cancer.

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