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Federal Complaint Filed in School Violence

By PW Staff

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Jan. 20, 2010

The Notebook reports the Asian American Legal Defense Fund has filed a civil rights complaint with the Department of Justice over assaults on Asian Students at South Philly High School: "The 11-page complaint charges that District personnel with "deliberate and discriminatory indifference" against Asian students in violation of the 14th Amendment. It asks the Justice Department to start an investigation. It describes in detail several different encounters throughout the day on December 3, when Asian students were assaulted in and around the high school, sending 13 to hospitals. One suffered a broken nose. In addition, the District sought to "cover up" and minimize the incident afterwards and downplay concerns that Asian students were the subject of harassment, according to the complaint. The District issued a statement Tuesday evening strongly disputing the charges while saying it 'was not surprised by the complaint. The claim of 'intentional discrimination' makes no sense,' the statement said. 'Asserting that the District would have 'intentional disregard' for the welfare of its students is as outrageous as it is hurtful to so many professionals, students, and others who have been devoted to addressing these issues in a meaningful manner.'"