The school, despite lots of problems, has made progress. In the fall, overall crime, including assaults, was down 40 percent from the same period a year earlier.
Though December's racial and ethnic violence at South Philadelphia High has drawn considerable attention, it's hardly an isolated situation.
Stephen A. Glassman, chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Human Relations, which is investigating the South Philadelphia violence, said the commission had heard over the years about violence against immigrant students that "is systemic, it's long-standing, it's been going on for years if not decades. We understand that while this might be perpetrated against Asian Americans today, there has been a history with African immigrants, Caribbean immigrants, all kinds of immigrants."
While the district plans sensitivity training for employees and has a new office of diversity to work in all schools, solving racial problems has historically been left to individual schools.
And several - such as Fels in the Northeast, Furness High in South Philadelphia, and Bartram in Southwest Philadelphia - stand out for how they've brought in outside help, solved similar problems, and brought students together, community leaders say.
Though the schools are making strides, all three are among the district's 95 lowest-performing schools. Fels and Furness landed on the state's "persistently dangerous" list under the federal No Child Left Behind law because of violence over several years.
Furness, where nearly one-quarter of the students are English-language learners, also grappled with racial tensions and fights.
Principal Timothy McKenna said there had been a real improvement in the climate since he arrived in 2008. He attributed the changes to more community partnerships, a tighter discipline code, and more activities during the day and after school. Total violence was down 25 percent through December.
