Second Philly Teacher Attacked / New School Initiatives Don't Involve Families

"Our kids have no belief and respect, no respect. There's no respect for authority," says Joseph Smith, a history and science teacher at the Deburgos Middle School in North Philadelphia.

Smith was attacked by an ignorant 13-year-old girl who insisted on using the classroom telephone for making prank calls. Feeling that Mr. Smith was out of line for unplugging the phone, the teenager beat him with the phone, attempted to strangle him with his own tie and then a clocked him in the back of the head with dictionary.

"Fuck you, Mr. Smith." she said

As he fell to the ground three additional students joined in.

Mr. Smith's left eye was swollen, the injury so bad that he'll need a doctors clearance before being allowed back in the classroom. This was his third attack since starting at the school this past November.

"Somebody's gonna get killed, sooner or later." Joe said from his home. He'd thought that day it would be him.

The school district responded by issuing the absolute minimal punishment they could get away with: suspension. Although an extended stay in one of Philly's finer detention centers would have probably been more appropriate. Perhaps some community service thrown in as well? I've noticed a lot of graffiti in Philly.

"Anytime a teacher is assaulted, we need to do better and we're always attempting to do better...."says Felicia Ward, a representative from the school district. She added that incidences are down 13% from this time last year.

In an unrelated story- I stole sand from the beach.

This attack comes only one week after Frank Burd, Germantown High School math teacher, had his neck broken over an iPod and only one day after a report is released about the violence in Philadelphia schools. Ellen Green Ceisler, author of the report, was forbidden to discuss it on camera because the school district has threatened to take legal action against her if she did. How ironic.