Safe Schools Campaign

In the summer of 2003, the Pennsylvania Department of Education ruled that 27 schools in Philadelphia were "persistently dangerous" under standards set by the Commononwealth of Pennsylvania under "No Child Left Behind."

On January 19th, 2004, as part of the Martin Luther King Day of Service, the Institute for the Study of Civic Values and the House of Umoja brought more than 250 students, teachers, principals, community leaders, and elected officials together in  the National Constitution Center to launch a city-wide safe schools campaign with one simple message: "Violence No More in 2004."

The participants in the King Day Conference endorsed this pledge:

"We, the public officials and  active citizens of Philadelphia, entrusted with 'securing the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity,' pledge to work together and with our youth leaders  to combat violence in our schools and to build safe and supportive neighborhoods  for young people throughout the city. Violence No More in 2004."

Our immediate goal is to get 27 schools off  the 'persistently dangerous' list as quickly as possible.Our overall  goal is to fight for safe schools and neighborhoods throughout the City.
 

The Institute for the Study of Civic Values offers this web site to provide online support to this campaign. Here, we provide you with background related to school safety, the list of 'persistently dangerous' schools, information on the safe corridors program, and a form you can fill out to endorse the pledge and become connected to the campaign.

Join us--Violence No More in 2004.