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Today's a sad anniversary for #phled...
50 years ago, news broke that Mt. Airy teacher Samson Freedman -- partial namesake of Hill-Freedman World Academy -- was shot and killed by one of his eighth-grade students.
50 years ago, news broke that Mt. Airy teacher Samson Freedman -- partial namesake of Hill-Freedman World Academy -- was shot and killed by one of his eighth-grade students.
The killing was a major news event at the time. Union reps blamed Freedman's death on Superintendent Mark Sheed and his "indifference to violence" in Philadelphia schools.
On the day of Freedman's funeral, schools were closed. 5000 attended his service.
On the day of Freedman's funeral, schools were closed. 5000 attended his service.
The murder happened at a time when rising crime was a front-page concern for many Philadelphians.
On the same day of Freedman's death, police commissioner named Frank L. Rizzo announced that he'd be resigning his post to run for mayor.
If that give you a sense of things...
On the same day of Freedman's death, police commissioner named Frank L. Rizzo announced that he'd be resigning his post to run for mayor.
If that give you a sense of things...
Perhaps not surprisingly, Freedman's murder prompted the district to review its discipline policies.
Union leaders and parents demanded more security guards -- and more school police.
#phled
Union leaders and parents demanded more security guards -- and more school police.
#phled
And sure enough, Rizzo -- now a mayoral candidate -- quickly seized on Freedman's death to say that there was a lack of discipline in public schools. He didn't promise any remedies, except to say that schools should have people to "accommodate" students who misbehave.
Shortly after Freedman's death, the teachers union called for Superintendent Mark Shedd's removal.
Shedd was fairly young and known as a progressive. Rizzo reviled him and actually ran on removing him.
By December of that same year, Rizzo would be mayor-elect and Shedd was out.
Shedd was fairly young and known as a progressive. Rizzo reviled him and actually ran on removing him.
By December of that same year, Rizzo would be mayor-elect and Shedd was out.
In the meantime, Shedd did "toughen" the disciplinary code.
Among the changes: Immediately suspending any student charged with a felony...and giving teachers the ability to "paddle" students.
All this happened within weeks of Samson Freedman's murder.
#Phled
Among the changes: Immediately suspending any student charged with a felony...and giving teachers the ability to "paddle" students.
All this happened within weeks of Samson Freedman's murder.
#Phled
Freedman himself was a ceramics teacher who also taught remedial reading courses.
Described as quiet and gentle, Freedman was deeply involved in NW Philly neighborhood groups. He fought for integration and against discriminatory housing practices like blockbusting.
Described as quiet and gentle, Freedman was deeply involved in NW Philly neighborhood groups. He fought for integration and against discriminatory housing practices like blockbusting.
Freedman's killer was convicted of first-degree murder, but that was overturned on appeal after the courts determined that the original trial judge made prejudicial remarks to the jury.
The student eventually pled guilty to second-degree murder, receiving 10 to 20 years.
The student eventually pled guilty to second-degree murder, receiving 10 to 20 years.
Freedman's killer was paroled in 1983.
10 years later, in 1993, the Inquirer's Clark DeLeon wrote an interesting column about the murder.
He was responding to a question submitted by someone who was a student of Freedman's *and* a classmate of the boy who killed him.
10 years later, in 1993, the Inquirer's Clark DeLeon wrote an interesting column about the murder.
He was responding to a question submitted by someone who was a student of Freedman's *and* a classmate of the boy who killed him.
The debate in 1993 was about whether Philadelphia should allow the use of metal detectors.
Freedman's former student said he was opposed -- suggesting that metal detectors ran counter to Freedman's own philosophy on how to build students' self-esteem.
Freedman's former student said he was opposed -- suggesting that metal detectors ran counter to Freedman's own philosophy on how to build students' self-esteem.
DeLeon, the Inquirer columnist, disagreed.
"If schools can be made safer or merely perceived as safer, will it not improve students capacity to pay attention and teachers ability to teacher," DeLeon said.
"If schools can be made safer or merely perceived as safer, will it not improve students capacity to pay attention and teachers ability to teacher," DeLeon said.
And still today, 50 years on, debates about metal detectors, school security, and student discipline are at the forefront.
Things change. Things stay the same.
#phled
Things change. Things stay the same.
#phled
