So last week we get the ridiculous news that Superintendent Arlene Ackerman was awarded with a $65,000 performance bonus. Now we hear that Principal LaGreta Brown gets a community award? We're talking about the principal of South Philadelphia High School - you know, where Asian kids are being targeted and attacked?
Amy Brisson, a correspondent for the Delaware County Times who wrote a story highlighting presentation of the awards to the mayors of Chester and Upper Darby, confirmed that Brown received an award. Brisson said she recalls a mention of "controversy" and the desire to show full support for Brown by giving her this award.Community Award... for what? For not doing a damn thing in the wake of 30 Asian students getting attacked at her school? At this point, she's come across as rather powerless and silent, neither commenting nor speaking publicly about any of the violence at South Philadelphia High. Yay for you, LaGreta. Thanks for nothing.
Brown has come under criticism for her handling of intergroup tension and harassment of Asian students at South Philly, which burst out into the open in December when 30 Asian students were attacked during and after school. About 50 Asian students subsequently boycotted classes for two weeks, saying they feared for their safety.
Throughout, Brown has largely stayed out of view. She has not been public or proactive in detailing how she is addressing the situation. She has not commented on or spoken publically about revelations of continuing incidents, including one in March in which an Asian student was hit in the head by a bathroom door and suffered dizziness and headaches.