Unsafe at D.C. Schools

Campus Report ^ | September 18, 2009 | Bethany Stotts

[bs9021]

Unsafe at D.C. Schools

by: Bethany Stotts, September 18, 2009

Heritage Foundation scholars recently received data on the number of police-notified incidents at District of Columbia public schools.

Taking a more systematic look at “crime-related incidents reported to the [D.C. Metropolitan Police Department] MPD during the 2007–2008 school year, excluding the summer months,” an August 28 analysis by David V. Mulhausen, Don Soifer and Dan Lips (Mulhausen et al.) added to the body of knowledge demonstrating how unsafe D.C. schools really are.

“During the 2007– 2008 school year, 3,500 incidences of crime were reported to the Metropolitan Police Department from D.C. public schools: 912 incidences of violent crime, 1,338 incidences of property crimes, and 1,250 other incidences,” they wrote.

“The sound of gunshots was reported in 49 incidents,” and there were 114 aggravated assaults reported, but only one call included a homicide during the 2007-2008 school year.

Among the schools that “appear to have greater problems with school violence and safety” were:

High Schools:

Dunbar Senior High School (14.2 incidents/100 students; “55 calls for aggravated and simple assaults”),
Anacostia Senior High School (14.2/100; 47 calls),
Eastern Senior High School (17.8/100; “38 aggravated and simple assault reports”),
Ballou Senior High (10.4/100; “34 aggravated and simple assault reports” and “the highest incidences of disorderly behavior and robbery incidents involving a gun or knife”),
Coolidge Senior High School (13.5/100; “20 to 29 reports of aggravated and simple assault”),
Spingarn Senior High School (51.3/100; “20 to 29 reports of aggravated and simple assault”), and
Cardozo Senior High School (9.7/100; “”18 reports of aggravated and simple assaults and seven robbery incidents”).

Middle Schools:

...

[rovenstinez]

Isn’t DC the place in America where the GUN LAWS are the most restrictive?

[AbeKrieger]

This has nothing to do with the kids in those schools, or their families, a lack of personal discipline or personal responsibility. Rather this is all about funding, inequality, de facto segregation and instituional racism.

Did I cover all the excuses? Surely I am missing something.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

That’s all? I think a lot goes unreported

[Mac from Cleveland]

It’s also the place where they spend more money per capita on their students than anywhere else in the U.S. (I think Utah spends the least—and they’re solidly in the middle of the pack, nevertheless)

DC’s problem is the people—I keep hearing how inner city youths have to put up with “bad schools”

The inner-city youths-and their parents, ARE THE REASON the schools are “bad”

Anyone who points out the obvious is treated to the same whining that has been greeting the legitimate criticism of BO. “Waaah, that’s racist!”

[I Buried My Guns]

"...Did I cover all the excuses? Surely I am missing something. ..."

You failed. I expected somewhere to see the phrases

"He was turning his life around",

"Aspiring Rapper"

"Going back to school to get his GED",

and I'm sure there are others, but lately I've been experiencing a case of Ghetto Fatigue.

[Kenton]

Here's the ethnic breakdown of students enrolled in DC schools::

84.4% black,
9.4% Hispanic,
4.6% white,
1.6% Asian American.

So, even though DC schools are dangerous places, at least the kids have all the "benefits of diversity" to help them grow into good citizens...

[wtc911]

Here's the ethnic breakdown of students enrolled in DC schools:: 84.4% black, 9.4% Hispanic, 4.6% white, 1.6% Asian American.

_______________________________________________

Zero % residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.