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Posted on Wed, Nov. 02, 2005
Student beaten on way from school
Two teenagers and an adult are sought in the attack on a Liberian boy, 13. The schools chief calls it a hate crime.
By Susan Snyder and Thomas J. Gibbons Jr.
Inquirer Staff Writers
A 13-year-old Philadelphia student, who fled his war-torn country just a few weeks ago, was severely beaten on his way home from school on Monday afternoon and remained in intensive care yesterday at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Police and Philadelphia School District officials are investigating the late afternoon attack on Jacob Gray, an eighth grader at Tilden Middle School. Gray enrolled in the district in October after arriving here from Liberia with his mother, father and other family members.
The attack on Gray, which took place about five blocks from Tilden at 60th Street and Woodland Avenue, is believed to be the latest example of violence against West African refugees in the community, said crisis workers and school district officials.
"You can call this a hate crime," said district chief executive officer Paul Vallas. "There clearly is tension in the community. There are a large number of African-born students, and a lot of times they are being teased and bullied by other students."
Police said they were looking for three suspects in the attack - two male teens who could be students at Tilden and a man between 25 and 30 years old, who is believed to be the father of one of the other attackers.
The adult hit Gray so severely that he fell to the ground, hit his head, and went into convulsions, said Inspector William Colarulo, commander of the Police Public Affairs unit.
There was no known motive for the attack, Colarulo said. School district spokesman Fernando Gallard called it "completely unprovoked."
Jerolyn Brown, 28, Jacob's sister and guardian, said yesterday that her brother's condition, which included swelling and bleeding on the brain, was improving.
"When he talked to me this morning, I was so happy," she said. "Yesterday, he couldn't talk. He couldn't breathe."
Jacob, whose neck was in a brace and whose head and lip were swollen, opened his eyes and said "hello" to a visitor.
Brown said her brother did not recall what happened at first, but then remembered.
"He said, 'A little boy came up to me and hit me in my mouth. Then an older guy came up and beat me.' Then he passed out," she said. He said did not know the boys, Brown said.
Police believe Gray was alone at the time of the attack, which was reported in a 911 call about 4 p.m.
Brown said her brother often rides SEPTA home from school or gets a ride from family, but was on foot on Monday because of the strike.
Tilden officials yesterday were preparing letters to send home to parents, and the district increased security for the afternoon dismissal.
Brown said she was not sure she wanted her brother to return to Tilden.
"I don't want nobody hurting him again," she said.
But he was very happy there, she said.
"When he came from school each day, he would say, 'I'm the best in the class. The teacher always put my name on the board,' " she said.
Brown, a certified nursing assistant, moved to Philadelphia from Liberia four years ago and recently brought the rest of her family over to join her. Her family is living with her in Southwest Philadelphia.
She said she has not experienced any violence or problems since moving to the city.
But Anne Holland, director of trauma services at Children's Crisis Treatment Center, which assists West African refugees, said there has been "a significant history of conflict between the refugees and non-refugees" in the Southwest Philadelphia community.
The treatment center started Project Tamaa after another West African refugee student at Tilden was beaten in spring 2001. About 20 percent of Tilden students are from Liberia, the district's Gallard said.
Project Tamaa runs a community center, and offers programs for the children in school and education programs on challenges faced by refugees for teachers. Tamaa means "glorious, smiling, hopeful faces" in Swahili.
Holland, a psychologist, explained that the refugees often have been exposed to high levels of trauma in their countries and then must adapt to a new culture.
"These children are different. They speak with an accent. They don't have the same clothes. They look different. They sound different," she said. "They stand out. And they get targeted."
Student beaten on way from school
Two teenagers and an adult are sought in the attack on a Liberian boy, 13. The schools chief calls it a hate crime.
By Susan Snyder and Thomas J. Gibbons Jr.
Inquirer Staff Writers
A 13-year-old Philadelphia student, who fled his war-torn country just a few weeks ago, was severely beaten on his way home from school on Monday afternoon and remained in intensive care yesterday at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Police and Philadelphia School District officials are investigating the late afternoon attack on Jacob Gray, an eighth grader at Tilden Middle School. Gray enrolled in the district in October after arriving here from Liberia with his mother, father and other family members.
The attack on Gray, which took place about five blocks from Tilden at 60th Street and Woodland Avenue, is believed to be the latest example of violence against West African refugees in the community, said crisis workers and school district officials.
"You can call this a hate crime," said district chief executive officer Paul Vallas. "There clearly is tension in the community. There are a large number of African-born students, and a lot of times they are being teased and bullied by other students."
Police said they were looking for three suspects in the attack - two male teens who could be students at Tilden and a man between 25 and 30 years old, who is believed to be the father of one of the other attackers.
The adult hit Gray so severely that he fell to the ground, hit his head, and went into convulsions, said Inspector William Colarulo, commander of the Police Public Affairs unit.
There was no known motive for the attack, Colarulo said. School district spokesman Fernando Gallard called it "completely unprovoked."
Jerolyn Brown, 28, Jacob's sister and guardian, said yesterday that her brother's condition, which included swelling and bleeding on the brain, was improving.
"When he talked to me this morning, I was so happy," she said. "Yesterday, he couldn't talk. He couldn't breathe."
Jacob, whose neck was in a brace and whose head and lip were swollen, opened his eyes and said "hello" to a visitor.
Brown said her brother did not recall what happened at first, but then remembered.
"He said, 'A little boy came up to me and hit me in my mouth. Then an older guy came up and beat me.' Then he passed out," she said. He said did not know the boys, Brown said.
Police believe Gray was alone at the time of the attack, which was reported in a 911 call about 4 p.m.
Brown said her brother often rides SEPTA home from school or gets a ride from family, but was on foot on Monday because of the strike.
Tilden officials yesterday were preparing letters to send home to parents, and the district increased security for the afternoon dismissal.
Brown said she was not sure she wanted her brother to return to Tilden.
"I don't want nobody hurting him again," she said.
But he was very happy there, she said.
"When he came from school each day, he would say, 'I'm the best in the class. The teacher always put my name on the board,' " she said.
Brown, a certified nursing assistant, moved to Philadelphia from Liberia four years ago and recently brought the rest of her family over to join her. Her family is living with her in Southwest Philadelphia.
She said she has not experienced any violence or problems since moving to the city.
But Anne Holland, director of trauma services at Children's Crisis Treatment Center, which assists West African refugees, said there has been "a significant history of conflict between the refugees and non-refugees" in the Southwest Philadelphia community.
The treatment center started Project Tamaa after another West African refugee student at Tilden was beaten in spring 2001. About 20 percent of Tilden students are from Liberia, the district's Gallard said.
Project Tamaa runs a community center, and offers programs for the children in school and education programs on challenges faced by refugees for teachers. Tamaa means "glorious, smiling, hopeful faces" in Swahili.
Holland, a psychologist, explained that the refugees often have been exposed to high levels of trauma in their countries and then must adapt to a new culture.
"These children are different. They speak with an accent. They don't have the same clothes. They look different. They sound different," she said. "They stand out. And they get targeted."
Is this racism?
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