PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — “Do you care about the gun violence happening in our city? Have you had enough? If so, what are you going to do about it?” Egypt Payton, a student at Imhotep Institute Charter High School in Ogontz, asked Philadelphia City Council members on Wednesday.
He was among a group of young people with Philadelphia student-led anti-gun violence organization Enough Is Enough who voiced their concerns to Council’s Committee on Children and Youth.
According to a survey the organization conducted with more than 1,300 of the city’s students, a majority of Philadelphia youth have been shot, have been threatened with gun violence, or have had a loved one shot.
George Lane, a student at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School in East Kensington, is part of that majority. He lost his brother to gun violence.
Lane said the problem should be treated like the crisis that it is.
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“This epidemic is referred to as a health crisis by many leaders in power, so why can’t we treat this the same as other crises similar to COVID-19?” he asked.
Cayla Waddington, a student at Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School in Callowhill, said students are beginning to lose hope. She believes teenagers need to be taught conflict resolution skills, and they need mental health counselors.
“When kids don’t have a place to let out their anger and aggression towards the world in positive ways, they do so in violent ways,” said Waddington. “Providing students with a space to talk about things like gun violence can prevent them from becoming perpetrators of violence themselves.”
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Davion Jackson, a senior at Imhotep, said many young people are proud to be from Philadelphia, so there needs to be more promotion of positive ways for them to interact in the city.
“I believe the City Council and the mayor should put more funds into activities at our recreation centers,” said Jackson. “Maybe even think outside of the box. Advertise effectively, and help students find a passion instead of a gun.”
CeaseFirePA Executive Director Adam Garber said the youth are being deprived of their constitutional right to life and liberty.
“That is a failure of our government,” said Garber, “and it’s not just a failure for lack of solutions, but a failure of refusal of solutions at the state level.”
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Caroline Menapace Glavin, a clinical social work supervisor at CHOP’s Center for Violence Prevention, said a 14-year-old boy from Philadelphia entered the program after exposure to gun violence in his community, suffering from fear, stress, and lack of sleep.
“He and his family had to duck behind their car because there was a shootout nearby,” she said. “He also shared that a bullet had recently come through his bedroom window, but missed him and his brother as they were sleeping.”
Menapace Glavin stressed the need for trauma therapy.
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Both the students and Council members agree that the dialogue must continue and that the voice of the youth in the city is essential to bring forth solutions. Some proposed solutions include monthly meetings with the youth and Council, and a code of conduct for gun stores to avoid illegal gun sales.
A study by the group Brady United Against Gun Violence said that a small number of Pennsylvania dealers account for a majority of crime guns. The study said that the last time national trace data was available, 1.2% of gun dealers were responsible for 57% of crime guns.
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