South Philadelphia High School, abuse of Asian students, prints
Creator:
Finkle, Harvey (creator, photographer)
Date:
2009/2011
Description:
Black-and-white photographic prints depicting a demonstration in response to the poor educational environment for Asian students at South Philadelphia High School. Prints feature students of South Philadelphia High School protesting against the educational environment for and treatment of Asian students. There are additionally a small number of prints depicting the student leaders of this demonstration graduating in 2011. According to Finkle's description of this series of prints on his website, the students' "conclusions were that a poor educational environment and a lack of attention to the growing culturally diverse population of the school were conducive to establishing an atmosphere for violence. Their presentation at the Board (SRC) meeting was met with a lukewarm response bordering on indifference by the Board and the Superintendent. The students with the AAU filed a civil rights complaint with both the Federal Department of Justice (DOJ) and the city’s Commission on Human Relations; both found in favor of the students. The School Board signed a consent agreement with the DOJ for remedies to change the environment; the Human Relations Commission developed a list of conditions it considered essential for changing the culture of violence. Under the leadership of a new principal and the beginning application of the prescriptions of the DOJ and HR Commission, SPHS has begun to change. The rapport between the students and the principal reflects warmth and concern. The Asian and at least some African American students is growing respectful. These photos document activities of the Asian students immediately after the assault until the graduation of some in June, 2011. The Valedictorian for the graduation was Duoung Nghe Ly, a leader among the Asian students, who graduated first in his class. Harvey Finkle (born March 28, 1934) is a self-taught documentary still photographer and photojournalist who has documented social, economic, cultural, and political issues across the city of Philadelphia, the United States, and the world. Finkle's work largely focuses on activism relating to historically underrepresented communities, including people living on low income, unhoused/unsheltered/houseless people/people experiencing homelessness, refugees, immigrants, and disabled people.
The contents of the "Harvey Finkle photographs," an archival collection of photographic material created by Harvey Finkle, of which this volume of digitized images is a part, is held at the University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts and is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
Notes:
All photographs taken by Harvey Finkle. The front and back of each black-and-white photographic print has been scanned. In some cases, pertinent information is written or inscribed on the back of the prints that is not reflected in the description of this volume of photographs.
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