Among many, the topic of conversation yesterday was a recent uptick in violence and turmoil at the school and the removal of the principal.

On Wednesday, a student punched a nonteaching assistant in the face, the sixth assault in two weeks and at least the 17th so far this school year.

School staffers have been pushed, slapped, and struck with objects. Students have pulled staffers' hair and sprayed them with fire extinguishers.

Heading into school before the first bell, freshman Amber Moore described a school where students roam the hallways as they please.

"People just walk around, people don't go to class," she said, adding that her mother was concerned for her.

"There's not a lot of shooting, but there's a lot of fighting," said Moore, 15. "Somebody could get hurt. People just punching for no reason, and you could drop dead in the hallway."

She said she believed the school needed more security presence - school officers or Philadelphia police.

Like many students, Moore wasn't aware of a new district initiative, launched this week.

Students who assault teachers automatically face felony charges of aggravated assault, and will automatically face 10-day suspensions pending transfer to a disciplinary school.

"Kids feel like they can do anything, get away with anything," Moore said.

Harold Cheadle agreed with Moore's assessment of the West climate. "It's crazy," said Cheadle, 15, a sophomore. "People fight, they start fires."

Cheadle said two small fires had been set by students this week - one in a hallway, one in a science lab.

Albert Bichner, the district's deputy chief academic officer, said last night that another fire had been set at the school yesterday.

"That's a manifestation of anger," Bichner said of the fires.

On the same day as the most recent assault, West Philadelphia's principal, Clifton James, was removed and replaced by veterans Ozzie Wright, a former West Philadelphia principal and retired Army captain, and Ernestine Caldwell. Wright will focus on school climate and Caldwell on academic affairs.

Bichner said that James' removal and the most recent attack "generally aren't related." A decision had been made previously to reassign him at the end of the year, and Bichner said he decided to pull James this week because it would be more appropriate for a new principal to plan the school's budget and help coordinate construction of a new school.

He praised James but said it was time to move on.

"The reassignment is just a reassignment based on match of administrative acumen or administrative profile and the needs of a particular school. But Mr. James did wonderful things for West Philadelphia," Bichner said.

Bichner said he expected Wright's appointment to pay dividends soon.