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Annette John-Hall: Why no focus on kids who apologized for flash-mob violence?

I'm not at all surprised that curious members of the media from as far away as Europe and Canada called last week, asking about Philadelphia's recent flash-mob incidents.

Luis Sandoval (left) and Jose Nazario were among Mastery students apologizing for fellow students' roles in flash-mob violence. (Annette John-Hall / Staff)
Luis Sandoval (left) and Jose Nazario were among Mastery students apologizing for fellow students' roles in flash-mob violence. (Annette John-Hall / Staff)Read more

I'm not at all surprised that curious members of the media from as far away as Europe and Canada called last week, asking about Philadelphia's recent flash-mob incidents.

Random acts of violence have broken out like a bad case of measles in many places recently. Boston, Milwaukee, London. And when disturbing patterns emerge, journalists scramble for quick-drill explanations of complicated problems. Problems that can never be explained in sound bites.

If only the same national attention could have been paid to the Mastery Charter School students who passed out flowers and cards of apology to pedestrians throughout Old City on Monday.

On a drizzly, threatening morning, more than 40 students showed up at 7 sharp to hand out 1,000 long-stemmed carnations and apologize to passersby on behalf of their classmates - you know, the mob of six teens who beat an innocent man in broad daylight at Fourth and Walnut last month.

And while there is no easy explanation for the mob's motives, there was a simple explanation as to why their classmates took to the same streets with carnations and cards of contrition.

Countering assumptions

The students were taking personal responsibility - hard enough to do, but even harder when they weren't the perpetrators.

But here's the thing: These black and brown kids are savvy enough to understand that if they were ever going to counteract the negative assumptions undoubtedly being made about them, they need to do it right away.

I caught up with Luis Sandoval and Jose Nazario, both 17-year-old seniors at Mastery's Center City campus, just before 9. Most of the students were winding up, but Sandoval and Nazario were determined to distribute the rest of their flowers to as many people as they could before they caught the bus back to their homes in Kensington.

"I'm pretty disgusted," said Nazario, whose blue braces sparkled when he smiled. "It's a shame, because Mastery is known for our achievement and now we're looked upon as bad. Our reputation is not like that at all."

No legitimate reason

Shocking to hear that Mastery students were involved in such a brutal attack. After all, this is Mastery, 93 percent of whose students go on to college. The Mastery to which Oprah donated $1 million. The Mastery that President Obama cited in his speech on education. The Mastery that received $5.1 million in federal funds to expand.

All because Mastery seems to have come up with the successful recipe in turning around troubled schools all over the city. Mastery students take classes in social and emotional learning, which helps create a culture of self-discipline. Parents and the school sign contracts to do whatever is necessary to help students succeed.

And students pledge not to engage in violence.

Their motto is "Excellence, no excuses."

Yet there is always a small percentage of students whose behavior is inexcusable.

"There's no legitimate reason," Mastery chief executive Scott Gordon told a Fox 29 reporter last week when asked what would possess students to carry out such random attacks. Three of the teens were charged with aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy, both felonies, as well as simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Gordon said the students faced expulsion, but he added that they did take responsibility by turning themselves in.

Which was exactly what the flower-bearers did Monday.

"We don't want the community to be afraid of us," Sandoval said as he passed a carnation to a grateful young woman. "So we're taking responsibility so we can move forward."

He gave me a carnation and a card which read:

"We express our deep regret over the recent violent incident involving some of our students. . . . As a community our students will step up and play a lead role to stem the tide of youth violence in this city."

I believe them. But I can't help but wonder if others will.