19 minMar 31, 2026

School Closures Can Result in Violence. Here’s How to Mitigate the Tension

Show Notes

While students and families wait for the School Board to vote on the Facilities Master Plan, a plan that could close 18 public schools and merge others, they have voiced concerns about what this means for students' safety during the transition. While the timeline for the decision is uncertain, city officials and the school district are thinking about how to mitigate any tension that could come from these big changes. Senior producer Abby Fritz talks with Sammy Caiola, a gun violence solutions reporter for Chalkbeat Philadelphia, about what our city officials and the school district are doing, and could be doing better, to prepare for school closures.

Read more of Sammy's reporting on safety during this transition here and here.

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