'Where are the parents?' New city task force created to increase parental involvement keeping kids, teens safe
Inside the new task force created to help keep children, teens safe
The City of Philadelphia’s Parent and Guardian Engagement Task Force comprised of 25 Philly residents was formally introduced Tuesday in effort to investigate and research best practices to increase parental participation and engagement with their children at home, in schools, and within the community.
PHILADELPHIA - A city hall round table overflowed during the first meeting of city Councilman Anthony Phillips' Parent and Guardian Engagement Task Force Tuesday.
At the round table sat everybody from high school students to high achievers in life, all hoping to find a way to help those raising kids in Philly keep them out of trouble and out of the awful kids and crime headlines.
"You all being here is one of the first steps to us solving and coming with answers to that question of 'Where are the parents'?" said Anthony Phillips, Philadelphia City Councilman.
The Task Force was created in response to Mayor Cherelle Parker’s state of emergency due to public safety concerns.
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"Parents definitely need support as we address years and years and years of systematic disinvestment primarily in Black and brown neighborhoods," said Kenyatta Johnson, City Council President.
"What advice do you give the government in terms of helping kids in this day and age in Philly?" Keeley asked.
"Help mothers, fathers be involved with their kids as much as possible," said Anthony Bracy, Revolution School senior .
"I think the strongest way to get to a teenager nowadays is through a parent but parents don't have the mental capacity most of the time or the money to be too involved with their kids so I feel like a lot of teenagers these days are raising themselves," said Charisma Tucker,Revolution School senior.
"In today's age we have so many grandparents aunts uncles raising children today I think that's one of the barriers with our children's cause they're a little older and they truly don't understand we need to get out there and work with them too," said Wallete Carter, Philadelphia Home & School Council President.
Keeley: "Are parents the key to having good kids?"
"I think kids are the key to having good kids," said Gina Moore, Revolution School Founder. "I think it's about the family structure though but the kids are gonna lead us there."