Fights and weapons confiscations are down in Philly schools. The safety chief aims to continue the trend.

The Safety Chief of the School District of Philadelphia, Craig Johnson, is committed to maintaining the recent downward trends in student violence. Over the past few years, there has been a significant reduction in the number of weapons confiscated from students, with a 67% drop in weapons confiscated from 516 in the 2021-22 school year to 171 in the 2024-25 school year. Knives are the most commonly found weapons, while firearms account for about 4% of confiscated weapons.

Additionally, the number of student assaults and fights has dropped by 22% districtwide from 2021 to 2025. Despite these positive developments, parents have expressed concerns about violence throughout the year, suggesting that the district's plan to close 17 campuses in the fall of 2027 could exacerbate tensions between students from different schools.

The district has been focusing on building a culture of safety in Philadelphia schools through various initiatives. These include training a select group of school safety officers in conflict mediation and offering post-fight "stabilization groups" with ongoing care sessions through a partnership with the city's behavioral health department.

One example of a successful program is the Youth Violence Reduction Initiative at John Bartram High School in West Philadelphia, which provides mentorship and case management to students at risk of violence, resulting in significant drops in both fighting and gun violence.

The district also collaborates with local organizations, such as the Philadelphia Anti-Gang, Anti-Violence Network (PAAN), to help break up campus fights and prevent street violence near schools. In an interview with Chalkbeat Philadelphia, Johnson discussed the factors that contributed to the decreasing incident numbers. He attributed the trend to changes in training, with a focus on building relationships with students and intervening proactively before violence occurs.

Johnson mentioned that the district partners with outside organizations when adult involvement is present, as they require additional assistance in handling conflicts. The district receives information about potential conflicts primarily from students who feel comfortable discussing any issues with an adult in the building, which creates an environment where most students have at least one trusted adult they can turn to.

This sense of connection helps maintain calm during dismissal times, as the district has observed a higher likelihood of conflicts arising during this period.