Parents and guardians in Philadelphia are coming together ahead of the new school year hoping to find a solution to youth violence.
The Parent and Guardian Engagement Task Force was started in response to when Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker declared a state of emergency due to public safety concerns.
It's the question of how we make sure kids stay out of trouble and don't become perpetrators or victims of crime.
According to city data, in 2023, there were more than 3,000 shootings - with 17% involving young people under 21.
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This new task force is made up of 25 residents of Philadelphia, including students, child psychologists, and corporate leaders.
Some on the task force have suggested after-school programs and extracurriculars as a way to keep students busy.
"Gone are the days where parents were automatically able to make these incredible sacrifices and be well involved with their children," said Councilman Anthony Phillips, who created the task force. "For whatever reason, we have seen a great change in parent engagement. We don't know exactly why, but this task force is going to get that answer."
The overall main goal is to research the best ways to increase parent participation with their kids at home and at school. In the end, they'll put together a final report for the city.
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