Lilly Smolenski ’27
Democrat Cherelle Parker was inaugurated as Philadelphia’s 100th Mayor on January 2nd, 2024, and she became the first woman to be elected to the city’s top office in its 341-year history.
Parker was born and raised in Philadelphia, and her upbringing in the city inspired her to pursue a career in public service. As noted in her “100-day action plan,” detailing her plans for her first 100 days in office, she plans on improving her hometown. The plan covers issues such as housing, economic development and opportunities, and even public safety—all themes projected in her inaugural address.
Andrea Yu, Upper School Librarian, expresses her interest in how these promises will play out in her everyday life. She explains, “During the primary, my impression was that Parker was running a tough-on-crime platform. I understand her ‘First 100 Days’ plan as making good on her promise to secure public safety and improve the quality of life for city residents.” She continues, “I think the plan also details her strategies to improve quality of life such as addressing the city’s trash and sanitation problems, building more affordable housing, and investing in the public school system—I’m not going to claim to know the ins-and-outs of her all her strategies, but I am all for any politician who will do something about these very-real, city difficulties.”
Ayman Samuel ’27 agrees with Yu’s statement and adds that he is looking forward to a better quality of life in Philadelphia. He explains, “I somewhat know about Cherelle’s First 100-days plan and I’m excited for a safer and cleaner Philadelphia. I think Cherelle Parker is prioritizing the more important problems in Philadelphia, but I’d also want her to try improving the education levels.”
Micheal Whalen, Upper School History teacher and Young Republicans advisor adds that he hopes the new mayor will focus on, “Education and adequate funding and school choice. As well as crime and adequately funding the police and giving them the necessary tools to be effective while focusing on proper prosecution and sentencing.”
Though many Philadelphians are excited about Cherelle Parker’s proposed plans, others worry that her policies on crime will bring tough-on-crime stop-and-frisk procedures back to the city, procedures that many scholars argue do not work. A recent WHYY article on the issue points out how police violence is the sixth-leading cause of death among young Black men.
Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Citizen
As a first step in the process of reforming the city, in keeping with her promised focus on policing and crime, Parker named Kevin Bethel Philadelphia Police Commissioner. The journey to find a replacement for Danielle Outlaw began in September, following the former Police Commissioner’s resignation. Bethel will be working hand in hand with Parker to create a safer environment for everyone. As a former Philadelphia police officer and Chief of School Safety for the Philadelphia School District, he has seen the effects that a lack of education causes, and how they tie into crime rates. While he was being sworn in, he acknowledged the facts, referring to when he first became the Chief of School Safety. He stated, “I never thought I would see the level of violence and the downstream impact it would have on our schools.” While addressing his police force and team, Bethel added, “Your decisions and actions will reflect our collective commitment to reach a future where safety and trust go hand in hand.”
Because tensions about the state of the Philadelphia Police Department have grown over the last several years, Cherelle Parker’s focus on crime will certainly continue to be subject to discussions over the course of her term.