Suing for school safety

Too bad that it takes a court order to permit students to leave a school where they do not feel safe.

That is what happened in Chicago, where a federal judge ruled that the city's public school system must arrange immediately for the transfer of 11 students who feel they are in danger at a South Side high school.

The students, who sued Chicago Public Schools, want Judge Robert Gettleman to order the district to make Christian Fenger Academy High School safer, USA Today reported.

Surely the news that brought the community to national attention helped the students' case. A Fenger honor student, Derrion Albert, 16, was beaten to death outside a community center in September when he unwittingly walked into a fight between two gangs.

The tragedy made national news and provoked much soul-searching about youth violence.

The kids should be able to leave if they are in danger. But it would be better to make the school a safe place.