se times
05/11/2010
A student is slain after a petty dispute, and the public wonders what can be done about a rising problem.
By Paul Ciocoiu for Southeast European Times in Bucharest -- 05/11/10
05/11/2010
A student is slain after a petty dispute, and the public wonders what can be done about a rising problem.
By Paul Ciocoiu for Southeast European Times in Bucharest -- 05/11/10
The stabbing death of a 17-year-old student by another in broad daylight in a schoolyard in the southwest city of Craiova has outraged Romanians.
The victim was reportedly a well-behaved and accomplished student, and the murder was revenge over a minor incident a few days prior. The perpetrator showed little remorse.
"I killed him. So what? I will get years [in jail] for a fool," the murderer said during the interrogation, prosecutors said.
School violence is no longer a surprise. A study by the World Health Organisation, which surveyed the problem in 37 countries during the 2009-10 school year, found Romania was the second worst.
In Bucharest, a fifth of the pupils claim they have been attacked in school. Fully half say school violence is a "permanent problem".
"[The] aggression in Craiova … forces us to evaluate the phenomenon of violence in schools … and look for cause and solutions," writes Stefan Vlaston, a high-school teacher and the leader of an educational NGO, summing up the general mood.
"In this case, we reaped what we have sown daily. The aggressor was known to have had violent past and to be suffering from psychological problems," Vlaston adds.
Instead of taking action to prevent tragedy, the authorities simply "threw him on the streets by expelling him. There, the criminal entourage completed the work. It pushed him to murder," he concludes.
Ov disagrees, saying school officials are not to blame. The root issue, he says, is that Romanian society has lost its bearings.
"The problems originate in this climate of violence propagated by the media, the absence of moral values in the society and the negative examples we find in various personalities," Ov said.
Dorinteodor sees a disturbing trend: more and more individuals are unable to find a place in society and eventually turn against it, in ways ranging from theft to murder. "What is to be done?" he asks.
The victim was reportedly a well-behaved and accomplished student, and the murder was revenge over a minor incident a few days prior. The perpetrator showed little remorse.
"I killed him. So what? I will get years [in jail] for a fool," the murderer said during the interrogation, prosecutors said.
School violence is no longer a surprise. A study by the World Health Organisation, which surveyed the problem in 37 countries during the 2009-10 school year, found Romania was the second worst.
In Bucharest, a fifth of the pupils claim they have been attacked in school. Fully half say school violence is a "permanent problem".
"[The] aggression in Craiova … forces us to evaluate the phenomenon of violence in schools … and look for cause and solutions," writes Stefan Vlaston, a high-school teacher and the leader of an educational NGO, summing up the general mood.
"In this case, we reaped what we have sown daily. The aggressor was known to have had violent past and to be suffering from psychological problems," Vlaston adds.
Instead of taking action to prevent tragedy, the authorities simply "threw him on the streets by expelling him. There, the criminal entourage completed the work. It pushed him to murder," he concludes.
Ov disagrees, saying school officials are not to blame. The root issue, he says, is that Romanian society has lost its bearings.
"The problems originate in this climate of violence propagated by the media, the absence of moral values in the society and the negative examples we find in various personalities," Ov said.
Dorinteodor sees a disturbing trend: more and more individuals are unable to find a place in society and eventually turn against it, in ways ranging from theft to murder. "What is to be done?" he asks.
Alina Ghorghiu, a liberal lawmaker, lists solutions that were put forward in a public debate she organised.
One proposal is to "multiply the after-school centres or increase the number of schools that can set up such programmes".
Another is to "involve the citizens ... to report acts of violence they witness on their streets, blocks and in nearby schools". Yet another is for "NGOs to deploy joint programmes at the local communities and set up parental education classes".
Bogdan opts for traditional measures. "Introduce heavy security in schools so that similar incidents will be avoided. If there are three guards walking around the school during classes, such problems could be avoided," he concludes.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
One proposal is to "multiply the after-school centres or increase the number of schools that can set up such programmes".
Another is to "involve the citizens ... to report acts of violence they witness on their streets, blocks and in nearby schools". Yet another is for "NGOs to deploy joint programmes at the local communities and set up parental education classes".
Bogdan opts for traditional measures. "Introduce heavy security in schools so that similar incidents will be avoided. If there are three guards walking around the school during classes, such problems could be avoided," he concludes.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
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