Legislation needed to curb violence in schools

ONE STUDENT WAS KILLED AND TWO INJURED in a recent violent clash at a junior middle school in Hengshui in North China's Hebei province. Southern Metropolis Daily commented on Tuesday:

The tragedy at the middle school in Hengshui once again points to the increasing number of violent incidents on campus. What is particularly disturbing is that more students at early ages have been involved and the attackers are willing to resort to violence in disagreements over trivial matters.

Those victimized and mentally traumatized are more likely to commit suicide or inflict self-harm in early adolescence. A young victim of school bullying in East China's Jiangxi province reportedly attempted to commit suicide by swallowing nails.

Such cases are not just about school education and social ethics but also about the rule of law. The root cause of school bullying is a mixture of improper parent guidance, inefficient school management, and the absence of relevant laws.

To address campus violence there are only laws such as the Criminal Law and the Law on the Protection for Minors for reference: The former stipulates that those between the age of 14 and 16 will be held criminally accountable for committing major offenses, the latter often puts education before punishment in dealing with juvenile criminals.

That means the benevolent handling of some teenage criminals could come at the cost of their victims, which warrants the establishment of specific rules and regulations covering campus violence. The protection of minors is necessary, but it should not be used to shield those who instigate violent attacks from their due punishments.

Legislative efforts therefore are called for to keep young bullies in check and protect the legal interests of their potential victims. Inspiration can be drawn from countries that have issued a series of regulations to curb school bullying, ranging from gun control to banning the use of drugs.

Besides, the age for shouldering criminal responsibility should be lowered below 14 and the offences juvenile offenders can be held accountable for should be made clear.