In an armed attack on a high school in Siverek district of Şanlıurfa, a total of 16 people were injured, including 10 students, 4 teachers, 1 police officer, and 1 cafeteria operator. The assailant, a former student of the school, committed suicide after the incident.
Evaluating the recent increase in violence incidents in schools, Dr. Berat Dağ stated, “It can be noted that there has been a recent intensification in children, especially those aged between 15 and 17, engaging in crimes such as murder, injury, threats, drug use, and theft.”
“It is critical for families and schools to act in a coordinated manner to reduce the level of violence in children,” said Dr. Dağ, adding that young people are the most important group ensuring the continuity of society, and the solution lies not in deepening intergenerational tension, but in trying to understand it.
Dr. Berat Dağ from the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Üsküdar University, evaluated the recent increase in violence incidents in schools.
Increase in criminal activity among children aged 15 to 17
Commenting on the general picture through statistical data, Dr. Dağ said, “When statistical data is examined, it is possible to see a very serious upward trend in the rate of children involved in crime. Therefore, it can be stated that there has been a recent intensification in children, especially those aged between 15 and 17, engaging in crimes such as murder, injury, threats, drug use, and theft.”
School climate must be built on trust and justice
Drawing attention to the impact of school climate on violence rates, Dr. Dağ stated, “It is, of course, very important that the relationships between administrators, teachers, and students in schools are built on trust and justice. Students need to fully internalize values such as trust, love, respect, and justice throughout their education process.”
Dr. Dağ also touched upon the effectiveness of guidance services and psychological counseling units, saying, “Here, it is about the effective execution of this process by guidance and psychological counseling units. Furthermore, as education is a fundamental social institution, the need for these units to work with sociologists specialized in education within schools should also be brought to the agenda. In the context of this cooperation, when appointments are made to reduce the number of students being dealt with, violence-based problems in schools may decrease.”
Family and school must act in coordination
In his evaluation of the impact of family communication styles and parental attitudes on school violence, Dr. Dağ said, “As with other social institutions, the family and educational institution also continue within a coordinated interaction. In other words, when a balanced level of relationship is not maintained in their families, children can carry out similar unbalanced actions at school. Conversely, it becomes difficult for children who internalize a violence-based life at school to build a solid relationship style in their current family and the family they will establish in the future. Therefore, it is critical for families and schools to act in a coordinated manner to reduce the level of violence in children.”
Social polarization directly affects young people
Dr. Dağ also addressed the impact of increasing polarization and the language of anger in society on young people, stating, “It is possible to speak of a process of intensifying polarization at the societal level. Today, there are many examples where individuals and groups become irreconcilable parties on almost every issue. This shows that people can quickly turn towards violent tendencies based on distrust, fear, anger, lack of love, and disrespect. When it is realized that young people are an important part of this society, it is inconceivable that they would not be affected by the current spiral of violence.”
There is a mutual link between cyberbullying and physical violence
Regarding the relationship between cyberbullying and physical violence within schools, Dr. Dağ said, “It can be thought that there is a mutual link between cyberbullying and physical violence within schools, influencing each other. In this context, someone who normalizes bullying in the cyber environment can also be expected to resort to physical violence. Similarly, individuals who try to solve their problems with physical violence are also likely to resort to cyberbullying.”
Stating that preventive policies should be implemented in both areas, even if individual cases are concerned, Dr. Dağ said, “On the other hand, even if these possibilities do not materialize, it is essential to take preventive measures for cyberbullying as well as for individual physical violence.”
Instead of judging young people, we need to try to understand them
Emphasizing that young people are the most important group ensuring the continuity of society, Dr. Dağ concluded his words by saying, “Young people are the most important group ensuring social continuity. In that context, the current situation of young people will be decisive in shaping the future of societies. Therefore, trying to understand the reasons for the ongoing generational disagreements in society, rather than judging them, could be a genuine step.”