BY HIROYUKI MIYAKAWA
A junior high school student stabbed a woman teacher to death at school with a knife. Another student tried to rob a pistol from a police officer by using a knife, and was arrested. Several criminal cases involving knife wielding boys happened in succession. The reasons given were "I was reproved by her and I thrust the knife at her in a fit of anger," and "I wanted a real gun." In some boys' hearts abnormalities may exist which make them behave without regard for basic social rules.
The reasons boys give for carrying knives with them are often: "It is cool to have a knife," and, "Having a knife, I feel I become strong." The reason boys began to carry knives has been influenced by a popular TV drama whose cool hero had a knife. Using a knife as a weapon is up to the user. A boy committed a murder using a knife as a weapon. As a result of these incidents, 28 prefectures have been examining new laws to prohibit selling knives to anyone under 18 years old. This is an emotional issue. It ignores the fact that a knife itself is not a weapon but becomes a weapon with the user's intention to use it.
There are many places for the education of children. First, there is the home where parents bring up their children from birth. The parental role is the biggest one. They teach their children elementary rules and feelings to live as human beings. But it is said that increasingly, parents can not scold their children when they behave badly. There are many parents who bring up their children with laissez-faire. Having no authority and no dignity as parents are big factors in that. Parents must not misunderstand their love for children. They need to become strict parents for their children.
One of the reasons students are violent toward teachers at school might be that students' liberty and rights have been emphasized excessively. The successive knife incidents are a bad result. Children must be taught what is good and what is bad by the teacher with authority. Teachers must teach students to distinguish between right and wrong with love and consideration for each student's values and not force "controlled education" on students. Teachers should make school a fun learning place for students.
Even if teachers work hard to carry out such education, some students will still break rules or become violent at school. School and society need not overreact to these incidents. Teachers must cope with such situations taking a cool and resolute attitude. If a situation is very bad, a school may need the cooperation of the police. It is illegal to posses a knife with a blade of over six centimeters in length. If students have such a knife, they ought to be treated strictly, arrested on the spot. This is a law. There is no exception in its application, even if the criminal is just a boy.
Nowadays teenagers do not have a strong sense of guilt. It is a difficult time for them to tell right from wrong. There are video games which repeat massacres and cruel scenes on the TV screen surrounding boys. Parents, schools and society have to teach children right and wrong. It is an adult role. The home and school education must be reviewed in order to make children understand right from wrong by themselves and learn endurance. Changing the educational system is the most important issue which everyone must think about as we move toward the 21st century.
