Rather than social media, put the knives away

At a school in the Centocelle district of Rome, a 13-year-old pupil attacked his teacher, first with pepper spray and then with a knife. It is thought to be an act of revenge for having been given ‘failing grades’ in two subjects last year, which he was due to retake in the coming days – not exactly a reason to unleash violent hatred; but it also appears that the boy intended to film his attack for social media.

Fortunately, the teacher’s condition is not serious, but this naturally does not make the incident any less serious. The boy’s mindset is shocking: thanks to the impunity afforded him by his young age, he thought he was carrying out an act to be proud of; it is also thought-provoking that such an obvious and significant personality disorder had not previously been detected in any way by either his family or the school system.

The Minister for Education, Giuseppe Valditara, whilst expressing solidarity with the teacher, insists on the need to “prevent children under the age of 15 from accessing social media and dangerous channels”. However, in addition to the camera, the boy was in possession of a knife and a can of gas, and it is perhaps on this that we should focus more. Regulations do exist allowing metal detectors to be installed at school entrances precisely to prevent weapons or other dangerous objects from being brought in. Why was no attempt made to install them at Centocelle (and in almost all other schools)? Commentators will inevitably argue that what is needed is not restrictions but rather education in values and so on.

Education is, of course, the primary purpose of school, but this must not make us forget that there is a minority – hopefully a small one – of young people who instead see violence as their guiding principle. We need practical and immediately effective measures. Then, once they have entered school without knives in their pockets, education will do what it can to persuade them to follow better paths.