This week in Shanghaiist
In the light of the recent violence we've seen in schools across China, and especially after it hit Shanghai (which we're pretty sure has made everyone's ears perk up in a way the Guangdong instances haven't) the government recently released data and statistics proving that schoolyard beatings are actually pretty regular... and a big problem. According to China Daily:
In January, Zhan Shaoyun, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, proposed a questionnaire about campus violence. The result shows that of the approximately 900 students who responded, 67 percent say there is violence around them on campus, and 26 percent have personally faced it.It also said 80 percent were terrified by the violence and 18 percent don't feel safe enough in school.
With numbers that are this high, it is almost surprising that we haven't seen more videos on this stuff. These numbers show an environment of fear that a lot of students must live through, and one we can't imagine is easy to learn in.
A range of reasons were given for the violence by the China Daily article. One: Students learn the violence at home where beatings are still a regular form of punishment, thus parents and families need to be reeducated. Another: teen dramas and violent Japanese animation that kids prefer over "more educational chinese programs."
While we think that parental education and better television (it IS possible to make a cartoon non-violent and non-boring at the same time, China) is a good idea, general finger pointing is hardly an effective solution for dealing with the situation at hand.
School officials have to start working now with comprehensive anti-violence campaigns - ones that teach students, families and even educators (like that stab friendly teacher from Yunnan - did she watch too much anime too?) on what's acceptable and what's plain disturbing.
Otherwise we'll just see more stories like this: One of the boys in the article was so traumatized when he was assaulted by a group of other boys that he refuses to go back to school. Or worse. we guess it's a good thing guns are nigh-impossible for this batch of high school kids to come by?
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Showing kinder, gentler cartoons won't do anything to resolve the real violence at home between the kids' parents and when the kids act up.
Chinese courts are going to have to punish adults. So much for the myth of the harmonious Chinese household.