Violence in Japan’s elementary schools Level: Harder (Try the easier lesson.) Downloads: Word Doc | PDF Doc | Listening Audio: (1:55 - 226 KB - 16kbps) To download the listening, right-click or option-click the link. BNE: Japanese elementary schools are becoming ever more increasingly violent, according to government statistics. This is beginning to challenge the myth of Japan as an orderly society in which schoolchildren sit attentively, respond in unison and respect teachers. The number of reported cases of violence rose to a record 1,890 during the past school year. This broke the previous record of 1,600 cases set in 2003. A government spokesperson attributed the violence to children having “difficulties expressing their feelings” or lacking patience. Japan began surveying school violence in 1997 following a string of macabre and disturbing crimes committed by younger students. The most shocking crime was the decapitation of a ten-year-old by a classmate. Attacks against teachers jumped nearly 33 per cent to 336 cases during the latest school year. The government report stated: “In many cases, children easily lost their tempers because of trivial things and quickly turned to violence.” This has included record numbers of stabbings, assaults and vandalism of school property. One attempt at resolving the situation included dismayed parents keeping watch on their own children during classes. Teachers are under increasing strain and school officials have expressed an inability to cope. When they confront parents about a child’s delinquent behavior, the matter is shrugged off with an explanation that the child behaves well in the home. Police statistics show juvenile delinquency is steadily increasing.
Date: Sep 24, 2005
THE ARTICLE
P: Pay attention on what children need instead of what society want.
M: Always taking good deeds as granted isn’t a good policy.
I: Children want to break the rule against their tradition.
Comment:
People always take things for granted and easy. In fact, thinking positive way toward life is good attitude, but sometimes people would be knocked down by the unexpected “surprise”. And they don’t know what to do, because the negative accidents aren’t in their plan. Since children, they are living creature, and they live, they think. They’re not machines which can easily under government’s control. Protest is a good way provides a wide range for government to make progress. Our society demands that schools be safe for our children, yet recent violent events indicate we need to redouble our efforts to prevent violence in schools at the same time we address violence in the larger community.
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