U.S. verdict prompts calls to tackle school bullying in China
The recent sentencing of three Chinese students accused of kidnapping and torturing a female Chinese student in Los Angeles, the U.S., raised discussion about school violence on China's social media.
The three students - Zhang Xinlei, Yang Yuhan and Zhai Yunyao - were sentenced to 6, 10 and 13 years in prison, respectively, and will be repatriated to China after serving their sentences, according to a plea deal reached with local prosecutors on Tuesday, Qiaobao - a Chinese-language newspaper in the U.S. - reported on Wednesday.
The news drew much attention from media in China and prompted reflection upon the problem of school violence within the country.
Many Chinese netizens condemned the crimes and attached great importance to the prevention of campus violence.
"We still have a long way to go in the protection of children and adolescents," Tong Xiaojun, dean of the Research Institute of Children and Adolescents of China Youth University for Political Sciences, said on Thursday.
Part of the cause of school bullying lies in the physiological and psychological conditions of adolescence, Tong said.
"That is not to say that we do not need to pay attention to the problem. Rather, it should be addressed with more caring by parents and schools, and the protection of children and adolescents should be emphasized," Tong explained.
In cases of school bullying, all the children involved, including those who bully others, are "victims." If those who have gone astray cannot be offered good parenting and schooling that can help them get back on the right track during their growth, their futures will likely be ruined, though they should not be, she told the Global Times.
Some blame school violence on the flaws of China's existing education system.
"It runs short of education about social ethics and related laws," Jiang Jie, a Beijing-based lawyer, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Many children, who are the only child in their families, are spoiled by their parents and grandparents into being self-centered, he said, pointing out that household education in China needs to be improved.
According to Tong, the top priority in addressing school violence is to establish and improve a system for youth protection.
She said this system should allow parents and teachers to seek advice and assistance from professional social workers in order to ensure good parenting and schooling.
Relevant legislative efforts should also be made, and the legal framework for youth protection should be improved and its gaps filled, said Tong.
