Yesterday I read the news about a boy from Belgrade who killed 9 people in his school with his father’s gun. It was a terrible event. I feel like a monster for losing my ability to empathize with people. I lost my empathy after Russia crimes in Ukraine. In Russia we get used to negative news, so nobody would even notice. But this terrible event rises another questions in my mind.
Serbia is very similar to Russia in politics, corruption and criminal gangs, and I am afraid that the same scenario we experienced in Russia could happen in Serbia. Let’s see what mistakes made Russia with education and compare it with recent suggestions from the Serbian government and activist’s groups.
The first harmful action in Russia was the introduction of strict gun control laws. This did not help the schools. Any mentally unstable person could still obtain a permit and a gun. However, it did help the criminal authorities. Now, the weapons are concentrated in the hands of the police, army, and other repressive agencies, which can suppress uprisings and manifestations of free will.
As we can see from the statements about disarming the population and creating a police force in opposition to people, reports of other incidents and arrests, as well as the massive hype in the media and rising atmosphere of fear, this is what the current Serbian government is occupied with. Many of the current actions are actually harmful and only worsen the situation. It seems very likely to me that the occasion will be used to strengthen current Vucic’s group power - either according to Putin’s scenario, when Vucic becomes the eternal president of Serbia, or according to the scenario of strengthening their own criminal group against the backdrop of the weakening of competing groups. The confirmation of this is calls for confiscations and bans, which will further strengthen the ruling group.
The second harmful action I saw in Russia was the implementation of a pass system in schools. This does not protect against mentally unstable people with weapons. But it does protect children from their parents and the school from human rights organizations. Now, the Russian schools are forges of new warriors for the fascist regime. You cannot enter it easily, there is a stern guard and turnstiles at the entrance. What happens inside is not the parents’ business. And inside, there is degradation of education, election rigging, and propaganda in children’s minds.
And again, the idea of some Serbian reporters corresponds exactly to the Kremlin’s methodology. Let’s see how quickly the government allocates funds for this and schools will turn from educational institutions into government fortresses, imposing official ideology. It took about 15 years in Russia. It may seem long, but in fact, considering the impossibility of turning back to freedom, it is very fast. I want to draw your attention to the statement of the Russian government, which proposed a military-patriotic movement in response to what happened.
The third harmful action was the introduction of an age limit for shooter games and activities with might be considered as aggressive or inappropriate for kids. Is it proven that a person playing, for example, Carmageddon, will then get into a car and go run over pedestrians? After all, the problem is not in games, games can help relieve stress and release aggression.
So, what can I recommend to ensure that children no longer come to school with weapons and do not kill their classmates?
Addressing mental health: Many individuals who commit such violent acts often suffer from mental health issues that have gone untreated or undiagnosed. Therefore, investing in mental health resources and support systems for children and adolescents can help identify and address any underlying mental health concerns before they escalate.
Encouraging community involvement and support: It’s important to foster a sense of community and belonging among students to prevent feelings of isolation or exclusion that can contribute to violent behavior. Schools can encourage parental involvement, peer support groups, and extracurricular activities to help students develop healthy social connections and coping mechanisms.
Fostering a culture of empathy and respect: Schools can also prioritize teaching empathy, conflict resolution skills, and respect for diversity to help students develop a deeper understanding of the impact of their actions on others and to create a more positive school culture. This can be achieved through programs such as social-emotional learning, anti-bullying initiatives, and diversity and inclusion training.
I hope that Serbia will be able to find the right way out, although I no longer believe in people’s common sense. But Serbia is not Russia, so maybe…