The incident that occurred at "Idrak" Lyceum, located in Binagadi district, resulting in a 10th-grade student firing a firearm at their teacher, caused serious concern in society. The incident highlights that the increasing tendency towards violence among minors is not accidental, and also brings to the forefront the existence of several deep socio-psychological problems. Furthermore, the occurrence of the incident against the backdrop of an armed event clearly demonstrates the gaps in family, school, and overall control mechanisms. Another point is the influence of social networks on students' behavior, the normalization of aggression, and the uncontrolled deepening of digitalization. At the same time, the inadequacy of legal and institutional mechanisms for controlling child content is also noteworthy as one of the factors creating serious risks in preventing such incidents.
In a statement to Modern.az, Gunay Agamali, a member of the Milli Majlis Committee on Family, Women, and Children Affairs, stated that there is not a single cause for minors' inclination towards such violence, and it does not occur suddenly.
“Here, the family environment, intra-school relations, psychological tension, social influences, and the information environment play a significant role. When a child or adolescent feels "worthless," under pressure, or misunderstood, internal aggression develops. Sometimes, weak parental control, sometimes a lack of normal communication in teacher-student relationships, and sometimes an influx of information inappropriate for the child's age harden their behavior. The most dangerous aspect is that some children are accustomed to solving problems primarily through force.”
According to the MP, the incident is not merely an issue related to the school environment, but rather a deep social and psychological problem:
“The student's resolution of a misunderstanding with a firearm indicates that they did not perceive the danger, that their sense of empathy was weakened, and that responsibility had not developed in them. Here, gaps in both psychological control mechanisms and the security system also come to light. How did the child obtain the weapon, why doesn't the parent monitor their child's bag, and how was the weapon brought into the school? After all, a hunting weapon is not a pistol that you can carry in your pocket?! Each of these must be investigated separately.”
He also emphasized that today, a large part of children's worldview is shaped by technological means:
“Unfortunately, violence, aggression, and displays of force are glorified on social networks. As a rule, when an adolescent cannot distinguish between real life and the virtual environment, they transform what they see into a behavioral model. Especially fast, emotionally charged content shared in reels and shorts formats significantly affects their psyche. Digitalization is not inherently a problem; the problem lies in its uncontrolled and purposeless use.”
G. Agamali also added that, from a legal perspective, it is important to filter dangerous content for children and adolescents, implement age-appropriate algorithms, and increase the responsibility of platforms. According to her, the level of digital literacy in schools should be increased, and educational mechanisms for parents should be expanded:
“Firstly, the information environment for children and adolescents must be made healthier. Instead of a phone ban, a culture of purposeful use should be fostered. Secondly, psychological services in schools should be strengthened. Thirdly, the family-school-psychologist triad must be reinforced. The psychological problems of children and adolescents must be consistently monitored at school, at home, and in the social environment. Finally, fourthly, legal responsibility against all instances promoting violence in real life and on social networks must be improved,” the MP noted.
Azer Hasrat, a member of the Press Council's Board and a media expert, also believes that the reforms carried out in the school and education sector in recent years, particularly approaches that have gradually diminished the authority of teachers and schools, were bound to lead to such outcomes:
“In fact, this is not the first incident. In the past, there have been instances of students attacking schools, parents raiding schools, and teachers being beaten and insulted. Unfortunately, such incidents have been observed more frequently in Azerbaijan recently. It seemed that only an armed attack was left, and that too has now occurred. So why is this happening?
The main reason is that today, the authority of the school and the teacher has been seriously damaged. Often, the Ministry of Science and Education or state institutions in general are blamed for this. However, I believe that the primary responsibility in this matter lies with the parents who send their children to school. State institutions and the school itself come next.”
Our interlocutor stated that when a child is not properly raised in the family and not given the right direction, the result is as follows:
“Thousands, hundreds of thousands of children go to school. Do all of them behave this way? Of course not. Why? Because their family guides them correctly, and the child pays attention to their behavior.
Sometimes, such children emerge from a few isolated families. In fact, this is not inevitable. Simply put, teachers, schools, school administrations, and education officials should be given broader powers. Because today there are instances where a teacher reprimands a student, and the parent immediately complains to the police and prosecutor's office. However, disciplining a child is a normal occurrence, and conditions for this should be created.”
A. Hasrat noted that new information and communication technologies also exert their influence in this process from a harmful perspective:
“Of course, similar incidents occurred even in periods without these technologies. However, at that time, these incidents were not widely publicized. This was because there was no platform or environment for their public dissemination. Incidents were covered up, and measures were taken locally, but they were not communicated to the wider public.
For this reason, a misconception had formed in society that such incidents generally did not occur. However, today, the more harmful behaviors are circulated, the more normalized they become. The rising generation also accepts this as normal and thinks, "If others are doing it, why shouldn't I?"
In this regard, social media and new information and communication technologies, in general, sometimes turn into harmful platforms. Can it be prevented? Of course, it can. I have repeatedly stated that the circulation of criminal and negative news should be stopped. With the exception of topics that seriously concern society, the dissemination of certain criminal incidents, violence, and negative behaviors leads to normalization.”
The expert also emphasized that, first and foremost, the family should supervise the child:
“Attention should be paid to what they are engaged in, especially what games and images they view on social media and the internet. "Child internet" in Azerbaijan should be further developed and expanded. If harmful content is somewhat prevented in schools, this approach should also be applied to families.
This responsibility cannot be placed solely on the school or society. First and foremost, the family must play a key role in this matter. When fathers, mothers, and other guardians fulfill their duties, children will also be guided in the right direction.
Otherwise, it is inappropriate to leave a child to their own devices and then blame the school, asking questions like, "Why didn't you educate them, why didn't you provide a good education?"”
He also drew attention to the importance of taking serious measures to restore the authority of teachers and schools:
“In schools, children should be allowed to be reprimanded and subjected to educational influence. If a parent rushes to the school over a simple teacher's reprimand, we will not be able to fix either education or upbringing in this society. Therefore, the authority of the teacher must be elevated.
Our teachers should be shown such high respect and regard in society that children take it as an example. When that teacher reprimands or disciplines a child, the child should feel ashamed, draw conclusions, and correct their behavior.
In the current situation, however, this mechanism is practically non-functional. Even the slightest touch by a teacher turns into a major scandal, and social media and some media outlets target the teacher and school without conducting an investigation. As a result, teachers are forced to withdraw.
Yet, the goal is to raise good citizens. If, in return, a teacher is insulted, their images are spread, and their reputation is damaged, then why should a teacher put themselves at risk?
Therefore, everyone should be more responsible and careful in their posts related to teachers and schools,” A. Hasrat emphasized.
