Students Engage in Stone-Throwing Inside School Premises
Photos and videos that have been widely shared on social media over the past three days have illustrated students throwing stones inside school premises. These disturbing images have sparked outrage among Tunisians, who are calling for an end to such behavior.
However, while the shared videos concern high schools in Ezzahrouni and La Mannouba, the phenomenon appears to be more widespread. An uninformed observer might think that these filmed and shared incidents are isolated and circumstantial. But this is not the case. The stone-throwing phenomenon, which seems to be becoming a common denominator among many adolescents, is just one of the many aggressive acts that these young people are accused of.
Vandalism, verbal aggression, and stone-throwing are all part of a disturbing phenomenon that seems to be gaining momentum and spreading among young people. This is evident from the intervention of the central director of the national security directorate.
In an interview on national radio on Tuesday, February 17, the official confirmed that young people are engaging in illegal activities such as drug consumption, gambling, vandalism, and stone-throwing at people and public and private transportation. "The stone-throwing phenomenon has gained momentum over the past four years. Investigations have shown that this phenomenon is linked to addiction to electronic games, where players are encouraged to hit. When these young people leave the game platform, they are still under the influence of the combat spirit imposed by the game and continue to act like players. Except that they do it in real life, targeting innocent people and public property. Buses, metros, and trains are always targeted by these players," he assured.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
The security official also expressed his dismay at the spread of this phenomenon. He revealed that security forces are responsible for protecting public property and transportation and are often forced to arrest minors. "The arrest of a minor never happens without stigmatizing a young person! This will mark them and unfortunately have repercussions on their psychological health. However, security forces do not arrest them with pleasure, but out of duty! Judicial prosecution takes place especially if the act committed has caused material damage to people or property. Moreover, the reintegration of these young people is costly for both the family and the school, society, and the state as a whole," he indicated. He added that "often, parents and legal guardians are prosecuted for negligence. Because a 13- or 14-year-old child who commits an act of violence is never the only one responsible! Their education is the work of their parents. And if a flaw is found in the minor, it is because their parents bear a large part of the responsibility."
Parental Responsibility
The official emphasized the importance of the parent's role. He urged guardians not to be dismissive and to be more involved and attentive to their children's behavior. "The parent must always check who their child is associating with. They are responsible for knowing where and with whom their child is at every moment of the day, and they are responsible for knowing what their child is doing, especially at late hours! It is inconceivable that a parent allows a very young child to stay out late without knowing where they are, with whom, and what they are doing! The parent is responsible for knowing why their child asked for money, just as they are responsible for knowing where their child got money that they did not give them. The parent is responsible for enrolling their child in beneficial activities, ensuring they are in reliable and controlled leisure areas. Parents are responsible for guiding their children and accompanying them. The parent is responsible for not letting a gap form between them and their child and is called upon to approach and listen to them to overcome the sensitive and critical period of adolescence. The same applies to educational institutions. The child spends most of their time there, and the school must play its educational role fully and not just teach," he advised.
