Cases of violence in schools continue to follow, and the latest in the series was the attack on a teacher of the Technical School in Bačka Palanka, who was attacked by a former student during class and caused serious physical injuries. At the request of educators, the state announced changes to the Criminal Code, while child rights organizations warn that the emphasis should be on social support instead of punishment.
The teenager who attacked professor of the Technical School in Bačka Palanka during class and inflicted serious bodily injuries on him, he has been in custody since May 9, which was extended to two months.**
Educators in Serbia assessed this attack as "the last straw" and at a protest on May 16, they demanded that the Government of Serbia amend the Criminal Code and make an attack on a teacher a criminal offense, like an attack on lawyers.
This time, the government reacted nand, as they said from the Vojvodina Association of Educators "Teacher's Cry".
Amendments to the Criminal Code, proposed by the Ministry of Justice, provide that an attack on a person employed in an educational institution, in connection with the work performed by that person, will be punished by imprisonment from three months to three years.
Also, if someone inflicts minor physical injury on a person employed in an educational institution or threatens to use a weapon, he will be punished with imprisonment from six months to five years.
For serious physical injury caused to a person employed in an educational institution or a member of his family, the perpetrator will be punished with imprisonment from one to eight years.
The Criminal Code will also contain other changes, it is expected that the working version of the text will enter the public discussion in September, and at the end of the year in the parliamentary procedure.
Changes to the law from before were not expedient
The attack on the teacher in Bačka Palanka is not the first case of violence against teachers at the school. A year and a half ago, on November 9, 2022, at the Technical School in Trstenik, a student slipped out of the teacher's chair during English class. She fell, and the whole thing was filmed by other students and posted on social networks.
After that incident, several educational laws and regulations were amended, but apparently this was insufficient to stop the violence.
The Law on the Basics of the Education System - ZOSOV, the Law on Primary Education and the Law on Secondary Education were amended.
The amendments stipulate that for serious violations of obligations (bringing drugs and alcohol to school, weapons, bullying other students and teachers), the student can be removed from classes for a minimum of five days, and a maximum until the end of the disciplinary procedure. Then he switches to online classes.
In addition to being removed from classes, the deadlines for disciplinary proceedings have been shortened, and bullies no longer have the possibility to move to another school while disciplinary proceedings are being conducted against them.
Larger ones were also introduced fines for parents, and governance was introduced as a numerical grade from the second grade and the grade is included in the average.
The spokeswoman for the Branch Union of Educational Workers Nezavisnost (GSPRS), Vesna Vojvodić Mitrović, told "Vreme" earlier that the proposed amendments to the Law have more of a political than a social dimension.
The aforementioned changes refer to older and adult students in secondary schools, while violence in primary schools is not covered by them.
Changes to the law do not apply to minors
Only six months after these changes, it happened unremembered tragedies at "Vladislav Ribnikar" Elementary School when a minor committed a mass murder - killed nine students and a school guard.
Since the changes in the law do not apply to minor students, elementary schools are "covered" after that. Rulebook on assessment where any attack on a teacher by a minor is considered the most serious, the third degree of violence, which implies the involvement of the police and the Center for Social Work.
After this tragedy, as many as eight minors spent at least a month in detention in Novi Sad, mainly because of posts on social networks.
On their cases the media reminded, and on that occasion there was a reaction from children's rights organizations that appealed for respect for their rights and the proper application of national and international standards in these situations.
According to research, detention can have a multiple negative impact on a child, due to the many inconveniences inherent in the prison environment.
Newer research show that detention increases the incidence of depression in children and causes symptoms of stress, including poor appetite, sleep disorders, clumsiness, withdrawal, self-harm, aggression and even suicide attempts, regardless of the conditions and duration of detention, the organizations warn.
Research consistently indicates that social support is a protective factor in preserving mental health and rehabilitation.
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