Mediaboss Marketing

Football and school violence in focus in Hungary

Besides the centenary of the Trianon peace agreement which Hungary recalls as one of the greatest tragedies in its history (link to our story) football was, surprisingly, in the spotlight this week, after Prime Minister Viktor Orban found the time to visit his favourite football academy in Felcst, located right across from his house. There, Orban participated at the launch of a book called Football and Science, which will hopefully provide a scientific base for the resurrection of Hungarian football, Orbans best loved pastime. Sport and football in particular were deemed of strategic importance in 2010 when Orban started his second tenure. Yet, despite billions of forints poured into the sector, Hungarian football teams and the national selection still score poor results.

For a nation like us, football always provides an opportunity for consolation and recompense; it should be treated not just as a sport, but also as part of culture and history, Orban said in his speech. Hungary was the first country in Europe to reopen its stadiums for spectators last week. But local football fans have little cause to celebrate with the Hungarian national team in lowly 52nd place in the FIFA list, far down from 17th place in 2016, thanks to embarrassing defeats against Andorra and Wales.

Hungarys government has meanwhile proposed a new draft law to address security in local schools. The draft envisages that even pupils as young as 12 can be taken away in handcuffs if they behave aggressively and insult teachers. It also proposes the deployment of school guards to some 500 schools to protect teachers from aggressive students. Lszl Horvth, an MP from the ruling Fidesz party, argued in parliament that the root of this aggressive behaviour was in the family. Therefore, the government has proposed that families of aggressive children should be deprived of their child allowances for a year as a punishment.

School violence is a real problem in Hungary. According to a 2018 report by UNICEF, 52 per cent of Hungarian pupils reported being involved in some form of aggressive action in schools, either as perpetrators or victims. Teachers are not spared, mostly of verbal abuse, from students. The country was shocked last December when a 15-year-old pupil attacked his math teacher with a knife, inflicting life-threatening injuries.

But some experts say countering one form of aggression with another is not a good plan. Nra Ritk, the founder of Igazgyngy Alaptvny, a foundation that offers education and integration practices for underprivileged children, said deploying guards in schools might curb displays of aggression inside the actual buildings but would do nothing to prevent aggressive behaviour outside the gates. It was dealing with the symptoms, not the root causes, she stressed. Experts say the law will also further stigmatize students from low-income families, suffering from deprivation, mostly from a Roma background. Instead of training teachers and students in conflict resolution techniques, it could push students from problematic background towards more criminality and away from integration argued Tams Totyik, the vice-president of the teachers union, in the weekly Hvg.

Go here to see the original:
Democracy Digest: Elections, Economy and School Violence amid COVID19 - Balkan Insight