THE untoward incidents happening inside schools are becoming increasingly alarming. Some situations have gone beyond what teachers and school administrators can control.
We live in a world constantly exposed to violence, from the games we play to the movies we watch and the content we consume online.
Young people today have unprecedented freedom to express themselves and make choices, while technology exposes them to information and influences that are not always filtered.
But who is to blame?
This should not simply be a blame game. We cannot put everything on parents and teachers because, no matter how much they guide and discipline young people, they cannot completely control their minds, emotions, or decisions.
They can talk to them. They can guide them. They can teach them right from wrong. But young people make their own choices, often influenced by emotions they themselves are still learning to understand and manage.
So again, who’s to blame?
If influence were a person, then perhaps we could blame him.
Young people, especially teenagers, are highly susceptible to influence because their brains, personalities, and social identities are still developing. They absorb much of what they see and hear around them.
This is where the role of parents becomes especially important.
Not the teachers.
The foundation of values begins at home.
Schools can reinforce, develop, and strengthen the values that children first learn from their families. But the earliest lessons about kindness, respect, responsibility, faith, honesty, and compassion are usually taught through what children see at home.
When children see their parents praying and growing in faith, they are more likely to carry those values with them.
When they see adults treating others with respect, they learn that hurting, betraying, or taking advantage of others is wrong.
When children see a government that brings hope and creates a safe environment for its people, they may not fully understand politics or governance yet, but they experience the effects. They grow in an environment where peace, safety, and confidence can take root.
When children see good stories in mainstream and social media, their minds are filled with positive examples.
But when the stories they encounter every day are dominated by violence, betrayal, hatred, and conflict, they may eventually begin to see these things as normal parts of life.
So, if we really want to find someone to blame for the shocking incidents happening inside our campuses, perhaps we should look in the mirror.
Everyone has a part in this.
We tolerate things that eventually lead to worse situations.
On social media, we sometimes share content without considering whether it promotes good values.
We sometimes support leaders who are incapable of providing the leadership our communities need.
We fail to give enough time and attention to young people because we are too busy pursuing the many distractions and comforts of the world.
And sometimes, we are not good examples ourselves.
We struggle with anger. Our vices are visible. Our words can be brutal. Our actions can be harmful. Yet we expect the young to behave better than the examples we give them.
Deep down, we already know many of the solutions.
The problem is that knowing is not enough.
We need the courage to speak up. We need to take responsibility. We need to start with the small things within our homes, schools, communities, media spaces, and institutions.
Because influence works both ways.
If young people can be influenced by violence, they can also be influenced by kindness.
If they can learn hatred, they can also learn compassion.
If they can be exposed to betrayal, they can also be shown loyalty, integrity, and love.
So, who’s to blame?
All of us.
We all help shape the world the young inherit, and the world they will eventually shape themselves.
For better or worse, we are all part of the influence.
