Students forced to kneel and lick motorbike license plates: Discipline not strict enough to deter 'big brothers'

On October 15, N.D.H, a 10A5 student at Minh Phu High School, Kim Anh Commune (Hanoi), was blocked on the road by a group of 6 people (including 2 students) and subjected to violence. The video recorded the scene where N.D.H was forced to kneel down and apologize to the subject and crawl behind a parked motorbike to lick the license plate. When N.D.H hesitated, the subject kicked him in the face. Even after licking the license plate, N.H. was still kicked and slapped in the face by the subjects.

The incident was immediately followed by a decision by the Hanoi City Police Investigation Agency to prosecute the case, prosecuting two suspects to investigate the acts of "Humiliating others" and "Disturbing public order".

A 10th grade student at Minh Phu High School was forced to kneel and lick license plates by a group of people, shocking many people.

The principal of a high school in Hanoi said that among the more than 1,000 students currently studying there are still some cases of "big brothers" and "special" students. These students often lack motivation and will to study, constantly violate school rules, and even drag their classmates and schoolmates into fights and violence, causing teachers a headache in dealing with them.

Especially when a scolding or a slap to make students "remember for life" and make them afraid to repeat the offense can now also cause teachers to be disciplined for handling students in violation of regulations.

The teacher said that the school had a rule that all students would be confiscated their phones at the beginning of class and returned at the end. However, some students handed in one and hid one or two more in their pockets. The teacher continued to teach, but the students still left their hands in their desk drawers playing video games and surfing the internet.

“Parents spoiling children at home and lack of discipline at school are the reasons why children act on their own,” said the principal.

Students are not afraid of self-criticism

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Senior Advisor of the Asia- Pacific Young Talent Education System, shared that some teachers said that in the past, if they spoke harshly to students, the whole family of parents would come to school to make a fuss, even wanting to attack the teachers. In fact, there were parents who attacked teachers right in school.

The truth is, not only vulnerable students but also teachers face the risk of becoming victims of violence.

“We talk a lot about “quality and competency education”, “regular and continuous assessment”, but who assesses, by what tools, and how to intervene when students have problems? We need to seriously research and put it into real operation”, said Dr. Nguyen Thanh Nhan.

The slogan “discipline without tears” was preached, but it was the weak who cried the most. We see the consequences clearly: fear, low self-esteem, psychological trauma, even dropping out of school because they do not dare to face the perpetrators of violence,” Dr. Nguyen Thanh Nhan.

He also said that Circular 19 of the Ministry of Education and Training stipulates that the highest form of punishment for students who violate the law is to write a self-criticism that does not make students "fearful". Students will think that all sins can be erased with a self-criticism. If an environment is strict and tolerant enough, it will deter even the "big brothers" who like to bully the weak and at the same time help students correct their mistakes.

Reality in many schools shows that, when there is a lack of specific intervention measures, wrongdoings are repeated and become increasingly serious, affecting the collective and creating a feeling of "unfairness" for well-behaved, disciplined students.

There must be tools to observe and protect, because many children use fists instead of words; many parents unconditionally defend their children, dragging the whole family into school to behave in a social way.

The incident in which a student was forced to kneel, apologize, and lick the license plate by a group of people blocking the road shocked public opinion about the behavior that went beyond all ethical values.

Therefore, at the social level, we need strong measures against juveniles who re-offend violently, which are strong enough to regulate and strong enough to deter.

According to this expert, in moral education and student discipline, the regulatory role of the school and the policy responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Training are very important. There needs to be a clear process, coordination with the parties including: Police - Health - Psychology, and a mechanism to protect victims immediately.

Parents of violent students should be required to attend mandatory behavior modification classes with their children. If necessary, there should be regular meetings with a specialist, as a mandatory form, to record progress.

“Stories of students fighting and being beaten may continue for decades. It depends more or less on whether we deal with them decisively today,” he warned.