crime

Fukuoka elementary school introduces safety measures following nearby stabbings

24 Comments

A man was slashed by an unknown assailant in Fukuoka this week -- the third such attack in the area in recent weeks -- prompting a nearby elementary school to introduce safety measures for its students.

A 35-year-old pachinko parlor employee on Feb 12 became the third victim of a knife attack in Hakata Ward. The attacks began on Jan 28.

After the third attack, the school sent out a warning to parents, recommending that children travel to school in large groups for their safety, TBS reported Thursday. Parents and guardians of many of the children also accompanied the groups.

The school recommends that the new system be maintained until the police apprehend the person or persons responsible for the knife attacks.

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24 Comments
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Good thinking. Hopefully they find this nutter asap. As we've read in other stories, sometimes these crazies attack kids too.

6 ( +5 / -0 )

There should be adults walking with the kids. For example, the SAHM who aren't doing anything other than chatting with the other SAHM after their kids go to school should walk their kids to school. Or any volunteers would help too.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Very good - - - -

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Travelling in groups is good, and having seniors and other volunteers standing about to greet them in the mornings and watch them is also a good thing (shame the government cut funding to groups for guarding certain areas!). This in no way, however, helps with safety in the schools or schoolyards themselves. Yesterday while biking around my neighbourhood and killing some time in the late afternoon I passed three elementary schools and one junior highschool. The former three had 'gates' that went up to your waist, all with small doors off the the side of said gates that were wide open. The junior highschool front gate was also wide open.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Adult supervision, I agree. We give our kids too much responsibility in walking long distances to school in peer groups, if a crazy person attacks a group of kids, they are still very vulnerable.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Ms. Alexander, the person slashed was an adult. Why would an adult walking with kids, make any difference to a random slasher?

As for walking in groups, does "safety in numbers" really apply in the case of random slash-and-dash attacks? Recent events suggest the opposite. A random slasher might prefer clusters of people so s/he can slash more bodies in one go.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

There should be adults walking with the kids. For example, the SAHM who aren't doing anything other than chatting with the other SAHM after their kids go to school should walk their kids to school. Or any volunteers would help too.

100% agree. I have seen meetings where SAHM are complaining about not enough volunteers on route,... I've only seen older, retired folks near my place and I find it sad that these folks care more than the parents do.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

the SAHM who aren't doing anything other than chatting with the other SAHM after their kids go to school should walk their kids to school. Or any volunteers would help too.

When my kids were in elementary school the PTA drew up a roster to have parents standing along the route, checking that kids stayed out of the road, crossed the road/railway lines safely, etc. Each household's turn came around just a couple of times a term, no big deal. The sahms and wahms for the most part took their turns; it was the 'career' mums who objected. They reckoned their jobs were more important than seeing that their kids got to school safely.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

And how many years ago was that Cleo? Things have changes and like I said, I only see retired folks doing this where I live.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Safety measures or common sense? This country needs to use more common sense.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I only see retired folks doing this

Maybe the working mums should pay someone to see their kids to school, like they pay someone to watch their kids after school?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I would be driving my child to school if this happened three times in mere weeks.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Steve, I do believe that driving your kid to school here is... against school rules. The schools I worked at had very strict rules about this, biking and which route kids were allowed to take. Where I live now JHS/HS are allowed to bike but they weren't were I lived. Any kid that took a different route than the one "allowed" got screamed at. Lord knows what would have happened if a parent had dropped of their kid! Heck, where I lived teachers weren't allowed to drive and noisy folks complained to city hall that some were!

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Japan is safe enough with high civic sense from surrounding adults. No need for paranoiac children protection at and out of school.

Road crossing is far more dangerous.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Why not just keep the heighten security measures indefinitely? If one person is wielding a knife who's to say that another might not try to copycat such a thing?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

kozacho: why scraping the sense of freedom because of just one nuts guy? Absolutely no reason for that IMHO.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I'm glad they are taking safety measures towards these assaults.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Steve, I do believe that driving your kid to school here is... against school rules.

Here as in where? Because if you are talking about all Japan you would be wrong.

Where I live now JHS/HS are allowed to bike but they weren't were I lived. Any kid that took a different route than the one

And where I live 99% of JHS kids are not allowed to use bicycles at all to go to school because traffic is such a hazard.

Point being that different places have different rules and it behooves the parents to check with their own school about what's ok or not.

Plus these so-called "safety measures" these types of things are common sense type measures, that should have been "instituted" from day one of when the school existed. Again shutting the barn door after the horse is out mentality. The cops, along with parents, the boe, and school, should be out there keeping an eye on the kids, plus the school should also be mandating that parents or an adult should be picking the kids up after school if they participate in any after school clubs, or something appropriate to ensure their safety.

The school recommends that the new system be maintained until the police apprehend the person or persons responsible for the knife attacks.

The parents should demand that the system stay in place forever. Make the parents take more responsibility for their kids and the school as well.

Don't say it can't be done either, I've been there, done that with 3 kids, youngest is now in HS, it's a matter of priorities!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

tmarie is correct that its against the rules to drive your child to school.

Damn the rules! Anyone trying to prevent me from protecting my child in extraordinary circumstances should probably start seriously considering their own safety for a moment!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Ah, yes. I should say that the rules vary from place to place, even within Japan.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Ah, yes. I should say that the rules vary from place to place, even within Japan.

Which is a problem for many people posting here on JT. They THINK that where they live is the basis for everyone in Japan, and that ain't so. Each place has different rules and guidelines, some are the same sure, but many are different hence my comment;

it behooves the parents to check with their own school about what's ok or not.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Look you have many able bodied seniors who would be protectors... in elementary schools.. who could have communications devices, tazer weaponry.. or be proficient in martial arts.. who would work for something to do.. and who would work for the honor to be guardians of youth and the future.. they also have knowledge, patience and the children would give many of them new life.. a reason for living themselves..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Kimokekahuna: I do not know where you live, but I tell you: my children do not need protectors in Tokyo. Everything is fine and safe enough here.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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