From school conflicts to deadly attacks

Recently in Lao Cai, an 8th grader from Quang Trung Secondary School used a weapon to attack his classmate and pushed him into a lake. The cause was identified as ongoing conflicts during school time: N.L.T repeatedly teased and insulted V.T.D’s parents.

On the morning of November 5, T continued to hide D’s books and make fun of him. Angry and frustrated, D, when returning home for lunch, took a knife, and hid it in his school bag before returning to class in the afternoon.

After school, D and T agreed to meet by the lake to “settle the conflict.” There, D asked T to stop the teasing, but T refused. Enraged, D stabbed his classmate several times in the back and shoulder, then pushed him into the lake before leaving. Fortunately, a passerby witnessed the scene and quickly rescued the victim, bringing him to the hospital in time to save his life.

Another recent incident occurred at Thanh Hoa College of Agriculture, where a 10th-grade male student was attacked right inside his classroom by a group of schoolmates. Teachers and students provided first aid and then sent him to the hospital.

Due to severe injuries, the student was transferred to Thanh Hoa Children’s Hospital for emergency treatment. However, after several days in critical condition, he did not survive.

Also in Thanh Hoa, a shocking incident happened earlier when a 12th-grade student was fatally stabbed by a schoolmate. The reason stemmed from a sudden conflict during a morning physical education class. After school, the 12th grader blocked his classmate’s way and used his hands, feet, and helmet to attack the 11th grader. During the fight, the 11th grader pulled out a folding knife and stabbed the older student in the neck, causing his death.

All these heartbreaking incidents share common traits: personal conflicts, violent resolution, and the use of dangerous weapons, leaving devastating consequences.

Escalating school violence

Psychologist Nguyen Hong Ngoc stated that the growing severity of school violence results from multiple factors.

“Many children react immediately when they feel challenged, criticized, or insulted. This impulsive behavior often comes from a lack of emotional control, conflict management, and problem-solving skills.”

According to Ngoc, such actions may also imitate behaviors children observe around them. Today, children are exposed too early to social media, violent movies, games, and negative content. This overexposure can desensitize them emotionally and dull their sense of consequences.

Moreover, some parents unintentionally encourage violence by saying things like “if someone hits you, hit back.” Others raise children in tense, loveless households without role models who handle conflict peacefully, making violence seem “normal.”

“This is very dangerous because it deprives children of empathy and the ability to feel others’ pain,” Ngoc said.

Another reason, Ngoc explained, is that adolescents often want to display their strength. When they have an audience cheering them on, they feel even more excited to show off and act tough.

Ngoc emphasized that at this age, children cannot fully grasp the consequences, and a single blow could cause brain injury or even death.

The apathy of bystanders - walking away, refusing to help, often stems from panic, fear of involvement, or a culture that glorifies violence as “entertainment.” As a result, witnesses may react with excitement instead of compassion.

“Exposure to violent environments can initially shock and scare children, but repeated exposure makes them numb and indifferent,” Ngoc warned.

Sharing the same view, psychologist Nguyen Tung Lam, Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Educational Psychology, said these behaviors stem from a lack of emotional education and value-based upbringing both at home and in schools.

“Parents are often not attentive or strict enough. Meanwhile, schools tend to focus only on administrative discipline, lacking emotional education and real psychological intervention systems. Without fear of serious consequences, school violence will continue to rise,” he said.

Lam added that schools often respond only to isolated cases rather than implementing comprehensive, high-quality life skills programs for all students, though these are essential for early prevention.

“Therefore, children must be taught life values and compassion to guide them toward positive behavior. At the same time, clear legal measures are needed to handle such incidents and drive behavioral change among students,” he said.

Thuy Nga