TAIF: The level of violence in schools in Taif has reached an unhealthy high with teachers also on the receiving end, something that has now led to many schools calling on families to help curb the problem by reining in their children.

Teachers say the violence that is plaguing schools in the Taif area is affecting students’ education. High school teacher Abdulah Al-Qarni said teachers used to be well respected and that this is not the case nowadays.

“Teachers are no longer respected. Not a week passes without us hearing about fights in schools. I think part of the problem lies in the amount of violence children see on TV and in video games,” said Al-Qarni.

“It is scary to hear about mass brawls among schoolchildren,” added Al-Qarni, who like other teachers in the Taif area is often threatened by students who fail their examinations.

“I remember advising a pupil who was performing badly to study hard to avoid failing his exams. Instead of taking on board my recommendation, this young lad promised to attack me if he failed his exam,” he said, adding that he reported the incident to the school principal and that his car was vandalized a few days later.

High school principal Abdullah Al-Khammash blames such behavior on families. “People have been very busy talking about the problem; they’re simply not suggesting solutions,” he said. He added that police who catch students involved in fights are not properly penalized. “They are made to sign letters promising not to fight again in the future and then released. This is a totally pointless procedure,” he said.

Arabic grammar teacher Abdul Muhsin Al-Rabeeie said fights have been occurring in high schools for years, but what is abnormal is the large number of people involved in these incidents.

“There might be an issue between two students which could then snowball into including over 20 kids. The main root of the problem lies in the tribal culture, especially since most students in the Taif area are of tribal backgrounds,” said Al-Rabeeie.

“The problem is further compounded with families allowing grudges to escalate. Instead of reducing tensions they fan the flames. Some families encourage their youngsters to seek revenge and take the law into their own hands,” he added.

School principal Abdullah Eqab said a solution in resolving the problem lies in creating a student reconciliation committee run by students and a student council.

“We can easily eliminate tribalism and spread harmony and love among students. I think there needs to be more school trips,” said Eqab. “Such trips could have wonderful effects. I’ve held summer camps for school children and found them useful. They help identify children’s talents and problems, which can then be resolved.”

In May this year, police were called in to stop a fight involving students of two different tribes at a school in Bujanoub, a town in the south of the Taif area. The fight was preceded by another two weeks before.

Maj. Turki Al-Shahri, spokesman for Taif police, said students also damaged a number of cars parked in front of the school.

Earlier the same month, a fight broke out between two groups of students at a school in Al-Muwayah, north of Taif.

The fight involved an entire class and then escalated with 20 others later joining in.

Many students were injured in the fracas and were treated at Al-Muwayah Medical Center. Police were called to end the fight and a number of students were arrested.

In July this year, a crowd of 40 people armed with stones attacked the Ashira Secondary School in the town of Turba near Taif and broke the school’s windows. The group also smashed cars parked at the school’s gates.

After the group left the school, two groups of people sitting in two cars parked on a nearby road exchanged gunfire. Three police teams pursued the gunmen.