“Attacks in schools are a reflection of the encouragement of hatred and weapons,” says Brazil’s minister

By Gianlucca Gattai

On Wednesday afternoon (12), the Brazilian Minister of Education, Camilo Santana (PT), said that the recent school attacks reflect the stimulus to hatred, violence, and weaponry present in today’s society.

During the House Education Committee, the PT minister defended discussing what measures could be taken but was against the idea of putting armed police officers in schools.

The Minister of Education said Brazil and the world experience a systematic problem.

“It is not a simple problem.”

“What is happening in schools reflects what is happening in our society, encouraging hatred, violence, and weaponry,” he said.

“Would arming the population [be the solution]?”

“Let’s discuss it. Because the United States did that, and research showed that it didn’t solve it.”

“This is a problem that we need to discuss more deeply; we need to strengthen a broad psychosocial program,” said the petista.

When arguing that putting armed police officers in schools would not solve the problem, the minister commented that the attack in the daycare center of Blumenau (SC) occurred in a private school, which would be able to put private guards on site.

With information from Gazeta Brasil

More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times.