Aggression training at schools to reduce youth stabbings in Rotterdam: report

The municipality of Rotterdam is presenting a plan on Wednesday to tackle the increased violence among young people in the city. Schools with many problems will get more police supervision, and the municipality will provide subsidies to train students and teaches on dealing with aggression, Trouw reports.

The plan focuses on secondary schools and secondary vocational schools. The municipality is allocating 180 thousand euros per year for the approach.

The number of stabbing incidents in Rotterdam involving teenagers nearly doubled to 36 last year. "Although these incidents were not school-oriented, schools feel the consequences," education alderman Said Kasmi said to the newspaper. "Those involved, both victims and perpetrators, are at school. Schools feel the need to do something about it."

The safety plan consists of 15 measures. One such is that the police and enforcement officers will provide more supervision at schools that "are perceived as the most problematic" by school boards. The municipality would not say which schools are involved. But school dome LMC told Trouw that among the schools that all under it, Monfort College, Zuiderpark College, Veenoord VMBO, and De Palmentuin will get extra supervision.

Agreements were also made that violent incidents will more often be reported to the police. Teachers will be trained on how to deal with aggression and street culture. And the curriculum will be updated to influence students' behavior on this front.

The program will start as soon as the measures around the coronavirus are relaxed and schools are allowed to reopen.