Firearms and Knives in Schools and Gymnasiums Kyiv Education District

The educational space consists of a number of important and interrelated components, some of them date back to the recent or distant past. There are components of such past, which in this regard can be of cognitive and scientific interest, in particular in relation to Ukrainian schooling. Width of this space keeps many questions open, which arouse and will arouse interest and need for clarification. One of such questions concerns existence, usage of firearms and knives by teachers and students and their attitude towards these articles. The study highlights usage of firearms and knives as a part of daily life of students of high schools in Kyiv's education district as well as of their teachers. Aspects related to following matters are studied: which types of firearms and knives were available to students and teachers, in which ways they came into hands of students and teachers, how they were used and for which purpose, which existential and social consequences they might have. Students and teachers were found to be dealing with shotguns, pistols and revolvers, as well as large knives and small penknives. The author pointed out that students were not allowed to use firearms; teachers could purchase them under certain circumstances. Knives used to sharpen pencils or quills were allowed to be used by students, whereas were forbidden to be used for other purposes. The study analyzes cases of usage of knives and shows that knives were used to intimidate, threaten or insult rivals or colleagues. Cases of usage of firearms and damages they caused were identified: suicide (very common cases), duel, hunting, reckless behaviour, and injuries or deaths as consequences. Access to firearms is related to negligence in their safekeeping, sometimes firearms were borrowed, purchased or appropriated. Usage of weapons and knives resulted in investigation, trial and imprisonment, expulsion from high school, or dismissal, injury and death. The author assumed that number of weapons kept at home as well as number of accidents was greater than nowadays.

Abstract licence: CC BY

A person counts once a day per paper. We keep no cookie and no address: a reader is a hash that changes every day. Any month under five reads shows no number.