Family, School, and Society: The Riots in England and Vancouver Demand Consideration of the Roles of All Three

It was a shock, shortly after returning this summer from a visit to England that included London, to view the scenes of violence and mob rule that played out on the television screen and the news sites of the computer. How little we can tell in a casual visit about the state of society in the countries we visit—even when we have friends and family in a country! London seemed a peaceful multicultural society, and the English village seemingly remains an oasis of serenity. Of course we knew of urban riots and the degeneration of sections of society as evidenced by binge drinking and other signs. But there was no hint of the violence and mayhem that was to break out this summer, and evidently even the authorities there had no suspicion of such imminent large-scale disorder.

In the wake of that disorder, there has already been no lack of theorizing by a wide variety of pundits, from those who blame everything on poverty to those who would blame only a small sector of society. Neither of these explanations seem adequate. Evidence points to people from many sectors of society being caught up in the violence. And to excuse the rioters on the basis of poverty is to deny personal responsibility and to ignore the evidence that sheer greed played an important part in the events. Those motivated by poverty might be expected to target food stores, but not outlets selling electronics. Flat-screen TVs may be desirable but hardly a priority for the hungry. Poverty is a legitimate cause for concern, but it is no excuse for the violence seen on the streets of English cities.

Whatever the immediate motivations behind the widespread violence, surely it is obvious that there has been a break-down of family life and, we suspect, some failure of the school as an institution that ought to help reinforce a sense of order and morality.

While on holiday we had some sense of shame in learning of the Stanley Cup riots in Vancouver. And surely those riots in our own province demand that we ask similar questions as to the role of family and school.

There is throughout the western world a culture that emphasizes greed for material things and the need for constant entertainment, but fails to recognize the need for personal responsibility. Parents in their families, and secondarily the schools, need to consciously combat this culture (or sub-culture). Parents and schools need to work together to instil those values which are essential to strong family life and a strong society. As we approach the beginning of a new school year, parents need to ask themselves how their children’s school experiences are likely to influence their sense of moral values, and seek to make choices for their children’s education that recognize the important influence of the many hours their children spend at school.

E.S.H.
(Aug., 2011; article published first in the July-August, 2011, British Columbia Parents and Teachers for Life E-Mail Bulletin)