「英文翻訳」（テスト中）

Editorial: Society-wide united front needed in battle against bullying
October 27, 2017 (Mainichi Japan)

There were 323,808 known cases of bullying in Japan's primary, junior and senior high
schools in academic 2016, or some 98,000 more than the previous year. Of particular note,
recorded　cases of bullying in primary schools rose by about 86,000.

That was the conclusion of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and
Technology's most recent annual survey of problematic behavior and student absenteeism.
The education ministry has attributed the sudden rise in cases to a directive it issued
calling on schools to be more proactive in recognizing one-sided fights or pranks as
bullying.

It is important for teachers to keep a keen eye on their students to catch trouble between
children early. The directive is worthy of praise if it has been successful in spreading
awareness among schools about taking prompt action to prevent suicides and other serious
incidents.

By prefecture, the most bullying cases per 1,000 students were observed in Kyoto, at 96.8.
The lowest rate, at just five, was recorded in Kagawa Prefecture. In other words, the
recorded bullying rate was nearly 20 times worse in Kyoto than tiny Kagawa. The ministry
survey also found that some 30 percent of schools had identified no cases of bullying at
all.

The key phrase here may be "identified." Kyoto Prefecture has introduced multiple-choice
questionnaires on whether bullying is occurring and what type, and based on the surveys,
teachers take the initiative to interview students. It is very important for boards of
education to value proactive efforts to listen to the children under their care and
identify
bullying incidents quickly.

Bullying continues to be a very serious problem. Cases ultimately resulting in suicides or
absenteeism also rose from academic 2015, numbering 400 in the most recent survey. Efforts
to prevent bullying cases from escalating in severity are vital. Furthermore, teachers
cannot handle this crisis all on their own. Strengthened information sharing in schools,
as well as cooperation with school counsellors and students' families are all
indispensable to tackling the problem.

The education ministry survey also revealed a startling rise in violent behavior. Schools and expert observers have apparently noted growing numbers of children who cannot control their
emotions or who resort to physical force before trying to talk things out. These children's
instability can certainly lead to bullying incidents.

This situation concerns not just the school environment, but also conditions at home and
indeed in broader society. Responding effectively will be difficult, but teachers must
dedicate themselves to close observation of their students, to try and understand the
background to what is going on.

In Fukui Prefecture, there was a heartbreaking case in which a second-year junior high boy
took his own life due to relentless scolding by teaching staff at his school. If students
can't trust their teachers, then teachers' instructive role will cease to function. It is
exactly the same with measures to combat bullying and absenteeism.

（社説）指導死　教室を地獄にしない
2017年10月29日05時00分 「朝日」
　子どもたちの可能性を伸ばすべき学校が、逆に未来を奪う。そんな過ちを、これ以上くり返してはならない。教師のいきすぎた指導が生徒を死に追いやる。遺族たちはそれを「指導死」と呼ぶ。福井県の中学校で今年３月、２年生の男子生徒が自死した。宿題の提出や生徒会活動の準備の遅れを、何度も強く叱られた末のことだった。

　有識者による調査報告書を読むと、学校側の対応には明らかに大きな問題があった。周囲が身震いするほど大声でどなる。副会長としてがんばっていた生徒会活動を「辞めてもいいよ」と突き放す。担任と副担任の双方が叱責（しっせき）一辺倒で、励まし役がいなかった。生徒は逃げ場を失った。どれだけ自尊心を踏みにじられ、無力感にさいなまれただろう。

　管理職や同僚の教員は、うすうす問題に気づきながら、自ら進んで解決に動かなかった。肝心な情報の共有も欠いていた。追いつめられた生徒が過呼吸状態になっても、「早退したい」と保健室を訪ねても、校長らに報告は届かなかった。

生徒が身を置いていたのは、教室という名の地獄だったというほかない。だがこうしたゆがみは、この学校特有の問題ではない。「指導死」親の会などによると、この約30年間で、報道で確認できるだけで未遂９件を含めて約70件の指導死があり、いくつかの共通点があるという。

　本人に事実を確かめたり、言い分を聞いたりする手続きを踏まない。長い時間拘束する。複数で取り囲んで問い詰める。冤罪を生む取調室さながらだ。大半は、身体ではなく言葉による心への暴力だ。それは、教師ならだれでも加害者になりうることを物語る。文部科学省や各教育委員会は教員研修などを通じて、他の学校や地域にも事例を周知し、教訓の共有を図るべきだ。

　その際、遺族の理解を得る必要があるのは言うまでもない。調査報告書には、通常、被害生徒の名誉やプライバシーにかかわる要素が含まれる。遺族の声にしっかり耳を傾け、信頼関係を築くことが不可欠だ。文科省は、いじめを始めとする様々な問題に対応するため、スクールロイヤー（学校弁護士）の導入を検討している。求められるのは、学校の防波堤になることではない。家庭・地域と学校現場とを結ぶ架け橋としての役割だ。事実に迫り、それに基づいて、最良の解決策を探ることに徹してほしい。

Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at U.N. If he echoes thoughts of Little
Rocket Man, they won’t be around much longer!