16-year-old attacked at school; his cheekbone was fractured

First they approached him in the gym, and then they attacked him, breaking his cheekbone with a slap. This is what happened last Friday at a secondary school in the Teramo area, where a 16-year-old was assaulted by some of his peers so severely that he ended up in A&E.

According to the school’s account of events, the fracture to his cheekbone was caused by a fellow pupil, who was immediately suspended for 15 days. The headteacher herself recounted what had happened; speaking to the Abruzzo-based daily newspaper *Il Centro*, she referred to “a small group of two or three pupils” who “approached the boy whilst he was taking part in a sporting activity”. “One of them,” she added, “is said to have struck him in the face with a particularly violent slap.” The blow resulted in the 16-year-old suffering a fractured cheekbone and requiring surgery at Pescara Hospital, where he was treated by doctors.

The Carabinieri also attended the scene and have launched an investigation to establish the circumstances of the incident and assess who, if anyone, is responsible. “These are incidents that certainly should not happen at school. It is undoubtedly a sign of the unease experienced by young people today,” commented the headteacher of the school, which, amongst other things, runs a team dedicated to combating bullying and cyberbullying and promoting respect for the law. “Many young people,” she added, “think they can solve problems through violence. This violence is ingrained in them and, unfortunately, we are seeing it more and more often.”

And just last week, at a school not far from the one where the 16-year-old was attacked, a teacher fell ill following an altercation with a 17-year-old pupil. Since then, the man – who has announced his intention to press charges – has been in hospital, where he has received expressions of solidarity and support not only from colleagues and school staff but also from the local political community.
“Teachers are called upon to fulfil extremely difficult roles,” said, amongst others, the vice-president of the regional council, Antonio Blasioli. “We really must help them. And what about the young people? They are victims, even when they appear to be the perpetrators. We cannot leave them to fend for themselves in a sea of information, misinformation, violence and closed-mindedness towards others. Because empathy, respect, listening and sharing are not learnt from a screen or by asking an AI. They are learnt through relationships, within families, in communities and also in schools.”