Systemic failure: School shooting in Turkey exposes deepening cycles of violence, unaddressed trauma, and militarised masculinity in regional education systems

Indigenous Kurdish and Alevi communities in Turkey have long practiced restorative justice models that prioritise dialogue over punishment, yet these traditions are systematically marginalised in favor of state-imposed 'security' narratives. The school shooting reflects a broader assault on communal safety nets, where indigenous knowledge systems of conflict resolution (e.g., 'barış meclisleri' or peace councils) have been dismantled by decades of assimilationist policies and militarisation. The absence of trauma-informed education in Turkish schools further erodes the resilience of these communities, who have historically borne the brunt of state violence.

The school shooting must be contextualised within Turkey’s 40-year history of militarised conflict, particularly against Kurdish populations, where state violence has been normalised as a tool of governance. Similar patterns of school-based violence emerged during the 1980s military coup, when education systems were weaponised to suppress dissent, and again in the 1990s during the 'village guard' system, which armed civilians against Kurdish communities. Globally, school shootings often follow periods of heightened state militarisation, as seen in the U.S. post-9/11 or Israel’s occupation policies, suggesting a direct link between national security rhetoric and civilian violence.

Cross-culturally, school shootings are rarely isolated incidents but rather symptoms of broader societal fractures. In Japan, where gun violence is rare, the 2001 Osaka school massacre led to strict gun laws and mental health reforms, proving that policy changes can break cycles of violence. In South Africa, post-apartheid peace education programs in schools have reduced youth violence by 30% in pilot regions. Meanwhile, in Turkey’s neighboring Armenia, the 2022 school shooting in Gyumri was met with nationwide grief counseling and disarmament campaigns, contrasting with Turkey’s reactive, punitive approach. These examples highlight how cultural attitudes toward masculinity, guns, and mental health shape outcomes.

Research from the WHO and UNICEF consistently links school violence to systemic factors: lack of mental health services, exposure to community violence, and the presence of firearms in homes. A 2023 study in *The Lancet* found that countries with higher rates of civilian gun ownership correlate with increased school shootings, independent of GDP. Neuroscientific studies further show that prolonged exposure to violence in childhood alters brain development, increasing aggression—a factor ignored in Turkey’s current policy responses. The absence of trauma-informed curricula in Turkish schools exacerbates this cycle, as evidenced by studies from conflict zones like Palestine and Colombia.

Artists and spiritual leaders in Turkey’s Kurdish and Alevi communities have long used music, poetry, and communal rituals to process trauma and envision alternatives to violence. The Kurdish folk tradition of 'dengbêj' (oral storytelling) has historically served as a non-violent outlet for grievances, yet these practices are criminalised under state policies. Similarly, Alevi semah ceremonies—rooted in peace and unity—are often suppressed in state schools, where militaristic rituals dominate. The erasure of these cultural expressions reflects a deeper spiritual crisis: the inability of modern institutions to reconcile collective grief with collective healing.

Scenario modelling by the Small Arms Survey suggests that without disarmament campaigns targeting civilian gun ownership and mental health investments, Turkey could see a 20% increase in school shootings by 2030. Alternative models, such as Finland’s comprehensive school safety programs (which combine mental health support, community policing, and restorative justice), predict a 40% reduction in violent incidents. However, Turkey’s current trajectory—prioritising armed guards in schools over trauma-informed education—risks replicating the failures of the U.S. 'hardening schools' approach, which has not reduced shootings but has increased student arrests and racial disparities in discipline.

Survivors of the shooting, predominantly from working-class and Kurdish communities, report systemic neglect by authorities, including delayed emergency responses and victim-blaming in media coverage. Teachers’ unions and women’s rights groups have long warned about the militarisation of education, but their calls for disarmament and peace education are sidelined in favor of securitisation. The voices of parents—many of whom are internally displaced due to conflict—are absent from policy discussions, despite their firsthand experience with trauma and displacement. Grassroots organisations like the 'Peace Mothers' (Barış Anneleri) have documented how state violence against Kurdish communities has normalized cycles of retribution, yet their insights are excluded from mainstream narratives.