Kevin Paquette: Restoring respect for authority as social cohesion crumbles
A society that refuses to punish misconduct eventually normalises it.
In Quebec, two recent violent incidents have shocked and appalled the public.
Last month in Repentigny, a convenience store employee was beaten up by several teenagers from the local high school. It is clear that this is far from an isolated incident. Local shop owners describe the area as “a jungle,” where every lunchtime, dozens of students show up at the stores and wreak havoc.
In late March, a video shot last summer went viral. It shows a driver named Mohamed Bekkali violently insulting a police officer who was enforcing the Highway Safety Code. He repeatedly uses misogynistic and insulting language, with complete impunity, while proudly sharing the video on social media.
Taken individually, these events may seem like mere news items. However, such incidents are becoming less and less isolated and are symptoms of a deeper problem.
Unfortunately, we live in a society where social cohesion is crumbling and legitimate authority is increasingly challenged.
The decline begins in childhood
Contempt for authority does not arise overnight. It is learned and becomes normalised over time.
One need only speak with teachers to gauge how much the situation in our schools has deteriorated over the past few decades. The teacher’s authority is constantly questioned, challenged, and sometimes even ridiculed.
A teacher who tries to establish their authority in a classroom and impose consequences on students who do not respect the school’s code of conduct is inevitably reprimanded, either by parents or school administrators.
When actions have no consequences, some take advantage of the situation to create a climate of fear and violence in their schools. This situation was condemned by Montréal Public Health, which published a study on the issue in recent days. Even the Quebec Association of School Administrators now believes that violence in schools is a widespread phenomenon.