The Yorkshire Post says: School knife crime menace. Urgent action needed on weapons

A steep increase in the number of children carrying knives is illustrative of a growing problem, and here in Yorkshire we have witnessed the tragic consequences, with the murder of Leeds teacher Ann Maguire and the stabbing of Vincent Uzomah in Bradford.

A tally of more than 650 crimes in our schools, with an increase of 151 per cent in the number of children found carrying blades in South Yorkshire, simply cannot be tolerated.

Every knife taken into the classroom poses a grave risk to both pupils and school staff. Dr Uzomah is surely correct in calling for the introduction of lessons spelling out the consequence of carrying blades.

There is a worrying culture of carrying knives amongst some young people, and by extension, their families. In some cases, it springs from a misguided belief that they need a weapon to protect themselves, but in others there can be no doubt that being armed is a means of expressing aggression or the desire to intimidate.

If this scourge is to be stamped out, as it must be, action is needed on several fronts. Enforcement by schools and the police is undoubtedly part of the solution, but a programme of education is equally necessary if this trend is to be reversed and classrooms kept safe.

And that also means educating parents, who may not be aware that their offspring are taking knives to schools. Above all, the culture of carrying weapons needs to be addressed, and children taught that arming themselves is wrong in all circumstances.

This is not just about ensuring that teachers and pupils are safeguarded. For the young people taking knives to school, it is about protecting children from themselves.