Bullies and brass knuckles: Why kids carry weapons at school

The day Devan Selvey was fatally stabbed outside his east Hamilton high school, four teens - including Devan - had five weapons among them.

One set of brass knuckles.

One extendable baton.

One can of bear spray.

Two knives.

Devan's killer had a knife with a 15-centimetre blade. He stabbed Devan once in the back - a fatal blow. It came out in court that the 14-year-old killer's 18-year-old brother had the bear spray and the brass knuckles. Someone else had the extendable baton.

Devan had a knife too, though he wasn't holding it.

Why did these teens have so many weapons outside the school that day? What actually happened?

We'll likely never know the full story.

The would-be murder trial ended before it began last week when the 14-year-old killer pleaded guilty to second degree murder. He showed no emotion throughout the Monday hearing. He answered questions with one-word answers. He's now 16. Two birthdays passed while he was in custody.

Devan's mom has long said her son was bullied. His bike was stolen a month before he was killed. He'd sent a text shortly before the slaying saying he'd spotted kids involved in the bike theft.

But court heard the 14-year-old who stabbed Devan didn't know him. He was a stranger. Neither the teen nor his brother were involved in the bike theft, although another teen in the group with them allegedly was.

According to an agreed statement of facts read in court, the killer had just arrived on scene amid an ongoing confrontation between Devan and others. He thought his older brother was in danger. He lashed out and stabbed Devan in the back.

Devan's mom, Shari-Ann Selvey, told The Spectator her son had been carrying a purple pocket knife for about two weeks before he died. He was worried about being attacked, she said. The knife was later found at the scene of the homicide.

Protection, bravado and bullying

Indeed, personal protection" is the answer most students give when asked why they brought a weapon to school, said David Hoy, manager of social work services with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB), speaking from his 15 years of experience.

They feel they need them to be safe," Hoy said. The rationale is: If someone else is carrying a weapon, I should carry a weapon.'"

Knives are most often the weapon of choice, likely due to convenience, Hoy said.

The problem, though, is that a weapon can escalate an already-tense situation. A verbal dispute can turn deadly when someone, say, pulls a knife, Hoy said.

And while victims of bullying might carry weapons to ward off those who wish them harm, they could end up perpetrating harm instead, said Irvin Waller, a criminology professor at the University of Ottawa and author of Science and Secrets of Ending Violent Crime."

You think you can scare the bully off," Waller said. Unfortunately, the knife may get used to do more damage than you want."

Waller adds that he doesn't believe students walk around with weapons just in case" someone attacks them.

There's a bravado" factor, he says. A bullied kid might carry a knife to send a message that they won't be intimidated, just as a bully might carry a knife to send a message that they're intimidating.

Either way, weapons are certainly not a good way of resolving conflict or bullying," Waller said.

School stats

The HWDSB says 43 suspensions were issued to students possessing weapons in 2019/2020 - the most recent data. That's up from 22 in 2018/2019, 19 the school year before and 17 the school year before that. Those statistics do not include expulsions. For each year, there were fewer than 10 expulsions - the board wouldn't give exact numbers, citing privacy. The board did not specify what types of weapons were found.

The Spectator asked why suspensions doubled in 2019/2020 compared to previous years, board spokesperson Rob Faulkner said we are reluctant to speculate about why this occurred."

Around 50,000 students were enrolled with the board each year over the four-year period.

The Catholic board says it can't provide the number of suspensions versus expulsions because of privacy reasons" due to the number being low. The board did confirm that in each incident" a student was either suspended or expelled.

Four incidents were reported in 2019/2020, compared to six in 2018/2019 and seven in 2017/2018. Most often, the weapon was a knife. Around 30,000 students were enrolled with the board each year over the three-year stretch.

According to the Education Act, students shall" be suspended or expelled when they're found with a weapon at school. The principal decides their fate and in some cases, police might be notified.

Is there a solution?

Why weapons come into school is part of a broader social story," Hoy said. It's one that involves external factors such as family life, support at home, mental health and equity issues, among others.

As for those carrying weapons for protection" - it's not that they necessarily feel unsafe in school, Hoy said. Instead, they may feel unsafe outside school, off the property, when walking to or from class, or grabbing lunch. (The confrontations involved in the lead-up to Devan's death happened both on and off school property, and started during a lunch break. Devan was stabbed at the edge of Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School property.)

Tackling these complex social issues is, understandably, tricky.

Schools try to foster positive relationships between teachers and students, encouraging those who see something to say something - but Hoy says positive relationships aren't a panacea. Schools have to consider other avenues, including working with communities, developing relationships with parents, and being conscious of social norms that could impede a school's best efforts - including a snitches get stitches" mentality that leaves students fearful of retaliation for speaking out, he said.

Other efforts are made to get at the root of the issue and help kids, Hoy said, including school or police referrals to the John Howard Society.

Donna de Jong, acting executive director for the local chapter of the John Howard Society, told The Spectator her staff work proactively with youths and their families to prevent youth violence.

The society warns parents to keep an eye out for red flags, including: skipping school, hanging out with older kids and changing how they dress and speak. They often become guarded, exhibiting subtle changes, de Jong said.

As for school-based punishments, Hoy points out that if students don't want to be at school, suspensions or expulsions alone are unlikely to prompt reflection or behavioural change.

But he remains adamant that both bullying and community violence are issues schools and communities need to take seriously. But tackling these issues takes time and huge effort.

Sorry, no magic answers," Hoy said.

- With files from Nicole O'Reilly

Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com