International

Russian Panel Places Some Fault on Military for School Massacre

By Sean Cavanagh — December 13, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A legislative panel investigating the school massacre in the Russian town of Beslan last year has blamed government forces for an uncoordinated response to the crisis and has contradicted some aspects of the military’s official account of the event, according to media reports.

Those findings were released by Stanislav Kesayev, a lawmaker who is leading a panel established by the legislature in the republic of North Ossetia, where Beslan is located. On Sept. 1, 2004, heavily armed militants took hundreds of children and adults hostage in Middle School No. 1. After a two-day standoff, shooting erupted between the hostage takers and Russian security forces, and possibly civilians, followed by explosions. More than 330 hostages, 186 of them children, were killed. Russian authorities have blamed the attack on Chechen militants.

Mr. Kesayev, in a recent speech, said federal forces responsible for mistakes during the standoff should be punished, according to reports from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the Associated Press. His report also called into question whether an initial explosion in the school’s gymnasium was set off by hostage takers. Yevgeny Khorishko, a spokesman for the Russian Embassy in Washington, noted that two other inquiries are under way, one by prosecutors, another overseen by the national elected legislative body, or Duma. Although he declined to comment in detail about the North Ossetian panel’s findings, the embassy spokesman said the Duma’s eventual report would likely find at least some faults in authorities’ response to the Beslan crisis.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Personalized Learning Webinar
Expanding Teacher Impact: Scaling Personalized Learning Across Districts
Explore personalized learning strategies that transform classrooms and empower educators.
Content provided by DreamBox Learning
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Classroom Technology Webinar
How to Leverage Virtual Learning: Preparing Students for the Future
Hear from an expert panel how best to leverage virtual learning in your district to achieve your goals.
Content provided by Class
English-Language Learners Webinar AI and English Learners: What Teachers Need to Know
Explore the role of AI in multilingual education and its potential limitations.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

International Opinion School Reform Is Tough All Over, Not Just in the U.S.
Even though some reforms produce evidence of student success, that often isn't enough to overcome political hurdles.
6 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
International In Their Own Words What a Teachers' Union Leader Saw in Ukraine
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten was in the country just after widespread air strikes from Russia.
4 min read
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten prepares to cross the border into Ukraine on Oct. 10.
Randi Weingarten visited Ukraine on Oct. 10—the day Russian missiles slammed into Lviv, Kyiv, and other cities.
Courtesy of AFT
International Q&A 'Tell American Students to Be Grateful': What Ukrainian Refugees Told AFT's President
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten traveled to Poland to meet with Ukrainian students and teachers.
4 min read
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten passes out books to Ukrainian refugees at a makeshift school in a hostel in Warsaw, Poland, on April 4, 2022.
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten passes out books to Ukrainian refugees at a makeshift school in a hostel in Warsaw, Poland, on April 4.
Courtesy of Asher Huey
International What the Research Says How Nations Can Repair Pandemic Damage to Students' Well-Being, Trust in Government
International data suggest the pandemic has marginalized young people in many countries.
3 min read
Image of high school students working together in a school setting.
E+/Getty