Brazil’s school violence mirrors US. Its reaction doesn’t

By LAÍS MARTINS and COLLIN BINKLEY
SAO PAULO

Brazil is grappling with a wave of violence in its schools that resemble U.S.-style attacks. As the country scrambles for solutions, the U.S. has become its reference — both for what should be done, and what shouldn’t. Among measures Brazil is taking include things the U.S. has implemented over time, like increased policing and funding for mental health efforts, but also things that that nation hasn’t done, such as arresting and detaining hundreds of people for their online comments and pushing for the regulation of social media platforms. At the same time, mainstream media outlets have overhauled their approach to covering attacks to avoid giving notoriety and spurring copycats.