Licks, not suspension, to reduce indiscipline

The suggestion by the association was rightly made to help reduce incidents of indiscipline and violence in schools. In addition to reducing the lunch hour, corporal punishment needs to be practised on a consistent basis.

One reason to encourage use of corporal punishment is to give some power back to teachers. They often struggle to chastise students because current punishments have no power of intimidation. Without this, there will be no deterrent.

A lack of corporal punishment leaves teachers powerless to stop indiscipline and acts of violence.

Corporal punishment is a viable alternative to suspension. Children often don’t enjoy school. Suspension from school can send the wrong message that it’s a reward rather than a punishment. Using corporal punishment on a consistent basis keeps students in school and punishes them, therefore making it clear it is not a reward and that indiscipline will not be tolerated.

There is less respect for authority, politeness and good manners, and children today are ruder, wilder, more aggressive and use more bad language than before and don’t seem to care about maintaining a respectable appearance.

School are partly to blame for the current state of affairs in TT and the increased crime rates, for it is their products that are failing to come to the desired standards that society requires. Teachers are not doing enough to impart the right knowledge to children and to ensure that their behaviours are socially acceptable.

Teachers must teach children not only to be knowledgeable but to be good. It is for this reason that corporal punishment should play a major role in the school system. It must be practised regularly because of falling education standards.

Students do not know as much as they should or do not know the right things and they are failing to achieve basic skills required to earn a living when they leave school.

When students see that one of their colleagues has been rightly punished for indiscipline, they try not to do similar things in order to avoid also being punished. With corporal punishment, teachers are able to bring their students under control.

There are certain children who can only be controlled through the use of the cane.

Students who are not serious in their schoolwork should be punished so they can be pushed in the right direction to be successful.

Parents must also use corporal punishment. “The act of corporal punishment itself is different when administered by parents — parents vary in how frequently they use it, how forcefully they administer it, how emotionally aroused they are when they do it, and whether they combine it with other techniques.

Each of these qualities of corporal punishment can determine which child-mediated processes are activated, and, in turn, which outcomes may be realised,” psychologist Elizabeth Gershoff concludes.

Corporal punishment helps make children obedient, respectful, polite.

In the absence of corporal punishment, children are more likely to be indisciplined.

Corporal punishment in school makes students take their studies seriously and also helps keep the students under control.

Authorities are able to instill discipline in children through the use of corporal punishment in schools.

It makes very stubborn children submit to authority because they fear that if they don’t do the right thing they will not escape punishment.

Corporal punishment serves as a deterrent.

SIMON WRIGHT Chaguanas