If My School Approved of Corporal Punishment I Would Resign Instantly

Corporal punishment in schools is a horrible idea!

Not only is it demeaning and degrading to children (the very children we are served with the responsibility to protect and nurture), but in my view, teachers do not even deserve the trust that goes with such a task.

There is an idealised notion in the wider community that all teachers act with the best interests of their students. I wish this were true. Sadly, it isn’t. Some teachers, a minority but still enough to make you worry, think very selfishly when it comes to administering consequences for student infractions. They just want whatever and whoever is bothering them to go away, the pain or discomfort inflicted on the child is an afterthought at best.

Don’t believe me? Click on this link.

If corporal punishment was allowed, the very best teachers would refuse to practice it. Some of those that would implement it would inevitably include tired and worn out teachers, low on patience and with a distinct anger problem. These teachers are incapable of administering punishment properly whether by force or any other means, but especially by force.

I’m sick of the radicalisation of education! Why does it have to be a case of hit the child or spoil the child? Why can’t we seize the middle ground and offer a school experience that is positive and vibrant, that makes each child feel valued for who they are and who they can become, but at the same time build high expectations for proper behaviour and attitude?

I think the thoughts of Dr. Donnelly (a man whose views I often agree with) are quite regressive and disappointing:

The head of the Abbott government’s national curriculum review has backed the use of corporal punishment for ill-disciplined children in schools if it is supported by the local school community.

Kevin Donnelly, co-chair of the national curriculum review and a widely published commentator on educational issues, said on Tuesday that corporal punishment was effective during his childhood and still has some merit.

“What would you, as you’ve been involved with this for so long, describe as the best punishment you can come across even if it is one that has gone away?” asked 2UE host Justin Smith. “I’m not alluding to the strap here. I don’t think you would ever resort to that. You would never advocate bringing that back surely?”

Dr Donnelly responded by saying, “Well” followed by a pause – an answer that surprised Mr Smith.

Dr Donnelly continued: “I grew up in Broadmeadows, a housing commission estate in Melbourne, and we had a Scottish phys-ed teacher.

“Whenever there were any discipline problems he would actually take the boy behind the shed and say, ‘We can either talk about this or you can throw the first punch’.

“That teacher would probably lose his job now but it was very effective. He only had to do it once and the kids were pretty well behaved for the rest of the year.”

Dr Donnelly went on to say “those days are gone”. But questioned further on the merits of corporal punishment, he said: “If the school community is in favour of it then I have got no problem if it’s done properly.

Click on the link to read A Message to Those that Advocate Corporal Punishment

Click on the link to read YouTube Clip of High School Student Getting Slapped by Teacher

Click on the link to read 19 US States Still Allow Corporal Punishment in their Classrooms

Click on the link to read The Disgusting Act by a Teacher that Drove a Schoolgirl to Attempt Suicide

Click on the link to read Legalised Corporal Punishment = Legalised Physical Assault

Click on the link to read The New Form of Spanking

Tags: "Whirled Beat" 10-year-old boy drumming washing machine, 2UE host Justin Smith, Behaviour Management, corporal punishment for ill-disciplined children in schools, Kevin Donnelly, Kevin Donnelly corporal punishment

This entry was posted on July 16, 2014 at 10:04 pm and is filed under Corporal Punishment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “If My School Approved of Corporal Punishment I Would Resign Instantly”

Sasha Says:
July 16, 2014 at 10:53 pm | Reply
This is terrible! I cannot believe it is sill allowed in some schools! I mean really, in 2014, it is just mind blowing!! Most other modern countries even have banned it in the home already.
- Michael G. Says:
  July 17, 2014 at 10:17 am | Reply
  Absolutely! No country should even contemplate bringing in corporal punishment.

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