Should the teachers be allowed to inflict corporal punishment to instill discipline among deliquent student?

Answer 1

Comprehensive Answer: Opinions are mixed on this subject. Some believe that, yes, corporal punishment (CP) should be reinstated in schools. These site the out of control nature of students today. Proponents of CP believe that parents either do not or cannot do enough to control their children and that schools should step in, sort of an in loco parentis format. Still others believe that reinstating caning would help reduce or alleviate the incidents of bullying, sort of a bully the bullier solution. Still some make vague references to research that shows that teachers are unable to control their classrooms, and that at least the threat of physical punishment might help to recover this. There are fears too that we are producing a generation without the ability to distinguish the difference between right ans wrong.

There is a group of pro-CP'ers who believe that a staged or stepped system of discipline and punishment could be effective, touting the partial effectiveness of after school detentions and critical thinking exercises. However they too site that students become wise to the ways of circumventing such efforts, necessitating something much more severe.

Truancy figures in England seem to be on the rise and levels of bad behavior in schools is on the rise, and there is a suggestion that CP might help to turn this trend around.

Finally, proponents contend that the institution of CP in schools establishes who has the power, and that this is necessary to maintain good, strict discipline in schools. Establishing who has power is the first step, of course, in establishing who deserves respect, and he who wields the wand, certainly commands respect.

On the other side of the fence are those vehemently opposed to corporal punishment of any form. This group points out that teachers are paid to teach, and precious little at that, and do not receive necessary compensation to act as parents as well. They further point out that it is the role of the parent to provide moral and ethical guidance.

Proponents point out that students who bully and torment other children; are disruptive in the classroom; unruly and misbehaving in a manner that is assualtive and combative with others should be tested by the school psychologist and a plan should be developed to address the needs of the child. These point out that many of these children suffer from learning disabilities and act out in an attempt to deal with their issues. They further point out that some of these students are faced with negative stimuli, and as a result, methods of addressing these to alleviate the issues need to be developed; that physically punishing such children is not only contra-indicative, but also could be contra-theraputic. They site that there is a reason for bad behavior, and that a plan should be devised for each child who exhibits such to eliminate their need for such demonstrations.

What ever the solution, one obviously needs to be explored.

Answer 2

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