Bringing back the cane could make matters worse in schools
On Friday, after watching one "later kick-off" of the thrilling Rugby World Cup 2011 between New Zealand and Japan, I kept ITV on and viewed This Morning. It has been a while since I last saw the show and it did offer an interesting debate. Eamonn Holmes and his wife, Ruth Langsford were discussing the morning papers' eye-grabbing headlines of the day with TV presenter Tim Lovejoy and actress Linda Robson. The story they were talking about was a claim by The Daily Mail that half of parents would like schools to "bring back the cane" and use them when children misbehave - and that teachers would love them to return too.
Corporal punishment officially ended in state schools in 1987, 24 years ago and David Cameron has welcomed the fact schools need to discipline their students in order to avoid a repeat of the English riots which may have scarred him for the rest of his time as Prime Minister. The level of youth employment continues to be a pain and the PM warns parents their benefits will be slashed if their children are convicted of truancy.
Cameron has dedicated a lot of his hours on "improving schools" and some places have taken disciplinary action to an entirely new level. Every teacher at Phoenix Free Secondary School in Manchester had been, or still are part of the armed forces while new head teacher, Dr. Rory Fox of Basildon Academy, Essex spent his first day in charge by sending 150 pupils home due to breaking minor rules such as wearing incorrect trousers or simply forgetting their ruler at home. They may sound harsh but they are headlines which surely pleases the Prime Minister and perhaps concerned parents who wish corporal punishment wouldn't return.
Let me bring you back to the point of corporal punishment. I recall the lines of a famous 1979 hit by Pink Floyd "Another Brick in the Wall". The song, which came number one in ten different countries, sent a clear message to teachers and the campaign for "leaving the kids alone" lasted a long time but in the bitter end. The children succeeded and from 1987 onwards, education was seen at a different light.
GCSE and A-Level results were revamped and attracting record amount of students to take those "all important" exams and pass rates every year have been on the up. Without the use of canes etc, more children are encouraged to attend school often and have the extra desire to succeed without worrying over the prospect of being hit. Times have changed since all those years ago and I feel re-introducing the cane will be a new low to a failing education system.
I feel that teachers are given far too much responsibility and pressure to control 25-30 children in crammed classrooms which is unfair on them. When I was in school, some teachers focused in lessons on telling the small amount of children off for being disruptive than teaching the subjects they are hired to teach. They are doing the parents' job to discipline the children. Teachers realise that different children have a variety of needs as it's their mothers and fathers roles to raise them in a less ego-centric environment. This has to start at an early stage and I realise it's difficult to raise your child with very little finances but they had to consider that before they want to start up a family.
Caning and hitting children simply discourages them and it's the wrong sort of discipline. As it stands, children of 1987 and before were mostly convicted of the summer English disturbances (1,351 suspects) compared to the smaller amount of juveniles up to the age of 17 (364 suspects) and bringing back corporal punishment could lead to more disruption in the streets. The government must talk of these parents out of thinking caning is a bright idea as I doubt they'd like to see their children come home with scars all over their arms. Parents need to raise their children thinking positive over seriously rather than vice-verse. Raising children is meant to be fun.
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