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No one with any sense of responsibility will suggest punishing a child with the intention of harming him/her.

I went to school in South Africa the 1940′s and 1950′s and since then taught in South Africa for 19 years, in schools, Technical Institutes, a Teacher Training College and two Universities, before moving to Australia where I taught for 17 years, and then in London for a time. I can tell you, dear readers, as society has fallen for the nonsense idea that punishment harms a child, so the behaviour of our young people has gone down, down, down.

Now don’t blame the teachers. The teachers can, generally speaking, no more be blamed for unruly classrooms than a surgeon can be blamed for failing to perform an operation satisfactorily, if that surgeon is trying to operate an unanaesthetized patient, who is running around the operating theatre, with the full sanction and knowledge of the hospital authorities and society.

I am increasingly most alarmed at the lack of what I see to be an appropriate response to bad behaviour in the classroom.

Unruly behaviour in the classroom takes away the rights of the ambitious pupils who want to work in a classroom climate that is conducive to effective learning. This anti social and rude behaviour also shows disrespect for the school, the school rules, the parents who want their children to make good progress, and the teachers who are working under the most stressful conditions.

My concern is that the consequences of anti social behaviour and disobedience, in my opinion, are clearly not acting as a deterrent in the schools. On the contrary, the offenders and onlookers alike are getting a clear message that the most disruptive behaviour, bordering on anarchy, has no consequence sufficiently unpleasant to act as a deterrent. These same young folk now go out into society with that message as part of their normal thinking. One simply has to ride on a bus, and witness the “take over” mentality of so many young folk, even in their school uniforms, who use the most foul language, throw papers around on the bus, with their feet on the seats, with no apparent consideration for other passengers.

This communication is not about demonising youth. It is not about blaming youth. Most of our youth are law abiding, decent young people. However, human nature being what it is, most people, irrespective of age, will, I believe, use all or most of the rope that society and the authorities give to them. This communication is about a serious problem of lawlessness in our schools, which calls for a serious, effective and hasty response. How many more people must be disadvantaged by other people’s anti social behaviours before the situation is seen as needing the most urgent, effective, and zero tolerance response? Why tolerate any lawlessness? Non payment of income tax is, as far as I understand, not tolerated. Smoking in a designated non smoking area, is also, I believe, not tolerated. In my opinion, and applying the same reasoning, anti social behaviour, in any age group, which is most offensive to most people, should also not be tolerated.

In my opinion, an objective observer, in many of our schools today, would not be at all surprised at the levels of lawlessness in society. If the school does not teach respect for and observance of common sense rules (unfortunately too many parents themselves do not set the appropriate example here) then who will?

The schools (as well as the mass media, for that matter) have the most wonderful opportunity and responsibility to help shape and build law abiding citizens, who show courtesy, common sense, cooperation and consideration for their fellow citizens. It is much better and easier and less costly to build a boy and a girl than, later, to have to mend a broken man or woman. As the saying goes, “A stitch in time saves nine.” As far as the schools are concerned, this need not be a financial burden. The schools are already in place. The teachers are already qualified and employed. Let the schools do their part, and concentrate on instilling into our youth, the non negotiable expectation that others are to be treated with the highest levels of respect and dignity. Being of school going age should not be seen as an excuse to act irresponsibly, or as a reason to turn a blind eye to anti social behaviour. On the contrary, it should be recognized as the very age where it is most important to teach and instil the values that will work against lawlessness. I have spent years in schools, and I know that this matter is clearly not receiving the attention it deserves.

Motorists are targeted to have their speed monitored by speed cameras. Similarly, they can be targeted to have their bloodstream alcohol percentage monitored by breathalyzer tests. By the same reasoning, the police, I believe, should be given the power to use their discretion and discernment to target folk on the streets, on public transport, in public places and in night clubs, who are, in my opinion, the product of weak and ineffective discipline measures in the schools, and to search them for knives and guns or any other offensive weapons. Perhaps there are other methods of checking for these weapons. The specialists in those fields know.

One knife crime is one too many. One gun offence is one too many. One break and enter into someone else’s home is one too many. The problem is here. It needs to be addressed most urgently.

After all, is that not one of the functions of government? The citizens need to be protected against the lawless elements who pray on the innocent and unsuspecting folk. Wake up!

I could suggest a couple of armed robbers and rapists that would benefit from more than the odd lashing.

http://myrosebank.blogspot.com/2008/04/trapido-government-on-driving.html

I remember when I, was grade 8,in an all boys class, (the one teacher was the Afrikaans department head for the province) and one Friday she unexpectedly came into the class and the whole class was sent to the vice-principal cos our work wasn’t up to her standards

The whole class got a spanking from the vice-principal and his “rottang” after that experience our class had the best average for Afrikaans till Matric.

By the way – I’m from the U.S. & I agree with you wholeheartedly about the pitiful state of child-rearing here, where corporal punishment is the social norm and so deeply embedded in the national psyche that a legislator who suggested outlawing it would be run out of Congress on a rail.

But don’t let that get in the way of your folksy perspective! Folksiness is what we’re all really after, you know. Trying to figure out the best way to raise children is a pale second place.