This is a sensitive topic no doubt. Corporal punishment was banned in India a few years ago. Yet the ban remains more on paper and is scarcely enforced. Teachers beat their students every day, and punishment is not just restricted to slaps or hits. In many cases students are whipped by canes, hit on the head with a duster, kicked, punched, knocked down, and what not. Something which even a policeman dare not do to a criminal.
I have personally seen teachers pound students as if they were in a wrestling match. That too in primary school. I personally find such kind of behavior unpardonable and inexcusable. Its nothing short of sadism. The teachers know that[in most cases] the child cannot hit back and will not. So they take out all their frustration on the helpless kid.
We live in a hectic world. Many people get stressed out or frustrated after doing monotonous jobs and getting scolded by their seniors. They know that they cannot abuse their bosses directly. Rather they take out their frustration on helpless victims, such as children.
Another reason is short temper. People who get angry easily tend to take out their anger on children. Especially teachers or other staff members. And then there are some people who cannot control their fury, and lash out without thinking twice. It may be due to a minor reason such as whispering during class.
The consequence is that the child may get hurt not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. And emotional scars are hard to cure. It is seen that such children who were abused during childhood either commit suicide or become criminals themselves. So rather than beating up a kid for minor faults, we must learn to counsel them.
If a teacher is caught handing out corporal punishment, he/she should be rusticated and put into prison. There can be no compromise. Corporal punishment is a crime and we have to draw a line. Else the consequence can be fatal.
To give just one famous example, Rouvanjit Rawla, a 13 year old student of La Martiniere, Kolkata committed suicide after he was brutally caned in the school. The principal actually tried to justify the act, under pretext of instilling discipline. But discipline cannot be instilled by corporal punishment, or fear.
Let us join our hands and help raise awareness on Corporal Punishment[and its consequences].
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4 comments:
How can you say you are a teacher when teaching is to show it is alright to hit someone smaller than yourself?
I was in a Catholic school and had the cane and leather strap too. Yet I could see the guilt in the eyes of the teachers back then. If they do it now they should not be working as a teacher or anywhere near children! In conclusion... F@#$K them.
Cheers A
Yes, it's a sad fact that students are getting beat up in schools by their teachers, in spite of the ban on corporal punishment. Teachers are more angry and less patient, and beat the students as a form of stress release.They remove their frustrations of life on the poor kids.
my wife was in education for over 30 years and would never strike a child. It is barbaric. Thank You for informing us that it still is tolerated in some countries
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@Alejandro: Hehe, rightly said.
@sulekha: Absolutely correct. :)
@JIM: I do hope people dont continue to tolerate it.
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