An article in The Advertiser (‘Generation Lost’, 20/08/2009) showed that schools all over South Australia are pleading for Government help when it comes to cases of Chronic Absenteeism. In 2008 2231 cases of students being in a constant state of ‘absent’ were reported, with already 501 cases in Term 1 of this year.

The Government has 45 ‘experts’ to deal with Truent kids, however this is an extremely over-worked section of the Education Department. With 45 experts and about 2231 cases, while I’m no mathematician thats almost 50 kids per person. While it may not seem many- 50 kids over an entire year- some (most) of these children need constant, ongoing support. It isn’t a simple sit down and talk session, but an ongoing course where they outline the importance of education and the alternatives to classroom learning.

We already know that the Government isn’t about to go ahead and employr dozens more Attendance experts, so how can we get across to the children the importance of education, and to reinstate the trust and respect between teacher and student that seems to have been lost decades ago?

Would you use the cane on your children?

I must say, when I was at school I wasn’t exactly the bad-boy type of guy. In fact, I was on the Studen Representative Councils for all 3 high schools I attended; I had dinner with Year 12 delegates from all over the state at the Governers House; I was the speaker at the Graduation ceremony; I still have my name on plaques in 2 Schools’ offices. I wasn’t the type of student who would have needed the cane… so my stance is extremely biased. But, my opinion none the less:

When my parents went to school, if they mucked up in class then they would be punished by being whacked over the knuckles with a wooden ruler. And indeed, my father has told me many stories when he was. He speaks of these times not with hurt or anger, but of the foolishness of a young child.

These days, if a teacher tried to do the same then they would be sued and dragged before a panel of judges, journalists and people wanting to throw opinion around.
A couple years ago, one teacher slapped a child in class after he was misbehaving. Luckily (I believe) this teacher was not punished for it.

Most people would be surprised to learn that while using corporal punishment in schools was brought to a halt in 1995, it was never actually written into law. Legislation still dictates (Section 208) that a teacher may use “reasonable force” when disciplining a child.

One of the big arguments against using the cane against children is that it scars them for life: it creates an ongoing fear that is instilled deep within their concious. Bullshit, I say. The generation that was raised by the cane seems to have a bigger understang of respect- the separation from Educator and Student.

Wanting to go into the business of being a teacher, I suppose this plays on my mind a lot. How would I handle a student who was physically abusive towards me or other students? My intuition, if it were in a social setting, would be to get fired up and fight back. I’m confident I can guide that towards resolution through alternate methods in a school setting- but it makes me wonder alot.

Over the last couple of decades there has been a big push for ‘child and youth rights’- disallowing parents from hitting their children, from corporal punishment, and for rights to become equal. Has the push gone too far? With teenage pregnancy, drug use, alcohol abuse and violence on a climbing high amongst our Youth, is it time that adults finally took back a little bit of control?

Would you allow teachers to hit your child?

In QLD, one school has been asking if parents are willing to sign a waiver which allows the teachers to use a paddle (cane) on the students that misbehave. Surprisingly, the majority of parents to sign the waiver: although if they don’t, they are not excluded from enrolling their students.
Since installing these extreme, historic, measures the school has recorded better grades, better attendance rates and an overall boost to moral, apparently. Should State school adopt a similar system?

There are some groups which call for the abolition of the cane to be removed: where once only males could be hit in the school they want the cane to be used equally on everyone regardless of sex, orientation and race. This would certainly be a good way to curb some behaviour. In 2008 55, 000 suspensions were handed out to students. While suspended, that do the students do? Their parents are at home and cannot supervise them, and I presume that the students get up to no good. Why not just punish them at school?

How can Australian school help to curb chronic, repeating badly behaved students?

Sources

http://education.qld.gov.au/library/edhistory/topics/corporal/public.html
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25258430-1248,00.html