Simply discriminating by sex doesn’t identify those groups. Quite agree. To me as a sociologist , sex is not a very useful variable either.Obviously most of you, with a small but discrete few exceptions, are biologically ascribed to one sex or the other. Intersex as a category is an issue I’ve raised before, not for […]

What is appropriate though? I considered punishments like lines or detentions worse than CP. Another child (‘A’) might consider CP worse than lines or detention. If I were given lines for a particular offence and a ‘A’ got the slipper, we would both think we’d been treated more harshly than the other. Those punishments might […]

Yes , to me the problem with group responsibility is that there are two contrasting pressures. On the one hand the staff member demands to know who did the crime. Fine, but if that person doesn’t own up, and someone else ‘grasses'( ‘dobbing’ in Aus , I believe) him up , certainly in England that […]

Children tend to respond favourably to fairness so a fair system of punishments would, in my opinion, tend to cause a general improvement in behaviour. Individualised punishments might be the most effective for the individual when applied in isolation but their effectiveness would be significantly reduced, or even nullified, if they’re perceived as being unfair […]

there’s no guarantee at all that the punishments would be perceived as “fair”. Even the teachers might regard them as unfair. But they would be effective. So there would be a conflict: make the regime fairer, and run the risk of a general deterioration in behaviour, or generate bottled-up resentment instead. Which would you choose? […]

But if you did this, there’s no guarantee at all that the punishments would be perceived as “fair”. Even the teachers might regard them as unfair. But they would be effective. So there would be a conflict: make the regime fairer, and run the risk of a general deterioration in behaviour, or generate bottled-up resentment […]

I’ve noticed too that most of the opposition to CP for girls seems to come from men but I don’t think it’s usually for the reason you give: although it might true be in a few cases. Some men will be hoping to ingratiate themselves with women in the, usually vain, hope of some “reward”.  […]

One of the others got 6 of the same & it was painful, ditto the one who got 4 strokes of the cane on her hands. The one who got same as me(except across the back of a thick kilt & not trousers)was the one who received equal treatment and was in by far the […]

Recognition that 6th-formers should be exempted from this entirely. Once they pass the age of 16, they must be allowed to be adults-if that means they automatically become part of the punishment Establishment, so be it-freedom may mean more responsibility, it usually does. Absolutely couldn’t agree more. The problem is in England with the raising […]