In fact, abolition makes those negative effects more likely to occur in a well run school because the biggest single defence you have against children being harmed is the ability of decent teachers to target exactly what the child needs. Not every negative experience is dramatic, and not every negative effect of corporal punishment is […]

I set up policies specifically designed to reduce any risk that arose, any risk that we could identify, and to ensure our policies and procedures were fair. I did this not because I am dismissive of negative experiences, but explicitly because I want to ensure, as much as is humanly possible they do not happen. […]

I’m not dismissive of negative experiences – but since 1983, when I first got primary responsibility for discipline policy in my school, I’ve made massive efforts to make negative experiences as unlikely to occur as I believe is humanly possible. I introduced detailed appeals processes giving students three separate and absolute rights of appeal on […]

When I read somebody story of corporal punishment negatively impacting them, I take that seriously – and the first thing I do is try and work out whether or not what they described would be likely to have taken place in a school where corporal punishment was being used appropriately. If it is clear that […]

I have noticed on this forum that many of the pro-corporal punishment advocates tend to be dismissive of negative experiences, such as though Bob T suffered. They are quick to point out that their own experiences were positive, and to suggest that negative experiences are atypical. JRL, I don’t think you are correct about that. […]

‘ having no more importance than if the students had said they liked the taste of strawberries? Columbia was the most important and successful student protest ever, and showed schooling is not in a hermetically sealed bubble but reflects social mores and values. So yes bad schools use fear as a weapon , but so […]

I have visited a high security jail in the States, and I admit I chickened on visiting Death Row. I’m morally opposed to the death penalty , I admit, but I did discover in that particular jail there were no whites incarnated on that wing, just blacks Hispanics and Native Americans And when the chips […]

Obviously the level of fear varies from school to school. I suspect it is very low at the school where Renee works. I believe she honestly thinks she can fix what is wrong with scp. I think it is beyond repair. I’m surprised we are so sanguine. Most criminologists of my acquaintance would point immediately […]

Next Dr. Death has managed to de-rail this thread with his fairness doctrine. Unfair punishment would obviously cause a lot of fear and a few kids looking for an opportunity for retribution. However, this line of thought steers us away from my point. Intentionally so I suspect. My point is this atmosphere of fear and […]

The possible sexual aspects might help in identifying unfair CP by causing certain children to be targeted. If a teacher were administering CP unfairly at random, it’s less likely to be noticed. It could be explained away by the teacher simply being stricter than most. If, however, only certain groups were targeted, it could give […]