In the matter of fairness versus effectiveness, we need to consider how each affects the other. It can be both fair and effective to do the best by each individual but treating a child in a particular way just because of his or her sex achieves neither. Treating children unfairly is not an effective way of improving their behaviour – it’s more likely to do the opposite. If I were caught talking to a boy in class (for example) giving us both a “telling off” could be effective. Giving us both the slipper, equally so. Giving me the slipper, because I’d been warned countless times before, and giving him a “telling off”, because he was usually well-behaved and it was the first time he’d been caught, could also be effective because the reason for treating us differently would be clear. Giving me a “telling off”, because I’m only a girl so must be treated gently, and giving him the slipper, because he’s a boy so needs a firm hand, would be so clearly unfair it would most likely result in a deterioration of both our behaviours.
Pupils in a Class of their Own for Bad Behaviour18
