Dear Editor,
I read with concern an article in the Jamaica Observer of November 26 about parents in Portmore, St Catherine, who were threatened because they protested against the use of corporal punishment on their daughter at the school she attends.
It is almost ridiculous, and certainly frightening, that some of our school teachers still believe that children must be beaten for failure to achieve. Our schools need to debunk that theory and do so fast! Teachers, parents and all who supervise or nurture our children must know that the tools we supply our children to solve their problems are the tools they will use when they encounter problems.
If we use physical force and violence to express our displeasure at the rate at which children learn, what do we expect them to use when they are faced with problems? We all should be aware that our problem of crime and violence will never be solved by sole reliance on the efforts of our police force.
We need the help of the schools to teach students that there is a better way to solve problems, and the Ministry of Education must act - if it has not yet done so - to ensure that corporal punishment is banned in all schools and at all levels of the system.
Calvin Isaacs
isaacscalvin@yahoo.com
Ban corporal punishment in schools
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I read with concern an article in the Jamaica Observer of November 26 about parents in Portmore, St Catherine, who were threatened because they protested against the use of corporal punishment on their daughter at the school she attends.
It is almost ridiculous, and certainly frightening, that some of our school teachers still believe that children must be beaten for failure to achieve. Our schools need to debunk that theory and do so fast! Teachers, parents and all who supervise or nurture our children must know that the tools we supply our children to solve their problems are the tools they will use when they encounter problems.
If we use physical force and violence to express our displeasure at the rate at which children learn, what do we expect them to use when they are faced with problems? We all should be aware that our problem of crime and violence will never be solved by sole reliance on the efforts of our police force.
We need the help of the schools to teach students that there is a better way to solve problems, and the Ministry of Education must act - if it has not yet done so - to ensure that corporal punishment is banned in all schools and at all levels of the system.
Calvin Isaacs
isaacscalvin@yahoo.com
Ban corporal punishment in schools
-->