The Editor, Sir:

Please allow me to offer your readers, especially Jamaica's teachers and school administrators, some wise and hopefully useful advice on the subject of corporal punishment. More than most educators, I've had considerable experience with it and how it fits into a programme of discipline in the school setting. That said, let me be as brief as possible.

After seeing the effect of a paddling policy work effectively both as a deterrent and as a consequence of inappropriate behaviours in an educational setting where parental consent was intentionally sought and always granted prior to its application, it is my opinion that if such a simplistic and crude means of disciplinary action can be avoided or replaced by any other alternative, then in all cases it should be.

Effective disciplinary policy

When it is properly applied, fairly, appropriately, expeditiously and humanely, if that is actually possible, corporal punishment has proven to be an effective part of an overall, schoolwide disciplinary policy for a given age and experience level. However, by its very nature in reality, it is at best a demonstration of physical abuse and no amount of rationalisation for its inherent cruelty can ever be considered acceptable in a truly modern educational setting.

In other words, just as 'fighting fire with fire' is not the solution for all fires, likewise, the problem with corporal punishment is that in most instances, it is difficult to administer wisely and fairly and, in the end, its use is as bad an example of behaviour as the behaviour it seeks to eliminate or reduce.

I am, etc.,

Ed McCOY

mmhobo48@juno.com

Bokeelia, FL

Via Go-Jamaica