Is a Student "Standing in the Corner" Cruel Child Discipline?
"Go stand in the corner" is a common statement heard in classrooms all over the world when a student misbehaves. But now that form of discipline is coming under fire by those who claim it violates a student's human rights.
According to a report in London's Daily Mail, several school districts in England have banned the so called "dunce corner" punishment. Health and safety officials say the practice is cruel, describing it as a "stress position" that could humiliate a child.
Instead, teachers are being advised to ask the pupil making a nuisance to explain to his or her fellow students why he or she is interrupting the class. They favor a less physical punishment. There have been reports of children fainting while standing.
And last year a teacher was banned from the classroom for two years after he made a seven year old with brittle bone disease stand in a corner for seven minutes.
Traditionalists have attacked the idea, saying teachers will end up with no means left to control disruptive-pupils. Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, called it "a ridiculous idea that compares what goes on in a classroom to Guantanamo Bay."
He added, "'Discipline is a major problem in classrooms at the moment and teachers have got to have some solutions for children who disrupt them or the whole system will fall apart.
"We're getting to the stage where teachers will not have any punishments at all. The hooligans will end up ruling the classroom."
But John Bangs, head of education at the National Union of Teachers, disagrees. "As a punishment, standing a child in the corner is not particularly effective.
"There are some health and safety issues and I've heard of some instances where people are concerned about human rights, but not often."
"Standing children in the corner is just not used widely any more."
Sign up for the OV Daily Newsletter
OV Social
As a child growing up in the 1950's and 60's, we were rapped across the knuckles with rulers, made to stand in the corner, move our desk next to the teacher's and I even had to stand in front of the class once with chewing gum on my nose. I was once slapped across the face by my second grade teacher for feeding Spanish peanuts to the mayor's dog during lunch hour. I survived all of this and learned a lesson from each of the punishments. I realize none of these punishments would be tolerated today, and I believe that's one reason children are so disrespectful and disruptive today. We are raising generations of self-centered, narrow minded young people. Oops, maybe I'll be sued for being "prejudiced" now.
Armee Bratt
Funny, I too had to stand with my nose on a wall, and sit next to the teachers desk and I am not a criminal. Seems to me, we had many fewer criminals 30 years ago than we do today, wonder why that is. Parents. The number one reason I never wanted to have to stand with my nose on the wall or sit next to the teacher again was because my parents cared about me and would not tolerate my poor behavior. That is not the case today. Parents want the schools to do everything, yet they want them to do it with nothing. Then, society pays the price for little Johnny, who did not get enougn discipline and now he is an armed robber with a criminal record as long as his arm. Kids need discipline, and it is ok that some times they are humiliated and made to stand in the corner.
If standing up was a stress position we wouldn't have been born with legs. That said the mild humiliation that such entails is one of the few tools teachers apparently have left at their disposal. I suppose they could just start suspending/expelling them the first time they do anything wrong but what kind of a lesson would that teach. Just that the school isnt equipped to deal with them so the next one probably wont either.
I wish the left wing nutjobs wouldn't label everything a human rights issue. Standing for the remainder of a 30min-1hr class isn't really that big of a punishment either. Want a punishment, phone the parents and let them handle the kid.
Except some parents are these liberal nutjobs who will give the kid lots of attention asking them questions about why they did that and if they're sorry.
ALL Children deserve EQUAL access to safe and healthy learning environments.
A school discipline policy should be designed to guarantee the safety of students and staff, create an effective learning environment , foster respect for others, and teach students how to resolve conflicts.
Corporal punishment achieves none of these goals, so why is it still around in U.S. Schools in 20 states, while being ILLEGAL in schools in 30 states?
Worldwide MEDIA exposure of this Travesty of Justice regarding neglect/indifference by U.S. Education/Government Officials to protect Children’s Fundamental Human Rights in SCHOOLS will result in PUBLIC OUTRAGE and DEMAND to ABOLISH Physical/Corporal Punishment of ALL CHILDREN IN ALL SCHOOLS, the Cost is $0.
You really believe sitting in a corner to be Corporal punishment? You have got to be kidding. Children need discipline . They need rules and boundaries and they need to know their will be issues when those are broken. Part of fostering respect for one another is learning that when you show disrespect with poor behavior, you will be punished. There is nothing wrong with punishment. Failure to punish those who act out will only lead to more bad behavior. Why is that so hard to understand.
Controversy is raging as evidenced by media coverage of Abuse of College Sports Athletes by Mutli-million dollar coaches, 3 have been fired since the end of the football season, i.e., South Florida Coach Leavitt was fired for striking a player, Texas Tech Coach Leach was recently fired for making a college football player with a concussion stand in a dark closet for hours as punishment because he didn't believe the player was really injured and did not like his "work ethic". Teachers and coaches are not required to adhere to any standard "Code of Ethics". Let us hope all the media attention regarding abuse of students by those paid to be entrusted with their care and education will result in pressure on U.S. Government Officials to stop ignoring Children's Fundamental Human Rights by ABOLISHING Physical/Corporal Punishment of Children in Schools Immediately!
It is a "dirty little secret" that children continue to be struck with boards for School "Discipline" purposes in 20 states, while in stark constrast it is Illegal for school employees to do so in schools in 30 states! It is a dangerous practice that is not evidence based and puts the U.S. at odds with over 100 countries that have banned it.
U.S. Congressman George Miller, Chairman of the House Eeducation Committee introduced Legislation in December 2009 to Protect Children from Abuse in Schools by Preventing the Use of Harmful and Deadly Restraints and Seclusions on Children in Schools. A Texas teen Died when his teacher sat on him to restrain him and ignored his pleas that he could not breathe, he Died on the classroom floor in front of his classmates, the teacher is teaching children in another state and children have Died by committing Suicide in Locked dungeon/coffin-like boxes and windowless concrete rooms constructed by school employees to seclude children.
The Legislation will Provide Federal Oversight to hold School employees accountable for criminal/civil liability for their actions resulting in physical, psychological and emotional harm and Death of Children, as are employees in health care settings, detention centers, etc., yet the Legislation Fails to Abolish Physical/Corporal Punishment, where School employees hit children with Wooden Paddles to deliberately inflict physical pain and suffering intended to Punish them in Schools!
Bart Simpson, Calvin (& Hobbes), and Dennis the Menace.
Englishmen were much more polite and less violent in their day-to-day interactions with one another during the Victorian Era. That suggests to me that their parents' discipline methods were superior.
One would need to employ those discipline methods TODAY, to determine if the discipline methods deserve the credit, or if modern day society itself is a major influence on behaviour. In the Victorian era, they did not have the internet , violent movies/ television / video games and the influence of older kids involved in the candy store of chemical drugs available today. And let's not forget our toxic environment permeating every cell of our bodies, helping to trigger neurological conditions such as ADHD. The list goes on.