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[LETTERS to the editor]Time for stricter school discipline

Published: 10 Nov. 2008, 21:28

A school committee request for parents to allow corporal punishment [“Parents call for corporal punishment,” Oct. 14], without government’s agreement is invalid.

It is illegal, according to a Supreme Court ruling in 2004, even if parents agree to the request. Who would take the responsibility if someone complains about a teacher using corporal punishment? Students are always quick to post things on the Internet. In the resulting confusion, the teachers will shoulder yet another burden.

Students don’t appreciate or accept teachers are right to use corporal punishment any more. Even though in the past it was accepted, corporal punishment is now regarded as an infringement of human rights. Even parents must not force students to follow a one-sided judgement.

The government must take measures against school violence and the decline of teachers’ authority. Corporal punishment is not the solution for school violence, or for challenging teachers’ authority.

High achieving students compete to be accepted into specialized schools that have strict rules and that permit them to study in a stable environment. In many equalized schools, on the contrary, teachers and students frequently experience violence or inappropriate behavior by students. Although the schools have rules, the compulsory education system cripples the school rules. Students know that schools can’t expel students even for extremely bad behavior. These students don’t care about school rules. The problem is more serious than outsiders perceive. It’s time the government through the education ministry got proactive and instituted strict policies, like police in schools or expulsion.

Rew Sook-ja, fbtnrwk@hanmail.net