Here are the views of some of the women writing about the return of corporal punishment to schools on a Virginmedia board at
http://boards.virginmedia.com/shout/haveyoursay/corporalpunishment.html?page=1
Kitty from Surrey says:
Thoughout my schooling in the 70/80's the cane for the boys & the slipper for the girls was a threat, which made us tow the line. In my whole schooling I only know of the cane being administered a handful of times & the slipper- never. However the threat of humilation was present & if I had received it I would not have told my parents as they would have backed the school wholeheartedly.
Unfortunately the human rights but no responsiblities brigade will never allow this to return.
Vicky Witton from Staffordshire says:
I don't think it was so much the act of being caned, but the shame of it, as another viewer said. Now adays kids do not feel any fear or respect for adults whatsoever and so they would not feel shame - only anger and feelings of revenge. most teachers now would feel at risk not only froma vengeful pupil, but from his/her gang and the parents. what if the school were taken to court to prove that the caning were justified? Now the power is in the parents and pupils hands and no longer in the school or teachers. Some of the teachers aren't the best either - I noticed that one of the worst spellers on this site was a teacher! I think a good punishment is to not allow them out at break times but make them sit alone at all times until school finishes. make them work in all this time - either lines or some kind of written work - maybe why they think they are the way they are. if they get violent or abusive at any time the police should be able to be called in.
Chrissie from Birmingham says:
Surely someone must have noticed how awful some of the youngsters of today are? I really think that todays youth behave as they do, because of a lack if dicipline at home and at school.Perhaps if they knew they could be caned, slippered they would have a better out look on life, and be better citizens for it.The threat of the cane was always there when I went to school tho' I never received it. The threat and the thought of the embarrasment were more than enough.
Linda from Poole says:
Definitely not. I went to a strict catholic school where the cane was used on a daily basis for any transgressions and as a punishment for getting answers wrong. This is child abuse, I went from being a happy bright child to a nervous fearful wreck and started playing truant because I was so scared
Susie from Erith Kent says:
I think the cane or slipper should be legalised again in our schools.
I think the generation of today have no respect. I do think though it should be implemented in a controlled way and that there should be adult witnesses present, possibly two others to ensure that this is done properly and that the use of the cane or slipper is not abused.
Alternatively a CCTV Camera used to record the punishment to enable authorites to check at a future date that the punishments were all carried out properly. The reason why I think the Punishment should be implemented these ways are because there are good people and there are bad people and that applies to Adults as well as Kids.
There is also a discussion about domestic smacking
http://boards.virginmedia.com/shout/haveyoursay/smacking.html