IN THE context of national concern about violence in schools, it is amazing that an unusual species of violent behaviour should have embroiled Kingston College (KC), one of our prominent secondary institutions.
As we reported yesterday, at least six boys were caned by teachers for failing to disclose which of their number had passed flatus - wind from the stomach or bowels. We shy away from the pungent 'f' word that is more familiar to every person who must be aware of this common bodily function. But even so, the sequel of parents threatening to take legal action for the punishment inflicted on their sons, prompts our wonderment at this unlikely course of events.
According to a Ministry of Education official, corporal punishment in schools has been abolished in early childhood institutions but a protocol developed by the ministry indicates that in secondary institutions, only the principal can authorise such punishment under certain conditions.
We are not aware of whether these conditions were complied with at KC. Other factors involved are the sensitivity of behaviour in the circumstances where bodily functions of the kind involved can disrupt the atmosphere in a classroom.
It seems to us that a teacher must exercise the utmost discretion to restore normality rather than seek to detect and punish what is natural to bodily function. To go one step further by way of caning a number of the boys seems to us a gross violation of their human rights, not to mention the physical harm that may have resulted.
If, as the regulations require, the permission of the principal is necessary to inflict corporal punishment, the scenario which unfolded in the KC classroom must have ignored this procedure.
Assuming an audible breaking of wind, the teacher having tried and failed to detect the source, would then have to repair to the principal's office for the necessary authority before proceeding to cane the recalcitrant students. That, we submit, is an unlikely scenario.
Unless youthful mischief is involved, we sense an absence of mature discretion and good sense. There was no allowance for possible embarrassment in the circumstances.
This unfortunate episode has lacked sensitive handling and the possible legal consequences hold no credit for Kingston College.
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