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Original poster

Teachers - would YOU be prepared to use a cane?

113 replies

Greensleeves · 16/09/2011 14:05

Inspired by Hulababy's fantastic post on the other thread

SURELY this could never work, because teachers would refuse? I don't know any teachers IRL who would be happy to hit a child with a stick and would be surprised to meet someone who would.

Wouldn't teachers protest/walk out/take some sort of group action to prevent this from happening in our schools? Please, tell me society can't actually go backwards!

OP posts:
SheCutOffTheirTails · 16/09/2011 19:37

"at least I hypothetically would be prepared to follow the discipline policy if caning was in it."

I don't think that something to be proud of.

A teacher should stand for something, not just go along with policies that are clearly unethical.

IntergalacticHussy · 16/09/2011 19:52

please don't tell me the tories have actually, finally brought back caning?

NinkyNonker · 16/09/2011 20:15

Not in a million years. And I wouldn't work anywhere that did.

handsomeharry · 16/09/2011 21:08

No, absolutely not.

Ilikepinkwine · 16/09/2011 21:27

No way. Unless I was caning some sadist who thought it was ok to hurt a defenceless child.

exoticfruits · 16/09/2011 21:37

No and I wouldn't send them for someone else to do it. I have actually stopped teaching, but I agree with twinklytroll-not a school that I would want to work in.

GiganticusBottomus · 16/09/2011 21:41

No. Not ever. I have never felt in the least bit inclined to corporally punish even the most trying of children (and there are children who can make a teacher's life misery). I would NEVER do it.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 16/09/2011 23:15

Nope.

I can't imagine it, to be honest - I am (quite rightly) not allowed to hit my own children with sticks, why would I be encouraged to hit others?

Hulababy · 16/09/2011 23:34

I would also never be prepared to send another child to get some other adult to hit a child on my behalf. To me that is worse that hitting the child myself. To stand by a rule you personally don't agree with is a very odd idea for me. If you don't agree with a policy as serious as this one would be you have to make a and and be prepared to stand up and make your thoughts known.

I also talk as a now ex teacher who was physically assaulted at work when a 13yo boy slammed a chair into my tummy when I was 7 months pregnant.

sillybillies · 16/09/2011 23:48

nope

teacherwith2kids · 17/09/2011 09:01

No. Would never do it, would never work somewhere it was the policy, and would remove my own children a) from any school where it became the policy and b) from the entire school system if it became a national policy.

I suspect that the 'bring back the cane' lobby only mean 'for other people's children' and would be the fist ones storming into schools to complain if their precious child was ever punished in this way.

lbubbly · 17/09/2011 12:39

There`s absolutely no need to use aggression in class or out towards children.We are supposed to set good example and not antiquated mental actions.

chill1243 · 17/09/2011 13:02

CP is not a political issue. Not really on anyones agenda. But it does get debated on a reguarl basis. BBC 5-Live mentioned it on several programmes yesterday.

Maybe it was because it was Times Ed Supp research. (I thought Rupert has lost his clout)

NinkyNonker · 17/09/2011 14:33

Nor would I send the child elsewhere to have it done. Just as bad.

SarahScot · 17/09/2011 15:48

No, couldn't do it, can't see how it would ever be of benefit to anyone no matter the circumstance.

On a different but related note, I would like to be able to restraint violent children without fear of reprisal. At the moment we cannot stop a child from hitting ourselves or other pupils without us being the ones in the wrong.

tectime · 17/09/2011 16:25

Yes!! I would bring back caning. I am surprised and annoyed at those who do not want it brought back. Those rioters of late may not have been so predisposed to looting and violence if they had been subjected to CP, at school.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 17/09/2011 16:29

tectime - in my experience that is not true. When I was at school caning was still done, one boy got caned every week. It made no difference. He ended up in trouble despite (because of?) the caning.

Are you a teacher?

BoattoBolivia · 17/09/2011 16:34

No, and I would seriously consider leaving teaching if it were brought back. How could I not use it if it was the ultimate sanction in the school? I would be undermining the school behaviour policy, which could make me be seen as a 'soft' teacher ( which I am not!) I would also be prepared to take industrial action over it.
I will not hit my own children, why should I hit anyone else's? I am perfectly capable of keeping discipline in my class (upper ks2), by respecting each other and being firm about boundaries. I also work in schools with good support from management.

NinkyNonker · 17/09/2011 18:04

Yep, cause teaching kids that violence is the answer and what grown ups do is going to reduce violence...obviously. Hmm

tectime · 17/09/2011 19:06

I am a parent and I am concerned at societal decline. "Spare the rod or spoil the child". The former is the least worst option.

I do ask one thing. Heaven forbid that it should happen, but if a known trouble making child violently assaulted your child, would you want the school to rehibilitate the violent child through reason or would you prefer the school to cane him (if caning was allowed). I know what I would prefer. You cannot use reason towards those who are beyond reason!

Note, a liberal is only a liberal until something happens to them or their loved ones.

Just out of curiousity, how many of those posters who disagree with CP are teachers?

chocolateshoes · 17/09/2011 19:09

am a teacher - do not agree with CP

FontSnob · 17/09/2011 19:19

No, no, a thousand times no. Absolutely not.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 17/09/2011 19:23

Tectime - I assumed most of them were, given the thread title!

Heaven forbid that it should happen, but what if it was your child who had been branded a "known trouble making child" and had violently assaulted another child? Would you want them to be rehabilitated or would you prefer them to be caned in retribution for what they had done?

SheCutOffTheirTails · 17/09/2011 19:23

"if a known trouble making child violently assaulted your child, would you want the school to rehibilitate the violent child through reason or would you prefer the school to cane him"

I would prefer a dangerous child who had form for assaulting his peers was removed from mainstream education entirely.

The child can be rehabilitated somewhere where he doesn't pose a danger to others.

The rehabilitation shouldn't involve beating the child. There are places that do this kind of thing extremely well.

FontSnob · 17/09/2011 19:25

And I am a secondary school teacher tectime