20130131

Hitting children?!

Central Queensland Christian College has the gall to advertise that corporal punishment is part of its 'discipline' policy.

Well, this is not discipline, this is simple-minded de-humanising savagery.

I wrote to the Queensland Premier:

Dear Sir,
I was appalled to discover that Central Queensland Christian College advertises on its website that its discipline code includes the barbaric and humiliating use of corporal punishment. This must be stopped. Adults assaulting children, causing them to live in fear and teaching that violence by the powerful over the weak has any place in a modern democracy of free people is abhorrent.

And I don't care how 'carefully', or absurdly 'loving' they are in doing it; corporal punishment has no place in our society and is never an option for helping children grow into responsible and happy adults. In fact, the record is that children who are hit by authorities end up maladjusted, unhappy, and often violent individuals.

Your government must legislate to outlaw this primitive thuggery, whatever the excuse the school has for its use.

My experience of being hit by the authorities, typically with no explanation and for no discernible good reason (and therefore, no 'correction' occurred) is that I have for decades despised the teachers who behaved with such unthinking idiocy and look back on those days with disgust. I certainly don't talk about them, and my memories are not fond, but of empowered gorillas wrecking young boy's happiness. If I met them in the street I would have to restrain myself from returning their violence on them.