The Editor, Sir:

Managing children, especially those who are not your biological children, is certainly a huge task. That is why no one should discount the fact that the job of our teachers is an onerous one. They play such an extensive and important role and the belief is that there is no margin for errors. Children want to feel, as adults do, that whenever actions are meted out to them by their teachers, they are deserving of these actions.

However, there is a tendency by some teachers, when the wrongdoers cannot be identified, to punish the entire class. This I believe is a wrong road to tread as a teacher who is in control of his/her class should be able to identify the disruptive children.

Message

What message are teachers sending to those children whose only concern at school is to learn? Are you saying to them - you better join the flock, if you cannot convince the others to behave because you are all going to be broad-brushed.

There are a few questions that I want teachers to ponder when considering the broad-brush approach - How can 'letting the good suffer for the bad' positively reinforce any behaviour? How do you justify the suspension of an innocent child - what is placed on his/her school record?

I believe that parameters must be set by the 'powers that be' to ensure that this practice is discontinued. There must be a way to isolate children who want to learn from those who have no interest in learning.

I am, etc.,

PAT BIGNAL

wilbig@cwjamaica.com