THE EDITOR, Sir:

Schools have been in the news again. The main events could well be titled 'Teachers gone wild'. One 12-year-old was beaten so severely, she had to seek medical attention. In another case, a vice-principal, no less, proudly announced to the media that she had a fight with a female student. She bragged that it was 'fist for fist'.

The two main players in the school system are students and teachers. Many of our students are growing up without parents. Others have parents who should never be parents.

Teachers, on the other hand, are adults who have received specialised training in tertiary institutions. This is to enable them to prepare students academically and also to deal with the defects and deficiencies of dysfunctional family life, thereby providing children with the social skills necessary to become well-rounded, productive citizens.

The single greatest threat to stability and development in our society stems from the violence and aggression that characterises almost every facet of our lives. The greatest need of this society is training in anger management, mediation and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. What better way to impart these concepts than in schools to the young impressionable minds. It is, therefore, with some sadness that I listened over and over to this vice-principal who seemed to think that she was doing the right thing by engaging a student in a fight which, by her own account, was instigated by her.

The after effect

In a St Andrew school, a teacher of quite ample proportions dragged a small, wiry second-former by her collar and shouted at her. This quiet little introvert was immediately transformed into a efficient fighting machine. With a series of strategically placed punches, 'jooks' and kicks, the surprised teacher was on the ground in seconds. Most noticeable for me was the effect it had on the student population. In less than a minute, the entire student body was in the area that the event had taken place.

Shortly thereafter, blouses were out of skirts, expletives and other swear words were heard and cellphones were in use. Some were heading for the streets and young men were driving in to pick up carloads of girls. It is at this stage that these teachers demand that their worthy adversaries be punished severely for insubordination.

But is that right?

There can be no excuse for a teacher fighting a student. This vice-principal clearly believes in 'an eyelash for an eyelash'. She has compromised herself so severely that I wonder what she would do if she were asked to deal with two students who are involved in a fight at her school next week. The most she could do with them is debate the merits of the left hook over the upper cut. What she is advocating by her words and actions is exactly what we need to excise from the national psyche. And it is persons in her profession that we are depending on to champion the non-violence movement.

School discipline is necessary for the regulation of students and the maintenance of order in schools. There is supposed to be a code of behaviour outlining the expected standard of dress, timekeeping, social behaviour and work ethic. The enforcement of discipline requires that the enforcers be respected. The problem with respect, however, is that one cannot demand it - one must command it.

Where good discipline starts

In the old days, the teacher was expected to be a substitute parent. The most common form of school discipline was corporal punishment. Unless this was strictly monitored, however, it could be open to abuse. The disciplinary regime at some schools was at odds with parental views on punishment. Corporal punishment was, therefore, abolished in many countries, notably in Europe and North America and replaced by positive reinforcements of behaviour. When this failed, the punishment included detention, suspension or expulsion. Not fisticuffs.

In the Caribbean and East Asia, children are expected to show complete obedience to the teacher. This places an enormous burden on the teacher to be mature, empathic and responsible. Since 2006, corporal punishment has been banned in 109 nations.

The breakdown of family life in Jamaica and the neglect of children have placed teachers in difficult and unpleasant situation. Student mis-behaviour represents a teaching opportunity. Good discipline, however, starts with keeping student dignity intact.

I am, etc.,

GLENN TUCKER

glenntucker8@hotmail.com

Stony Hill, Kingston 9