corporal punishments in school

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN SCHOOLS IN INDIA By Amit Phillora Research Scholar , APS University , Rewa. The case study deals with corporal punishments which are given to children. Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable. The term usually refers to methodically striking the offender with the open hand or with an implement, whether in judicial, domestic, or educational settings. Corporal punishment is defined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child as: "Any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light." Punishment followed by domestic or social violence or child abuse has very adverse effects on children. If the parenting technique consists of domestic violence or children suffer from abuse they suffer from attachment problems which further develops into attachment disorder. Keywords: Corporal Punishment, Physical Force, Pain, Discomfort, Infliction of Pain, Attachment Disorder, Parenting Techniques etc.  Corporal Punishment in Schools of India Introduction Corporal punishment is defined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child as: "Any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporal_punishment Corporal punishments may be divided into three types: Parental or Domestic Corporal Punishment: In this children are punished by parents or guardians. School Corporal Punishments: in this children are punished by school authorities (teachers, administrators, principals etc.) during their school tenures. Judicial Corporal Punishments: Court orders punishment to the children. Child Abuse A person who is below the age of 14 is considered to be a child. According to the UNCRC 'a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years unless, under the law applicable to the child. http://www.childlineindia.org.in/child-in-india.htm Child abuse is physical, emotional or emotional maltreatment of a child or children. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Child+abuse In in united states  the Canter’s for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department for Children and Families (DCF) define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centers_for_Disease_Control_and_Prevention39% of the population in India consists of children. There are four types of abuses: Physical Abuse; Emotional Abuse; Sexual Abuse; Psychological Abuse; Neglect. Origin of Corporal Punishment South Asian Academic Research Journals http://www.saarj.com: Corporal Punishment is a very old concept in India. Teachers and Gurus were the supreme authority and were responsible for making students educated and disciplined. Corporal punishments were a method of disciplining the children and youths in school settings (Gurukul in ancient India.). Meaning of Corporal Punishments Corporal punishment is a method that has been implemented by schools since times immemorial to enforce discipline amongst the students and it is also used as a means to deter the students from committing similar offences in the near future. “Any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light. Most involves hitting (smacking, slapping, spanking) children, with the hand, or with an implement- a whip, stick, belt, shoe, wooden spoon, etc. But it can also involve, for example, kicking, shaking or throwing children, scratching, pinching, biting, pulling hair or boxing hairs, forcing children to stay in uncomfortable positions, burning, scalding or forced ingestion (for example washing children’s mouths out with soap or forcing them to swallow hot spices). In the view of the committee, corporal punishment is invariably degrading. In addition, there are other non-physical forms of punishment that are also cruel and degrading and thus incompatible with the Convention. These include, for example, punishment which belittles, humiliates, denigrates, scapegoats, threatens, scares or ridicules the child.” UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (2006) Corporal punishment is defined as “the intentional infliction of pain or discomfort and/or use of physical force upon a student in order to stop or change behaviour” (National Association of School Psychologists). Corporal punishment is the intentional infliction of physical pain as a method of changing behaviour. It may include methods such as hitting, slapping, punching, kicking, pinching, shaking, use of various objects (paddles, belts, sticks, or others), or painful body postures (National Association of School Nurses, 2000). Hyman states that “corporal punishment in the schools is the infliction of pain or confinement as a penalty for an offence committed by a student” (Hyman, 1990:10). Kinds of Punishments In Schools: Punishment is any event whose presence decreases the likelihood that the ongoing behaviour will recur. Punishment is generally used in operant conditioning. http://psychology.about.com/od/operantconditioning/f/punishment.htm Before we understand punishment, let us understand the meaning of reinforcer & punisher. A reinforcer is a stimulus that follows behaviour and increases the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated whereas a punisher is a stimulus follows behaviour & decreases the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated. Often punishment is mistakenly taken as negative reinforcement but which is not true because reinforcement always increases the chances that behaviour will reoccur and punishment always decreases the chances that behaviour will recur. Following are the types of punishments used by schools for children South Asian Academic Research Journals :http://www.saarj.com: Physical Punishments : Making children stand as wall chair. Keeping the school bags on heads. Making them stand under the sun for whole day. Making the children kneel down and do the work and then come inside the class. Making them raise their hands for long time. Hold pencil in their month and stand for whole day. Holding their ears with hands passed under the legs. Tying of the children’s hand. Making them do sit ups. Canning and pinching. Twisting the ears. Emotional Punishments : Slapping by opposite sex. Scolding, abusing and humiliating. Label the child according to his behaviour and send him or her around the school. Make them stand at the back of class and to complete the work. Suspending them for couple of days. Pinning paper on their back and labelling them "I am a fool", "I am a donkey" etc. Teacher takes the child to every class she goes and humiliates the child. Removing the shirts of boys. Negative Reinforcements Detention during the break and lunch. Locking them in a dark room. Call for parents or asking the children to bring explanatory letters from the parents. 4. Sending them home or keeping the children outside the gate. Making the children sit on the floor on the classroom. Making the child clean the premises. Making the child run around the building or in the playground. Sending the children to principals. Making them to teach in the class. Making them to stand till the teacher comes. Giving oral warnings and letters in the diary or calendar. Threatening to give TC for the child. Asking them to miss games or other activities. Deducting marks. Treating the three late comings equal to one absent. Giving excessive imposition. Make the children pay fines. Not allowing them into the class. Sitting on the floor for one period, day, week and month. Placing black marks on their disciplinary charts. Objective of Study: To study the Parenting and Teaching Techniques. To study the Child Protection and Child Rights in India. To study child abuse, domestic violence on children and its impact on children. To develop an environment of Learn without fear in schools. To Punish or Not to Punish children in school. Empirical study on corporal punishment, child abuse and domestic violence on children.  Parenting Style: Attachment Theory There are two types of attachment styles used by parents: Secure attachment style: Yes. We can trust that our caregiver will be there when we need them and they will accurately determine what we need from them, even though we may not even be verbal yet. They aren’t constantly scared of being deserted. They see themselves as worthy of affection and concern from others. A responsive caregiver has led to trusted loving ones. Insecure attachment Style Avoidant: No. These individuals downplay the importance of closeness and tend to be emotionally remote. They want closeness but fear rejection. They see themselves as aloof, emotionally distant and skeptical of other’s love. A distant caregiver has led to a fear of rejection. Anxious-ambivalent: Maybe. These individuals see themselves as misunderstood and are lacking in confidence in their relationship with others. They perceive their significant others unwilling to commit, not dependable or they are reluctant to get close. The insecurity makes them clingy or needy. Need constant reassurance that the partner really is committed. Disorganized: “Fear without solution”. It occurs when a child is simultaneously frightened in a situation into which a caregiver enters. Abused / neglected children show this pattern. Correspondence Hypothesis: Attachment styles will tend to remain stable across all attachment domains. Compensation Hypothesis: Strategy whereby one covers up, consciously or unconsciously, weakness, frustrations, desires or feelings of inadequacy or incompetence in one life area through therapy or any other means. Therapy-good relationships-re-parenting. Ultimate attachment – GOD. Self Good Narcissistic Secured Others Bad Bad Borderline Low self- esteem Good Child Protection and Child Rights in India: Children Rights In India : Copy Right : Eileen Hudon,1987 To have : Mother free of violence. Safe and secure home. Medical needs to be fulfilled. To be: Loved; Nurtured well; Fed well; Education; Touched in a loving way; Guided in decision making; Supervised , Monitored and not left alone; Encouraged and supported in one’s interest. To know : Feeling and culture; To learn : To be a loving person; To share; Responsibility; To be free of: Racial behaviour; Hate Bias; Emotional Abuse; Sexual Abuse; Physical Abuse; To Not: Be scapegoat of mom or dad’s negative experiences, decisions or behaviours! Suffer the consciences of abuse perpetuated upon one’s mother! To live: Without fear; In society of violence; If No Corporal Punishment Than What? Respect the child’s dignity. Develop pro-social behaviour, self-discipline and character. Maximise the child’s active participations. Respect children development needs and quality of life. Respect the child’s motivational characteristics and life views Assure fairness and transformative justice Promote solidarity Few Points For Higher Authorities Maintenance of healthy pupil-teacher ratio Avoid the appointment of untrained teachers Proportionate recruitment of lady teachers Emphasis on moral education in teacher preparation programme. Periodical organisation of seminars, workshops and training programmes for school teachers. Provision of counselling for needy teachers. Strengthening Parent Teacher Association (PTA). Adequate first aid in schools. CONCLUSION Physical and Emotional violence is very bad for children’s growth and development and is against human rights. Corporal punishment breaches children’s fundamental human rights. It has been found to be a threat to the healthy development and welfare of children and their societies, and an ineffective form of discipline or control. Constructive, non-violent, child discipline is needed. It should be formulated and applied in a manner that respects the human dignity and rights of the child and understanding of child development. Positive, non-violent ways of discipline and child rearing are being promoted and applied in all regions and cultures. Supportive information, resources and guidance for achieving constructive discipline and child rearing are available. They should be promoted and made readily accessible to families, schools and communities throughout the world. References: A Research Paper on,” Corporal Punishment in Schools In India”, Academicia: An International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, Volume 2, Issue 7, July 2007, ISSN 2249-7137. Working paper by Virginia Morrow and Renu Singh on Corporal Punishment in Schools in Andhra Pradesh, India. Children’s and Parents’ Views.