CAN A PUNiSHMENT TEACH?

By Goolbai Gunasekara

This seems a silly question since all punishments are supposed to ‘teach’ or to teach ‘discipline ‘ at any rate. But does a school child always understand all this?

Do present day punishments ensure that the student does not repeat the same little misdeed again?

They do not. I speak from experience when I say this. Let me explain. All schools have rules governing mis-behavior. But given the many areas of 'sinning’ these days, modern schools are unable to foresee all the varied sins that students commit. Fifty , or more, years ago falls from grace were minor affairs and did not have the undertones of real crime that is unfortunately found in schools nowadays.

School children 50 years ago had nothing of great value to steal. Perhaps a wristwatch. Perhaps a pen. But no one thought of stealing our shoes because they were all from Batas or Majestic Boot Works. Ballet slippers were all from Union Boot Works. You can see what I mean. Rarely, if ever, did children have anything too special. No one was envious of the “haves.”

But now! Mobiles phones range from Rs. 4000/ to Rs.100,000/ I am told. Nikes, Addidas and other Sports attire likewise. Nobody bothers about plain old wrist watches these days. Very few International School kids wear Bata products.

And nobody yearns for a Parker pen as I did all my school life. I eventually got my first Parker pen from my Dearly Beloved at a time when he was still a HOPEFUL Dearly Beloved. My parents had no intention of supplying me with expensive paraphernalia. My ‘SWAN” pen lasted me through school and my father expected it to see me through University with no difficulty. My tennis racquet was a hand me down from my Mom’s University days and I managed to comfortably win the occasional match with it.

However, the usual school sports CAN have varied equipment with highly varied prices. In Private schools and the highly populated Government schools as well, kids change clothes (and shoes) for Basket Ball games, for PE classes, for swimming classes etc, expensive equipment and gear is left lying all over the place.

Today no serious tennis player would be seen dead with just one racquet. All hopeful champions have several name brands which they twirl with style and panache. I quite envy the confidence and well groomed appearance they project whether they win or lose. Parents go overboard with their equipment.  Jealousy is natural. At this moment all good students, good sportsmen or good student performers seem to be able to afford the earth. Many youngsters play golf which is one of the most expensive games for youngsters these days. But since only well heeled young kids play this sport theft is not necessary in that quarter. However, the usual school sports CAN have varied equipment with highly varied prices. Those who cannot afford high priced equipment may resort to theft. In Private schools and the highly populated Government schools as well, kids change clothes (and shoes) for Basket Ball games, for PE classes, for Swimming classes etc, expensive equipment and gear is left lying all over the place.

One child lost two pairs of Nike Sports shoes within a fortnight. In spite of immediate searches they were never found. Their cost? Rs. 25,000/ each pair. I asked the angry mother why she was teaching her son the wrong values by sending him to school with such expensive gear. Her answer is worth repeating.

“You and I do not have the same values Mrs, G. I can afford such things and I see no reason not to buy them.”

Such skewered thinking only adds to the rate of theft. Young kids give in to feelings of envy and steal. Of course if caught they face grave punishments.

Suspension – or even expulsion for repeated offences. Whatever sneaking sympathy I have for the young thief it has to be suppressed.

I  recalled this story which proves that worthwhile correction can be given to junior wrongdoers. 

An unfortunate problem now raises its ugly head. How do parents take the punishment of their child? They often take it in the most appalling fashion. Far from correcting their child they blame the school for over-reacting. They whisk the young miscreant off to another school. The punishment has not taught anyone in that family anything. In fact I have watched disbelievingly while one mother comforted her sobbing son (who continued to deny a proven fact) saying “Never mind Putha. Don’t cry. You don’t have to come back to this school.” ‘Mrs. Bhanu” I tried to reason. “Don’t take that attitude. Help him to realize he has done something disgraceful. Take him away if you wish but at least YOU must punish him in some way.” Of course nothing was done and the young ‘criminal’ will certainly steal again, albeit, elsewhere.

The suspension was never felt by the arrogant young man as his parents refused to accept he had done anything wrong. So I cast around in my mind and recalled this story which proves that worthwhile correction can be given to junior wrongdoers. A group of cousins were playing cricket on one of those spacious lawns commonly seen in Colombo, 60 years ago. They were told to stop play by six pm.

My friend, Rohini, the only girl in the group , was a real tomboy and her parents openly despaired of turning her into a lady. It was just her bad luck that one day the group continued playing till well after six pm and while making a run, Rohini tripped and broke her ankle. She was imobilised for a week . Both sets of parents took counsel. How best could they punish both children? I still applaud their creativity in meting out punishment.

An unfortunate problem now raises its ugly head. How do parents take the punishment of their child? They often take it in the most appalling fashion. Far from correcting their child they blame the school for over-reacting.

Rohini’s cousin, Nihal, had to give up every evening’s play that week and sit by Rohini’s bed and read to her for an hour. The books were of his father’s choosing.

Both Rohini and Nihal benefitted from the chastisement in that the reading was interesting and actually taught them something. The cricket never carried on till after six again. (I have used actual names since the two I mentioned have since passed away and in any case would not have objected to my telling this tale.) Now THERE is the sort of punishment I wish I could use. Obviously theft of shoes will not be cured by enforced reading. But I wonder. Cannot such civilized punishments somehow work in today’s atmosphere of junior violence? Perhaps we should seriously give it some thought. ‘Crime and Modern Punishments’ would form a good thesis for a concerned psychologist.