CARE FOR SCHOOL GIRLS

Taranaki Daily News, 20 June 1930, Page 11

CARE FOR SCHOOL GIRLS

BOARD’S DECISION REVERSED.

CLOSE VOTING AT AUCKLAND.

The ban on the corporal punishment of girls under twelve years of age imposed by the Auckland Education Board at a recent meeting has been removed. The board on Wednesday reversed, by seven votes to six, its decision to abolish corporal punishment of these girls. The original by-law was as follows: "Corporal punishment may be inflicted by a head teacher or by an assistant with his approval, but it should be used as sparingly as possible. Its frequent infliction in a school is to be accounted an indication of defective discipline, Corporal ' punishment should ‘hot he inflated for trivial breaches of discipline, for failure hr inability to learn, or for neglect to’’’ prepare.. home lessons, hut should be reserved for deliberate breaches of discipline and for wilful faults.. .Corporal punishment of girls of 12 years of ago and over is. prohibited. While it is expected that in infant departments and as far as all girls of the school are concerned -corporal punishment should be rendered unnecessary by teachers’ methods of government, pupils are not to be subjected to punishment unless under exceptional circumstances, and then if teacher. When corporal punishment possible at th© bands of . a female has been administered particulars as to date, name, nature of the offence and th© amount of punishment shall be entered in a book kept for the purpose.” , ■ Thus, .under this by-law, teachers Were definitely restricted as to corporal punishment" ©f girls under twelve. At a recent meeting the board decided that corporal punishment of all girls should be abolished. At th© time the decision was opposed by some members, and on© prophesied that the board would change its view.. At the next meeting of the board a deputation from the Auckland branch of th© New Zealand Educational Institute voiced strong objection to the decision to abolish corporal punishment of girls. The speakers, all teachers of experience, said they did not advocate such punishment, but they felt that teachers were being deprived of. a very desirable means of securing discipline. Even th© mere knowledge that it could bo strapped influenced a child. It was stated that the board’s decision had had an immediate effect, in that on© girl had addressed to her teacher the remark, “Yah! You cannot punish me!”

At the meeting on Wednesday consideration was given to a notice of motion by Mr. V. Donaldson that the-orig-inal by-laws should be reinstated, with entries in the punishment book shall a further provision that, “a copy of the entries in the punishment book shall be forwarded with the term returns by the head or sole teacher to the Educa-i tion Board at. the end of each term.” The discussion was taken in committee,. and the motion . ..was carried, by seven, votes to six. ....