Corporal punishment: Expression of suicidal tendencies
If children are the future of Bangladesh, why damage them?
The question was posed by British long-time foreign friend of Bangladesh Sir Frank Peters in his New Nation report (19.11.2014) about the horrors and cruelty to our children in schools through the outlawed practices of corporal punishment.
His provocative report made me really think about what effects corporal punishment could have on the child receiving it and those who witness to it. What message does corporal punishment teach to our children? Is it one of violence? Might is right? Violence is the solution to all problems?
To find the answer, all a person needs do is to look at the present-day sick society. The youth members of political parties only know how to communicate with violence of the worst kind. They demonstrate their ignorance, disregard and contempt for people and public property openly in the streets, clutching bamboos and machetes menacingly. Even Hitler’s brown shirts didn’t behave so badly.
While one can almost accept the present society is beyond repair, surely it is the duty of all concerned citizens, teachers and politicians to put a stop to the present rot and sow the seeds of a new Bangladesh in which future generations, at least, can live in harmony and express their political indifferences in a peaceful and respectful manner.
Sir Frank provocatively posed the question ‘if children are the future of Bangladesh, why damage them?’ and now I ask the same. It makes no sense to promote a future for Bangladesh styled on the sick present.
He also said, “any nation that promotes corporal punishment is a clear outward expression of its suicidal tendencies” and I fully agree.
Ann Annis
Baridara,
Dhaka.
