Korea joins in a global trend toward banning corporal punishment of students. Seoul and the nearby Gyeonggi Province have prohibited inflicting physical punishment on primary, middle and high school students for their misbehavior. Initial confusion prevailed in class. Schools need to devise ways of keeping discipline among students without the use of corporal punishment.
Europe, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and other countries have outlawed the practice in public education. It is still legal in many Asian, African and Caribbean nations.
In Korea, corporal punishment has long been in practice despite many negative effects. From this month, teachers in Seoul are unable to hit students, to ask them to hold both of their hands out and to run laps around the playground as disciplinary punishment. The rest of the schools in the nation will also prohibit physical punishment in the future.
Leaders of the Korean Federation of Teachers Associations have recently visited the Education Ministry to express concern that the prohibition is out of tune with the reality at schools. They claimed the ban is theoretically and morally convincing but causes problems in student guidance. Its survey showed that more than half of the schools opposed the ban.
For example, a Seoul teacher reportedly encountered embarrassment when he gave a warning to a student who was smoking. A class disturber threatened to report the teacher to police for alleged bullying. A teacher received an angry reaction from a parent, while consulting about the wayward behavior of the student.
The federation only highlights the negative effects of the ban. Teachers sometimes confuse corporal punishment with lashing out on the spur of the moment. This is illegal violence and brutality. It has not provided positive effects. Many teachers say spanking or paddling should be allowed to deter childish misbehavior.
Teachers need to seek ways to introduce programs and manuals to maximize the positive effects. It is understandable that it is difficult to gauge the positive effects numerically. Teachers’ complaining about the ban means they are lacking in proper teaching qualities. Even light physical punishment may provoke resentment and further misbehavior.
It is experimentation that may take time for the system to take root in schools. The nation can distribute manuals and establish practices Europe and many advanced countries have adopted to strengthen student discipline without corporal punishment. Schools have yet to install the Thinking Room where unruly students repent over their misdeeds. Professional counselors are also necessary. Schools use the behavior score card to grade rule-abiding of students. Teachers need to communicate with parents to help problematic students behave themselves. Schools can share information on effective ways of restraining student misbehavior.
Teachers need patience and adolescent students need basic human rights. Like the Western countries, Korea also can introduce the Student Bill of Rights, a guidebook highlighting the freedom and responsibilities of students. Schools without corporal punishment will help students learn that human rights entail responsibility.
The new system is a short-term growing pain for teachers but a long-term gain for students. The positives will ultimately outweigh the negatives in the system.