Life imitates art as kindergarten cops arrest unruly 5-year old student.
Law enforcement officials, legal experts and child care specialists are perplexed over a story that came to light a couple days ago. And, it has provoked debate on a genuine social (and family) dilemma for which there seems to be no clear resolution or guidance:
The issue is whether there can ever be an occasion where a 5-year old student’s temper tantrum becomes so hostile that it warrants police intervention to handcuff that child?
Corporal punishment was once a school teacher’s ultimate tool to discipline disobedient students. But that ended years ago after litigation trends made it prohibitive. Moreover, cognitive dissonance has made even parents reluctant to spank their children for fear of becoming ensnared in the criminal justice system on child abuse charges; even though many of them still believe spanking is a sensible and effective method to discipline their children.
Therefore, what does a teacher or parent do with a child who is not only disruptive but also physically abusive and “out of control”?
Well, alternative forms of effective discipline differ greatly but surely a bright line can be drawn at calling in the police to handcuff a 5-year old girl. Yet, evolving social norms that require teachers to assume greater responsibility for raising respectful and obedient children are untenable and unsustainable. Indeed, in the current case, one must question the parenting in this child’s life that led her to think that she could behave in such outrageous manner with impunity.
Beyond this, however, effective discipline seems awfully subjective and situational. Nevertheless, the “democratic” approach developed by child care specialists offers the most enlightened and salutary techniques.
Click here for a comparative analysis of child disciplinary techniques and to see whether you agree with the democratic approach.
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