Schoolboys aged 18 can be caned, social services leaders decide

Senior boys can be caned at a community school, despite government guidelines to the contrary, local councillors decide in 1979.

Caning stays at

county school

BOYS at a controlled community home school in Warwickshire will continue to be caned for serious breaches of discipline.

The headmaster, or in his absence his deputy, at Norton School, Kineton – a former approved school – can continue to administer this form of corporal punishment, the county council’s Social Services Committee have decided.

The policy was reviewed a year ago, and despite protests from some councillors it was agreed by the majority that there should be no change.

Another review has been carried out in view of new government guidelines, which recommend that boys in community homes over the age of 16 should not be caned.

The committee decide, however, that at Norton School the corporal punishment allowed should relate to all the boys.

They considered that it would be unfair to exclude older boys, because use of the cane usually applied in cases where older boys had been guilty of bullying younger ones.

Councillor Philip Blundell, the Labour Mayor of Rugby, said that he disagreed with the practice.

Last year [1978] there were 10 canings at the school, compared with 24 in 1977. The boys receive up to six strokes on their clothed bottom.

As published in the Coventry Evening Telegraph, 16 March 1979.

Picture credit: Sting Pictures

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