‘Caning can be effective’ comment sparks political row
Row in Australia in 2014 as debate over bringing back the cane hots up.
Cane conflict whips up welter of cutting words
KEVIN Donnelly has been a naughty boy but Education Minister Christopher
Pyne isn’t reaching for the cane.
Dr Donnelly, one-half of Mr Pyne’s curriculum review panel, has reopened
a furious debate after saying measures such as caning are effective.
He says it should be up to schools to decide how best to mete out
punishments.
The Greens and the NSW [New South Wales] Teachers Federation have called
for Dr Donnelly’s resignation, while state governments have lined up to condemn
his views.
Stephen Breen, president of the WA [Western Australia] Primary
Principals’ Association, said it was now hard to see Dr Donnelly as a credible
adviser.
Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten called on the government to clarify
its position on corporal punishment. But Mr Pyne says Dr Donnelly’s views are a
matter for him.
“Dr Donnelly, along with Professor Ken Wiltshire, are undertaking a
review of the national curriculum which has nothing to do with managing student
behaviour,” Mr Pyne’s spokesman said.
The minister personally doesn’t support any form of corporal punishment.
But his spokesman said questions about classroom and student management should
be directed to state governments, who directly run schools.
Corporal punishment in schools was phased out by most states from the
1980s.
Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the State
Government would not bring back the cane or corporal punishment.
“Legislation introduced this year allows principals to manage student
discipline issues with greater flexibility by using existing and additional
intervention tools such as community service and discipline improvement plans,”
Mr Langbroek said.
“There’s no doubt that young people need boundaries, and corporal
punishment is not required to enforce these boundaries.”
Meanwhile, WA Education Minister Peter Collier said it was still used in
two private schools in that state.
“I believe we have moved on from corporal punishment,” he said. “But ...
parents need to be able to make informed decisions about what they believe to
be the best interests of their children.”
NSW Premier Mike Baird said he didn’t want to see the cane reintroduced.
Victoria and South Australia also said corporal punishment wouldn’t be
returning to their schools.
As published in the Cairns Post (Australia), 17 July 2014
Picture credit: Unknown.
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