Corporal Punishment From A Religious Viewpoint - Children Who Misbehave

Written by Dr. W.J. Levin, MB, ChB

Discipline is the loving way of TEACHING children, at the right time, in the right way, at the right place and at the right age. It should be used frequently and repeatedly and lovingly."

"Punishment is the unpleasant task of having to UNREWARD a child for having done wrong despite adequate discipline. It should be used seldom, sparingly, forgivingly and judiciously."

Corporal punishment is never an option! Both these definitions, which I formulated about 20 years ago, assume the child does not have a neurological dysfunction such as Attentional Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In this case the medical treatment is of paramount importance and a first priority to make the child more teachable. "You cannot teach a child if you cannot reach him. You cannot reach the child if he cannot concentrate and pay attention. He cannot concentrate without the benefit of stimulant medication if he has ADHD. Here medication is not the be-all or end-all, but rather the first step onto a long ladder that the team (parents, teacher, child etc.) has to climb to succeed.

As far back As 1985, Professor Holdstoch wrote a book entitled "BEAT THE CANE". He was professor of Psychology at the University of the Witwatersrand and founded a parent support group called "Education without fear." This was a case for the abolition of corporal punishment in schools in South Africa. In America, England and most of Europe this had already been achieved, in some countries in the previous century! Ten years later Professor Kiebel (professor of paediatrics) wrote in the South African Medical Journal( February 1995) about his disgust that corporal punishment still existed in schools. He was criticised in the journal by colleagues(July 1995) When I supported his opinion with a letter to the same journal (October 1995), there was a stony silence from his critics. It still took a few years after this, for corporal punishment to be banned in South Africa schools. Some religious (pious?) organisations even went to court to have the law banned! South Africa was one of the last of the so called first world countries to prevent hurting children officially in schools.

As clear as the evidence suggests that corporal punishment is detrimental (and not with standing the law banning corporal punishment in schools a T. V. program recently, "The Big Question" took a studio and viewing audience vote on the matter, agreeing it was acceptable to hit children. Did the presenters or the audience know they were voting in favour of an illegal, dangerous and banned practice. Ignorance is not bliss. It is dangerous. These dangers were well demonstrated in the media, about the many violent and aggressive practices in cultural initiation schools for blacks resulting in tragic deaths of young children from beatings in July 2002.

It would be fitting to conclude with the phrase "Ye who amongst us, who is without sin, should cast the first stone". I would also like to include to those who doubt what I have suggested, "Seek and ye shall find". Both these very wise comments are attributed to Jesus of Nazareth. Solomon was quoted as having said "a wise man has his eyes in his head." I cannot remember where the eyes were in a fool! He is also quoted as having said "it is far better to be chastised by a wise man than to listen to the song of a fool!" (Ecclesiastes)

Some years ago, when a Professor Garry Meyers and I both spoke at an international symposium on ADHD, he related a story of the state of Alabama instituting a law that a misbehaving child could only be punished twice. Thereafter, an automatic referral for a Neurological evaluation. Misbehaving children need help not punishment. There should be no confusion between discipline and punishment. Children are "people" too.

About the author: Dr. Levin is a pedaetrician with nearly 30 years of experience and specializes in working with ADHD children. He has published many articles on the subject and is our "ask-the-expert."

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