Getting the Strap in school

[Chillie]

Had it plenty of times, never done me any harm, they should bring it back to sort out some of those cheeky little ?.

First time was poultneytown Academy p3 for whistling from Miss turnbull.

The other two that I really rememmberwas p6 in North School me and five other's , we were let in at lunch time as it was heavy rain so we were all in class and started to sing the song Hiltler has only got one ----, but we changed it to Brucer (baldy Brucer was the headmaster there then) he came along the corridor marched us to his room, we had the choice of the cain or the strap, we all got 6 on each hand with the strap, it was sore, I can still feel it today.

The other time was from Johnnie onion,2nd year at WHS 6 of the best for speaking back to Granny Roise.

[bingo1]

I got belted twice.... Once in primary school, I think it was for wrongly spelling something, it wasnt for misbehaving........ I was a well behaved pupil it left me feeling very confused and afraid of doing anything wrong after that! Which I believe was and is very wrong! Another time was at High School for allowing another pupil to copy from me if I remember correctly I was also made to go and stand outside the door in the corridor..........OMG the shame of it!:} Another time I was made to stand in a corner of the room with my face to the wall for failing to be able to tell the story of the prodigal son out of the bible! It leaves scars on you that are difficult to erase........for that reason I disagree with belting....you do not and should not teach a child to Fear! Very wrong! Neither can you teach a child something that he/she does not "need" to learn, no matter how much you shout, belt or punish!

I agree 100%. If the belt was still in use i dont know what i would do if my bairn got it but ill tell you one thing the teacher wouldnt do it again after i was finised. Children should never have been treated this way!!! Its bullying.

[Chillie]

I agree 100%. If the belt was still in use i dont know what i would do if my bairn got it but ill tell you one thing the teacher wouldnt do it again after i was finised. Children should never have been treated this way!!! Its bullying.

Little wonder the children of today are like the way they are when the parents adopt this kind of attitude

[phoenix]

Little wonder the children of today are like the way they are when the parents adopt this kind of attitude

Aye Chillie some never learn do they!

Thanks bingo1.....I agree it is a form of bullying! Lots of it around!

Golach thanks for reminding me why the tawse was called a Lochgelly! Id long since forgotten! BTW Golach is your name John Dick?

[knightofeth]

Little wonder the children of today are like the way they are when the parents adopt this kind of attitude

I agree with this. They need some discipline.

[Tugmistress]

Luckily i can't remember that i was ever given the 'ruler' as we did not have the belt at school (cane for the headmaster and ruler for the teachers).
I do remember at junior school in 2nd year i was made to stand at the front of the class in a corner with my back to them for playing in the water at break time though (never stopped me doing it though just taught me to use my eyes a bit more lol).

[MadPict]

http://www.lochgelly-tawse.co.uk/

http://www.corpun.com/scotland.htm

[Ojibwa]

I'm not old enough to remember getting punished by the strap or the cane but I do remember getting marched out to the front of the class in primary 3 (1986)for doing what the teacher called "slanty writing". This was writing that was not perfectly straight up and down. She would line us up and give us a clip round the ear. I can't remember if it hurt but it sure was humiliating. I never enjoyed that year at school, won't mention the teacher as I think she is still in a primary school. I think that teachers will get the best results from an individual child or class when they encourage, praise and inspire them to learn. Although many people say that physical punishment didn't do them any harm, there are probably many more whose self esteem would have been crushed.

[scorrie]

I agree 100%. If the belt was still in use i dont know what i would do if my bairn got it but ill tell you one thing the teacher wouldnt do it again after i was finised. Children should never have been treated this way!!! Its bullying.

I totally disagree. There is so much talk of children not having to fear this or that. Fear is a perfectly natural phenomenon and serves a vital purpose. Fear prevents people from carrying out dangerous actions. A tiny child that does not understand danger can understand pain and through that learns to fear the object that caused the pain. That is respect through fear but once the child is older and wiser it can respect that same object through knowledge rather than fear. A child that cannot show respect once they are old enough to understand the concept has lost the right to be treated in a more adult fashion and therefore should be faced with the corporal punishment option. I was belted once at school, for allegedly not doing lines I had been given for coming to school without PE kit. I had done the lines and was punished for no reason. I took the punishment and got on with it.
I would ask those who think fear is wrong to consider what point there is in having a punishment system in society, if the criminals are not going to have any fear of the punishment?

Think about the bigger picture and not just your own bairns, if they behave as they should there would be no punishment to worry about.

ps I heard that a new, more child friendly strap is coming back. Designed to cause no pain to the little darlings it is gelatin, rather than leather based and is called the Lochjelly ;o)

[Billy Boy]

i got the strap in my first week of high school for playing pitch and toss

[phoenix]

I'm not old enough to remember getting punished by the strap or the cane but I do remember getting marched out to the front of the class in primary 3 (1986)for doing what the teacher called "slanty writing". This was writing that was not perfectly straight up and down. She would line us up and give us a clip round the ear. I can't remember if it hurt but it sure was humiliating. I never enjoyed that year at school, won't mention the teacher as I think she is still in a primary school. I think that teachers will get the best results from an individual child or class when they encourage, praise and inspire them to learn. Although many people say that physical punishment didn't do them any harm, there are probably many more whose self esteem would have been crushed.

I agree Ojibwa..........teach by example! If you instill fear, humiliation, ridicule etc in a child that child will grow up with lack of self esteem and a feeling of being powerless........you reap what you sow, the results can be seen in the adults of today and their children and their childrens children and so it goes on until they change their ways! Takes some getting rid of the emotional and mental scars, all it takes is someone to come along and push the buttons to make you feel uncomfortable!

[Oddquine]

I got the belt once at school, and again when I went home and told my folks(looking for sympathy).........and made sure I was never in a position to get it again.

I think it was still on the go when my own children attended the same school, but neither of them ever got belted.

If they had, I'd have found out why........and if I felt it was deserved, I'd probably have thumped them myself to emphasise the lesson..and if I felt it was unwarranted, I'd have gone to the school and kicked up a fuss.

I have no problem with corporal punishment, provided it is for a good reason..and, frankly, there has to be somewhere where kids today learn discipline in the event the parents fall down on the job.

[golach]

I agree 100%. If the belt was still in use i dont know what i would do if my bairn got it but ill tell you one thing the teacher wouldnt do it again after i was finised. Children should never have been treated this way!!! Its bullying.

Sorry I totally disagree with you on this one, the main problem with todays society is lack of discipline at home and in the school, look at your alleged attitude to the teacher that punished your bairn.....is that not a form of bullying?

[angela5]

I remember at school in p1 getting my hand slapped for day dreaming. And i was giving the belt in p6 for not following rules. Big deal i deserved it.



[quote golach]
Sorry I totally disagree with you on this one, the main problem with todays society is lack of discipline at home and in the school, look at your alleged attitude to the teacher that punished your bairn.....is that not a form of bullying?

I agree golach. lack of discipline is what's wrong with them nowadays.

[angela5]

Little wonder the children of today are like the way they are when the parents adopt this kind of attitude

I agree with this.

[knightofeth]

Sorry I totally disagree with you on this one, the main problem with todays society is lack of discipline at home and in the school, look at your alleged attitude to the teacher that punished your bairn.....is that not a form of bullying?

totally agree.. and it has been shown on some recent threads on this forum!

[dirdyweeker]

Thunderguts was known as Big M in the 60's and he used the ruler then. At least you answered him though for fear of the ruler. Never did me lasting harm. The tawse/belt.....when it was Harriet Mackenzie (who taught us Biology) we took the belt from her drawer at the beginning of lessons and hid it!! Can you imagine the bravado in that?

[Cedric Farthsbottom III]

Never got the belt(strap)when I was at school.It wisnae to do with me not getting into trouble.It was more to do with the horror that ye saw in yer classmates face when the strap hit his hand and the pain ye saw in his face.

Straight away yer survival instincts in yer brain said,"Thats never gonnae happen to me!!!!"

[weefee]

There is a marked difference between discipling children and using phsyical punishments. I have read several books on the use of corporal punishments (i was all for hanging to come back) and have found that the "it didn't do me any harm" statement for physical chastisements all too common.

Discipling children should start at home, I have never smacked my 2 1/2 year old but did smack my older child when she was younger which in hindsight was wrong, but i have educated myself in other ways of coping with bad behaviour. There are plenty of alternatives that work. Lack of sleep is a common instigator in bad or demanding behaviour.

Children are entitled to their rights just as much as any adult and often their voices are not heard or taken seriously. If any of us were attacked then we would press charges or take matters further, why shouldn't children have those same rights, they are human beings too.

I feel sorry for teachers, i have been in a class where my teacher was assaulted but i can't agree to the return of corporal punishment in any form. Violence breeds violence and there are many case studies to prove this. Humiliating and harming children is not the way forward it is a huge step backwards.

[squidge]

I was strapped twice both times for talking when i had been told not to. I dont beleive it affected me in any way, i enjoyed school was a clever girl and generally behaved. Id have got a row at home too if i told my mum and dad i had been strapped.

I dont think i would let a teacher strap my children and yet i beleive in smacking as part of my discipline at home. The difference is that i love my children and i control my smacking - i cant guarantee that another person would apply the same criteria to smacking as i do and im not prepared to allow a teacher to physically punish my child. If my child was hit at school by a teacher i would make a complaint. I have seen teachers behave appallingly and strap kids for no reason other than they feel like it and i would be horrified at that happening to my children. This is also applicable to other types of humiliating discipline. I remember a boy in my class being made to do gym in a gym skirt cos he had forgot his shorts - he was 13 ish and so embarrassed, i was appalled by the whole thing the teacher humiliated him simply because he could - it was awful. I remember a teacher holding a laddie in my class up at the wall by his throat for a smart remark he made. he lifted the lad off his feet, it was NOT acceptable. I have been in school to complain that one of my children was being unfairly disciplined when he was at WHS and something was done about it because it WAS unfair.

Now before all you holier than thous start - that DOES NOT mean i dont support the school. I do, i uphold their right to punish my children and i make sure my children understand that i will not take their corner if they have been misbehaving. Allowing corporal punishment in schools is however not a route i would go down