Should we bring back the belt?

[sft42]

Having followed an earlier question i feel compelled to ask now shouln't we bring back the belt to our schools? Just look at the recent example of two young yobs giving a teacher death threats just because he made them pick up their litter.

[bimsey]

Sounds like a brilliant idea something must be done to stop these young thugs before they grow up to be really antisocial i got the cane only once at school across the knuckles infront of the class i suppose i was about 11 years old and i can tell you it done the trick never again did i cross that line .

[coemgen]

I certainly don't think it is acceptable to give teachers the right to inflict pain on children. I think the case you mentioned is a totally separate issue which needs addressing by the parents. I was never physically punished as a child and never got into any serious trouble, yet the children at my school who were caned got into trouble again and again, it didn't seem to act as a deterrent. I am damn sure I would never let any teacher use any form of abuse like that on my kids, especially as I never have myself. My kids are very well behaved by the way.I do think we should be concerned about the boys who issued the death threats, but I would direct my concern towards the parents who do not seem to realise what a serious crime these boys have committed, and who seem to think that these kids should be allowed back to school.

[beenee]

I think the root of childrens' discipline (or lack of it) these days is the increasing commercialisation of their interests (new toys, mcdonalds, fashion etc.). This empowers them to an unnecessarily high degree and makes them intimidating to their own parents. It is essentially up to the parents to lay strict rules down and not cower under their children's demands and emotional blackmail.

[ChrisPBacon]

I'm very much against smacking children. I've always found a well aimed punch to be much more effective.

[Shatnerfan]

In theory I certainly back corporal punishment, but wouldn't this fill the minds of teenage hoodlums with thoughts of revenge?

[FTVS]

It seems to me very unlikley that caning children would deter "problem" children. It certainly would have been horrific for me but I was a relatively good child so "punishment" had an effect. The underage thugs we are discussing would probably consider being caned a rite of passage!

[icecoldin]

Oh yeah, lets go back to the good old days and start thumping kids with a belt. That will do the trick won't it. I say bringing back the belt is not enough. What I suggest is bring back hanging, no wait hanging's too good for the thugs. Let's torture them for a while first, say bamboo shoots under the finger nails, or a mild electric shock for the lesser offender. If the a bout of torture doesn't work, then we should maybe burn them at the stake, yeah, a slow death, yeah, that should do it.