Is caning an appropriate way to discipline school bullies?

By 2027, every school will have to follow standard disciplinary measures such as detention and conduct grade adjustment for different types of misbehaviour.

But the measure that divided parents, teachers and parliamentarians was that bullies can get up to three strokes of the cane.

Caning in schools is not new, so why were so many people upset that school bullies will be caned?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak with ST education correspondent and former secondary school teacher Elisha Tushara, and chief executive officer of the Singapore Children’s Society Ang Boon Min, about what caused the scrutiny over caning for bullies.

At a time when bullying cases are increasing - albeit by a small number - will caning change behaviour among recalcitrant students? Also, if parents step in to take on their child’s bullies, will it make things worse?

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:35 Does caning students work?

4:55 Do children learn from being caned?

8:22 Creative ways students try to escape caning

11:20 How do children become bullies?

13:34 Reframe the language around bullying

16:35 Most children don’t want their bully punished

19:11 Natural for parents to “feel an ache”

20:42 What is restorative justice?

22:35 Will teachers be stretched further?

26:45 How to help bullied children feel safe?

29:35 Parents involvement can be “unproductive”