Educate early

All Australians are disgusted and discouraged to see the behaviour of out-of-control youths breaking and entering, stealing, even hi-jacking motor vehicles, smashing jewellery shops, beating up older citizens, and ignoring speed restrictions as they drive erratically and dangerously while unlicensed … and then escaping from where they are meant to be safely detained.

We applaud the government’s decisions to increase the police force at this necessary time, but note with some dismay other government decisions which have contributed to the problem.

Most of our older citizens remember that when religious instruction was mandated for all students, there was a rich opportunity to learn about right and wrong, about love and forgiveness, about kindness and generosity, about working for a future hope, about contributing to a team effort, about a spiritual dimension that is today so easily ignored or ridiculed.

And when corporal discipline was part of every home and every school, kids quickly understood what was good and right, and what was wrong and irresponsible.

Most men over 40 report that they may not have liked it at the time, but it did no long-term harm, and it sorted them out. Proper corporal discipline is wise punishment for poor behaviour, not child abuse.

We know that many parents expect teachers to do everything, as their own lives are too involved in earning incomes; this delegation of moral teaching has meant that it is more and more important, that the true basis of our morality and civilisation, the Christian faith, is taught to all children in our society.