A kid’s discipline starts at home

The good thing about South Africa’s digital and connected society is that it has become that more difficult to conceal abuse and wrongdoing. The bad thing is that cellphones can often be the techno spark which ignites raging fires of outrage. This week, a cellphone- and social media-generated row flared up after a teacher in Cape Town was captured on video slapping a pupil in class.

The confrontation had already turned ugly before the slap, brought on by the pupil’s apparent defiance and her illegal use of her phone during class.

The incident has, as is to be expected these days, polarised people. There are those defending the teacher and those standing up for the pupil, many of whom are portraying the fracas as racist in nature, because the pupil was black.

There are no innocents in this scenario. A teacher, no matter how grievously provoked, should never use violence. Also, in this case, the video shows she had already lost her temper with the child. That is unprofessional.

On the other hand, the pupil’s behaviour – and gross indiscipline – are also inexcusable. Classroom rules, like those laws governing broader society, are there to keep order and protect the rights of all.

What happened in this case shows the extent to which order has broken down in many schools around the country. Teachers not only feel threatened, they are frequently themselves the target of assaults. Too many students feel they can act with impunity, particularly in the absence of corporal punishment.

Corporal punishment is outdated and ineffective. Discipline starts at home – and that is the root of the problem.

People need to realise that as much as they have rights, they also have responsibilities … and discipline is one of them.