Should naughty schoolchildren be fined?

A middle school teacher in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, has proposed a controversial way to keep her students focused in class — fines for misbehavior. As for those who behave well, they can get a cash reward.

For example, if a student is caught using a mobile phone during class, he or she has to pay 100 yuan ($15).

The teacher said she started the system in the second half of 2015 and got support from the students’ parents. Every month, she posts student records for parents to see.

However, after the media reported the story, the middle school urged the teacher to return all the money because she has no legal right to fine her students. Other teachers also received a notice not to fine students.

YES

I think it is OK if this system actually works. Sometimes I feel very frustrated when my girl ignores my directions. I tried to talk nicely with her, or even yell at her, but she just didn’t listen. When I was a kid, I didn’t even dare talk back to my mother, not to mention in school. I’m new at this, so I can’t figure out a better and more effective way to keep dozens of kids in order at the same time. Teachers should not be criticized too much.

Zhang Ying, mother of an 8-year-old student in Wuxi, Jiangsu province

NO

It is very common for teachers to have students who don’t want to follow directions. I think teachers should do their best to understand these kids and guide their behavior. Kids born after 2000 are growing up in relatively rich families that tend to spoil them. My suggestion is to cultivate a sense of responsibility, to show them the right thing to do, to communicate with them with respect, and to give open compliments.

Chu Zhaohui, senior researcher at National Institute of Education Sciences

I can understand why the teacher adopted this method to manage her class. Teachers can find their hands are tied when their students are totally spoiled by their families and tend to get everything they want. However, I don’t think asking students to pay a fine is reasonable. It will give students the wrong idea that money can erase faults. Students may not truly understand why these behaviors are wrong. There is no shortcut when it comes to teaching. Teachers have to be patient and communicate with students in an open way.

Xu Xiao, teacher from Wenzhou, Zhejiang province

I think the key issue is no one knows how much money she required the students to give her, except herself. There was no supervision from the school. She said she posted all the information to the parents. However, no one could tell. When I was a kid, my teachers often caught me reading novels or playing games during class. They “temporarily” confiscated my books and game devices, but I never got them back. There is no legal right for them to confiscate a student’s personal property. Gao Xuan, a fashion designer in Shanghai