Schools should not be torture chambers
Nov 06, 2007
I wish to respond to the article “Spare the rod, spoil the child†by Pastor Martin Ssempa in <i>Sunday Vision</i> of October 7. Whereas Ssempa condemns the prohibition of corporal punishment in schools as an irrational decision lacking scientific research, he provides no findings of scientific r
By Prossy Nakanjako
I wish to respond to the article “Spare the rod, spoil the child†by Pastor Martin Ssempa in Sunday Vision of October 7. Whereas Ssempa condemns the prohibition of corporal punishment in schools as an irrational decision lacking scientific research, he provides no findings of scientific research to back his arguments.
For example, his allegation that there is a correlation between strikes in schools and the prohibition of corporal punishment is mere speculation. Corporal punishment is any act in which force is used to cause pain or discomfort as a disciplinary measure. It can also be non-physical punishment, which belittles, humiliates, threatens, scares or makes fun of the person.
The biblical proverb: ‘Spare the rod, spoil the child’ is used literally to defend corporal punishment. If we are to do such injustice to the bible, there are other areas to look at. Leviticus 20:9 says: “Anyone who curses his father or mother shall be put to death.†Leviticus 19:19 says, “...Do not cross-breed domestic animals. Do not plant two kinds of seeds in the same field. Do not wear clothes made of two kinds of material.†Exodus 22:29-30 says, “... Give me your first sons... Let the firstborn male stay with its mother for seven days and on the eighth day, offer it to me.†Does this mean that parents should kill their first sons?
In the New Testament, Jesus never advocates for the use of violence against children. He says, “Let the children come to me… (Mathew 19:14). Ephesians 6â€4 says, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: But bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.†The word nurture means care for or cherish. In a study by Raising Voices on violence against children, children said beating does not teach them anything; but only makes them feel intense anger.
Those who have studied the bible in Hebrew (original language of the bible) have argued that the ‘rod’ can be a tool to guide or comfort, not to hit, and we would never spare guidance. The word rod was translated from original Hebrew word shebet, which also means sceptre or staff. And sceptre or staff is a sign of authority that a shepherd uses to guide his sheep and it is certainly not done by beating. Psalms 23:4 says, ‘... thy shepherds rod and staff protect me.†In this case, a parent, guardian, or teacher is supposed to guide and protect children –– not humiliate them.
Article 24 of the Constitution states: “No person shall be subjected to any from of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.†The Penal Code Act (S. 221) and the Children’s Act (S. 5), protect children from all forms of violence, discrimination or abuse.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights spell out that children have the right to human dignity and physical integrity. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children should be protected from all forms of violence.
The African Charter on the rights and welfare of the child says that children must be treated with dignity and respect when disciplined at home or at school.
The UN study on violence against children says: no violence against children is justifiable.
Parents take their children to school because they expect them to acquire skills that will help them in future. Children go to school with aspirations, but sometimes schools threaten these aspirations. They have not been guided on how to handle situations without violence. The message children get when they are beaten is that if you want someone to do what you want, you must use force.
The writer is the media programme officer, Raising Voices
I wish to respond to the article “Spare the rod, spoil the child†by Pastor Martin Ssempa in Sunday Vision of October 7. Whereas Ssempa condemns the prohibition of corporal punishment in schools as an irrational decision lacking scientific research, he provides no findings of scientific research to back his arguments.
For example, his allegation that there is a correlation between strikes in schools and the prohibition of corporal punishment is mere speculation. Corporal punishment is any act in which force is used to cause pain or discomfort as a disciplinary measure. It can also be non-physical punishment, which belittles, humiliates, threatens, scares or makes fun of the person.
The biblical proverb: ‘Spare the rod, spoil the child’ is used literally to defend corporal punishment. If we are to do such injustice to the bible, there are other areas to look at. Leviticus 20:9 says: “Anyone who curses his father or mother shall be put to death.†Leviticus 19:19 says, “...Do not cross-breed domestic animals. Do not plant two kinds of seeds in the same field. Do not wear clothes made of two kinds of material.†Exodus 22:29-30 says, “... Give me your first sons... Let the firstborn male stay with its mother for seven days and on the eighth day, offer it to me.†Does this mean that parents should kill their first sons?
In the New Testament, Jesus never advocates for the use of violence against children. He says, “Let the children come to me… (Mathew 19:14). Ephesians 6â€4 says, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: But bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.†The word nurture means care for or cherish. In a study by Raising Voices on violence against children, children said beating does not teach them anything; but only makes them feel intense anger.
Those who have studied the bible in Hebrew (original language of the bible) have argued that the ‘rod’ can be a tool to guide or comfort, not to hit, and we would never spare guidance. The word rod was translated from original Hebrew word shebet, which also means sceptre or staff. And sceptre or staff is a sign of authority that a shepherd uses to guide his sheep and it is certainly not done by beating. Psalms 23:4 says, ‘... thy shepherds rod and staff protect me.†In this case, a parent, guardian, or teacher is supposed to guide and protect children –– not humiliate them.
Article 24 of the Constitution states: “No person shall be subjected to any from of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.†The Penal Code Act (S. 221) and the Children’s Act (S. 5), protect children from all forms of violence, discrimination or abuse.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights spell out that children have the right to human dignity and physical integrity. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children should be protected from all forms of violence.
The African Charter on the rights and welfare of the child says that children must be treated with dignity and respect when disciplined at home or at school.
The UN study on violence against children says: no violence against children is justifiable.
Parents take their children to school because they expect them to acquire skills that will help them in future. Children go to school with aspirations, but sometimes schools threaten these aspirations. They have not been guided on how to handle situations without violence. The message children get when they are beaten is that if you want someone to do what you want, you must use force.
The writer is the media programme officer, Raising Voices