Return of the Strap and Cane?

Federal Health Minister, Tony the Abbott, has weighed in in favour of the whack of the leather and the crash of the cane in restoring discipline to out of control teens in Australia's schools.

I strongly doubt that it will make the slightest bit of difference. My own personal experience was that the teachers who were respected hardly ever had to use corporal punishment in the classroom. The one's who used it most were either ineffective or very permissive teachers.

My brother, had the record for his year for the number of times he was belted. It was like a badge of courage as he took it to the teachers. I on the other hand was the quiet type and only got belted twice, once for chewing gum in class and another for a minor incident that four people were held collectively responsible for.

In neither case did the presence of corporal punishment make the slightest difference to behaviour.

I think you have to look to families to make a difference. It seems that this responsibility is being abdicated by many.

The other alternative is to go to stronger measures as suggested in the photograph.