The Return of the Dunce Cap, Canadian Style

[DinbinFanfoom]

Teacher forces bullies to wear helmets labelled 'loser'

Last Updated Wed, 16 Mar 2005 21:38:06 EST CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/credit.html)
WINNIPEG - A teacher in a northern Manitoba town has sparked controversy by forcing students accused of bullying to wear hockey helmets bearing the slogans "loser" and "I'm stupid: I bully."

The students, who didn't deny they harassed another boy, were also subjected to jibes from other children during a role-playing exercise at Langruth Elementary School.

They were told to clean floors in the school in Langruth, located on the west side of Lake Manitoba.

Some parents said they were outraged by the teacher's approach, calling the punishment unethical.

"I'm not saying my kid's a saint and if there's discipline in school, discipline the kid. But don't humiliate the kid in front of the rest of the students," said Anthony Strong, whose son was among those punished.

Jackie Sutherland said her 10-year-old son, who was also disciplined, sometimes pokes fun at other children but isn't a bully.

"This particular role-play, I believe, was a little too extreme ... They were forced into being ridiculed by the whole school," she said.

Other parents, however, defended the teacher, gathering outside the school in support of the discipline.

"I think role-playing is an excellent model to teach a child what they're doing to others," said one parent, Phyllis Thordarson.

"At least this teacher had the courage to say these other children shouldn't be going home crying every day. These children, if they role-play, may learn what they're doing to other children."

Sutherland, who is a member of the parent advisory committee for the school, conceded that the discipline will probably make her son think twice about mocking other children in the future.

The school division said it supports the teacher's approach to discipline, but it wouldn't make any other comments on the case.

CBC News obtained a letter from the school division that said it would no longer use helmets, but continued to see a value in role-playing to combat bullying.

[Serani]

"But don't humiliate the kid in front of the other students..."

Isn't that exactly what they're doing to get the discipline? Seems like that's an apt discipline to me...

[Aananla]

That is great. :eek1:

As far as I know, teachers are not allowed to do this in the US. Teachers have been so hamstrung by parents who scream lawsuit when their child gets a splinter from the see-saw and cowardly administration who won't stand up for the few teachers with balls enough to discipline a bully, that actual teaching has become nearly impossible.

[Sagar]

I was appaled when a co-worker had to go to child care to get her toddler because it hit another toddler.

She asked what they had done for discipline and they said "Nothing. We aren't allowed to discipline in any way." Not a spanking, not a hand slap, not even a time out. And not even with the parent's permission.

*shudder*

I thought my 5th grade teacher was great! If you didn't raise your hand - he figured it was too weak to lift and "let" you hold a dictionary out at arms lenght for 5 minutes to "excercise" it. If you talked too much, he let you vent that energy reading the story to the class. We quickly learned misbehaving had consequences and modified our behavior accordingly.

Today, he would be fired, sued, and fed to alligators, I am sure. :frown:

[Tulenyre]

I definately agree with the teacher.

[DirkDarkBlade]

I have to agree with the teacher too! When I worked at the store I worked with a lot of school teachers and they are very much prevented from teaching by all this in the US.