Does sparing the rod spoil the child?
THE AGE-OLD punishment of a cane swishing or fluttering against a serge-covered posterior still creates just as much dissension among the ranks of those concerned with education as it ever did. The Rongotai incident can be seen as another chapter in the great caning debate, admittedly slightly more colourful than most. Such an airing of the issue emerges with almost as much novelty as the 1977 incident in Auckland where an angry father harangued more than 1100 Mt Albert Grammar School boys at their morning assembly, accusing the school of wanting to cane his third-form son. Rongotai’s principal, Mr Mackay, who videotaped the caning of about 25 boys, was condemned by the school’s board, but found he had the support of his teachers and of a large proportion of his pupils. A deputation of students eloquently expressed their loyalty to him on a visit to our office. The whole incident shows the issue is just as contentious as ever, the arguments for and against just as divided. The Educatio
