Is a Student “Standing in the Corner” Cruel Child Discipline?
“Go stand in the corner” is a common statement heard in classrooms all over the world when a student misbehaves. But now that form of discipline is coming under fire by those who claim it violates a student’s human rights. According to a report in London’s Daily Mail, several school districts in England have banned the so called “dunce corner” punishment. Health and safety officials say the practice is cruel, describing it as a “stress position” that could humiliate a child. Instead, teachers are being advised to ask the pupil making a nuisance to explain to his or her fellow students why he or she is interrupting the class. They favor a less physical punishment. There have been reports of children fainting while standing. And last year a teacher was banned from the classroom for two years after he made a seven year old with brittle bone disease stand in a corner for seven minutes. Traditionalists have attacked the idea, saying teachers will end up with no means left to control disrupt
