child abuse?

Discussion of the children's schools in the UK.
dan
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2004 4:39 pm

child abuse?

Postby dan » Sat Apr 09, 2005 2:46 pm

I think this (pasted below) is relevant to all, including parents, and those who were 'disciplined' as children whether at SES schools or at home by parents.

It seems that government agencies are starting to listen to children, and from now on children are going to have a bigger part in school inspections, I am not sure whether this includes private schools though (unfortunately for St James pupils).

This recent vote by MPs indicates that not all are as aware of the impact of violence against children as they could be IMO. I do not share Martgaret Hodges confidence that all adults know the 'world of difference between a light smack and violence or abuse'. I am sure that when the St James and St vedast teachers disciplined children, they didnt think they were being violent or abusive.

Pasted from the Children's Rights Alliance website, http://www.crae.org.uk/

PARENTS CAN KEEP ON HITTING BABIES AND CHILDREN
In the House of Commons, on November 2 [2004], 75 MPs voted to give babies and children the same protection as adults from assault. Four hundred and twenty four MPs voted to keep the archaic 'reasonable chastisement' defence. Labour MPs were not allowed a free vote on equal protection.

The Children's Minister, Margaret Hodge, led the Government's opposition to equal protection, arguing that, "There is a world of difference between a light smack and violence or abuse".

When young children were consulted by the National Children's Bureau and Save the Children UK, they described powerfully how smacking hurts, physically and emotionally.

?It feels like someone banged you with a hammer.?
5 year-old girl

?Sometimes if you smack, if it was an adult like my daddy, he can smack very hard ... he can smack you like a stone ... and you?ll cry.?
7 year-old boy

?I was just thinking that if they changed the law then a lot of people will realise what they had done to their child and they would probably?be happy that the law was changed. If they don't change the law they will think 'oh well, the child doesn't mind so we can keep on doing it'. But if they realise that children have been talking to adults about it then I think they will definitely realise that it hurts their child and they will be very upset with themselves.?
7 year-old girl

The Government has promised to review the law in two years' time, and to consult parents.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

If your MP is one who voted against giving babies and children the same protection as adults from assault - then IMO we should write to them to persuade them otherwise.
Dan

Tom Grubb
Posts: 380
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 10:23 pm
Location: London

Postby Tom Grubb » Sat Apr 09, 2005 9:31 pm

I agree, Dan. I recently wrote to my MP about just this issue. His reply, and the way he voted on this in the Commons, has ensured that he will not be receiving my vote.

Tom

dan
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2004 4:39 pm

Postby dan » Tue May 03, 2005 9:28 pm

I agree with your sentiments Tom. I think we should get Margaret Hodge to have a look at this site so she can be made aware of the dangers of the effect of cults that promote violence against children as the SES used to.

World-wide ofcourse children are still suffering in large numbers from war, military recruitment, over-zealous bigoted teachers and many other 'adult' threats . The extract below sounds all too familiar to me, an ex pupil of St Vedast.

Violence and Discrimination Against Children in Schools

For many children around the world, violence was a regular part of the school experience. In some countries, school officials routinely used corporal punishment to maintain classroom discipline and to punish children for poor academic performance. In other countries, authorities failed to intervene to protect minority children from harassment and attacks by other students. The failure of school officials to protect children from violence in school denied them their right to be free from all forms of physical or mental violence and the full enjoyment of their right to education.

Human Rights Watch worked to highlight these abuses, undertaking a fact-finding mission to Kenya and issuing its findings in August 1999. Kenya's School Discipline Regulations authorized the use of corporal punishment in schools but failed effectively to regulate its use. Nominal restraints were routinely ignored by teachers and the regulations rarely enforced. Teachers caned children for "offenses" such as tardiness, talking in class, wearing torn or dirty uniforms, being unable to answer a question, or failing to achieve target marks set on exams. These measures often resulted in bruising, swelling, and small cuts; at times, however, children suffered more serious injuries such as sprained or broken fingers or wrists, knocked-out teeth, internal injuries, and even death.


http://hrw.org/children/schools.htm
Dan


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