Hot on the heels of a provocative controversial new book that has all of America talking about the damage corporal punishment causes to children, comes another loud wake-up call of equal potency and paramount importance for all Bangladeshi families and schoolteachers to heed its warnings.
The Primordial Violence, written by Professor Murray Straus, brought together research of more than 40 years, and concluded that corporal punishment (in schools and homes) is harmful and should be abolished.
"Ending corporal punishment will not only reduce the risk of delinquency and mental health problems, it also will bring to children the right to be free of physical attacks in the name of discipline, just as wives gained that human right a century and a quarter ago," said Professor Straus, founder and co-director of the Family Research Lab and professor emeritus of sociology at the University of New Hampshire.
Now, renowned American school psychologist Nadine A. Block, who has spent 25 years campaigning against corporal punishment in America shares her wisdom, knowledge and expertise in a facts-filled warts-and-all book on the subject to short-circuit the decay in modern society.
In her book, Breaking The Paddle: Ending School Corporal Punishment, she asserts that children should have the same right that all adults have - the right to be free from physical harm. The book is written for educators, parents, child advocates, policy makers, and members of helping professions, such as doctors, nurses, and psychologists and speaks openly and direct about the horrific dangers of inflicting corporal punishment on children.
"I want to shed light on one of the darkest aspects of the education system. I want to share my experiences and knowledge gained over the years and to inspire others to help end it in all schools," said Ms. Block, who is seeking zero-tolerance of the appalling abuse.
"Corporal punishment leads to physical injuries of children, psychological problems, alienation from school, school drop-outs and loss of self esteem, to name a few. It's inhumane, ineffective, and archaic," she added.
Corporal punishment in Bangladesh schools has been outlawed since 2011, but some poorly educated die-hard 'teachers' in schools and madrassas still need to be brought up to speed, correct the error of their ways, or to be dismissed from the profession, for the greater benefit of the children entrusted to them and Bangladesh.
Corporal punishment absolutely serves no useful purpose whatsoever, but causes untold damage.
Sir Frank Peters is a human rights advocate, a former newspaper publisher and editor and a loyal foreign friend of Bangladesh.
sirfrankpeters@googlemail.com
American school psychologist on corporal punishment
Sir Frank Peters | Published: January 27, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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