Caddle calls for end to corporal punishment

Parliamentarian and economist Marsha Caddle is calling for an end to corporal punishment in schools which she views as “state-sanctioned abuse of children”.
During her brief remarks at Wednesday’s I am A Girl workshop for female secondary schools students, held in recognition of International Women’s Day at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Caddle said that as society tries to eliminate various forms of abuse, the use of corporal punishment needs to be re-examined.
“The way I grew up also gave me examples of things we as a society should let go. One of those, I believe, is corporal punishment and what amounts, I think, to the state-sanctioned abuse of children. If we say that it is not okay for me as a stranger to walk up to you at the bus stop and slap you, if that is not okay, why is it okay for me as a teacher or somebody in authority to come into your school and slap you?”
“In the first case that is assault, in the second case we consider it discipline, and I strongly believe that in our education reform programme, in all of the things that we do now and in the future, that teaching ourselves how to deal with conflict will mean getting rid of those options as a way of resolving conflict.”
Meanwhile, Caddle encouraged students to be fearless when given the opportunity to lead and advised them to carry out that leadership with a sense of responsibility and love.
“One thing I learnt about growing up as a girl in Haggatt Hall is the importance of being able to lead with love, the importance of being able to lead with justice, and the importance of being able to lead in the community. There is no hope of us improving our society if we try and forge ahead alone,” the MP for St. Michael South Central said.
“If we find ourselves on a path and we do not have other people around us that we are bringing along with us, then we are not leading. I am not saying bring along behind us, [but] bring along with us.”
(SB)