Against the backdrop of the controversy surrounding anti-corporal punishment policies, this course provides reasons why appropriate corporal punishment is necessary in education, discussing who should use it, when it is permissible, who it is for, and the physical extent of it. It also explains the need for corporal punishment in light of the differences in sentiment and educational environments between Korea and the West.
The necessity of corporal punishment
I’m not proud of it, but I was a good listener to my parents and teachers as a child. I wasn’t reprimanded much, and I have more vivid memories of being scolded or punished. In elementary school, I was caught by my mother while playing plucking, and in middle school, I was punished for not being able to control the children as a class leader. Looking back, I don’t think the corporal punishment I suffered was justified. However, after I was punished by my mother for playing the draw, I never went near the draw again and naturally stayed away from the game. Later, when I asked my mother about the punishment, she told me that you were also disciplined for similar reasons, and that the punishment that felt unfair in middle school was actually a great opportunity to develop a sense of responsibility and community as a leader of a group.
Recently, South Korea has banned corporal punishment in all elementary, middle, and high schools. This policy is highly controversial. Those in favor of the policy argue that it’s the beginning of a new era of student rights. On the other hand, others argue that it will prevent students from developing the character they need to be social beings. I believe that appropriate corporal punishment is necessary. In order to argue for the necessity of corporal punishment, I’ll first examine why no-punishment policies are problematic, and then discuss the who and what of corporal punishment, as well as the circumstances under which corporal punishment might be acceptable and the parts of the body that can be punished.
Why no-punishment policies are problematic
Why is a policy against corporal punishment problematic? Traditionally, South Korea’s educational culture originated in the Seodang culture. In Seodang, it was normal for a teacher to corporally punish a student, and parents had absolute trust in the teacher, as Confucian virtues have long been valued in Eastern societies, including Korea. However, with the introduction of Western culture and ideas, there has been an expanding awareness of human rights that guarantee freedom and equality. The Korean Constitution now guarantees human rights, and education recognizes teachers and students as equal subjects. Therefore, it is now considered a violation of human rights for a teacher to corporally punish a student. This coexistence of Confucian values and human rights consciousness has led to a conflict in the policy of prohibiting corporal punishment.
Determining who can and cannot be punished
Corporal punishment is defined as the act of inflicting pain on the body of another person by means of an instrument or the body when there is a justifiable reason. Because corporal punishment involves physical pain, it should preferably be preceded by verbal admonishment or non-contact sanctions when it is not necessary. In this context, non-contact sanctions are punitive behaviors such as kneeling, raising hands, or cleaning the toilet. This discussion focuses on the appropriateness of using corporal punishment when verbal admonishment or non-contact sanctions are not effective.
Corporal punishment can be used in educational institutions such as schools and academies. While both schools and cram schools share the goal of imparting knowledge to improve learning, schools have a greater responsibility for character education than cram schools. Therefore, hagwons do not consider corporal punishment necessary. In addition, non-contact sanctions such as verbal admonishment or academic penalties are sufficient for college students and older. Therefore, the discussion should focus on elementary, middle, and high schools.
Debating the need for corporal punishment
So, why is corporal punishment necessary when verbal admonishment or non-contact sanctions are not effective? First, schools are institutions that are responsible for educating the whole person, not just imparting knowledge. The age group of elementary, middle, and high school students are not yet adults, and they lack social skills and are still forming them. It’s a time when they are not yet adults and are still forming their social skills. However, in the modern world, students spend most of their time in school, and schools have taken on the role of not only imparting knowledge, but also of family. Moreover, the nuclearization of the family has led to less interaction between parents and children, and the educational role of the home has been eroded. Therefore, schools need to correct misbehavior, first through verbal admonishment, second through sanctions, and if this is not enough, through corporal punishment.
Second, corporal punishment is also necessary to maintain social order and ensure the right to education of other students. Due to the lack of character education, many students do not respect adults or respect life, leading to social conflicts and an increase in juvenile crime. If this situation continues, it will be difficult to maintain order in schools, and the educational rights of other students will be violated. Therefore, schools should use appropriate corporal punishment to maintain social order by cultivating a sense of community and altruism among students.
Third, the sentiment and environment of Korea and the West are too different to ban corporal punishment. One of the reasons why corporal punishment was banned in South Korea was the introduction of Western educational perspectives. However, the cultural backgrounds of Korea and the West are different and shouldn’t be adopted blindly. While Western education often ends with verbal admonishments and non-contact sanctions, South Korea has always allowed corporal punishment when necessary. This is because while Western education is system-centered, Korean education is person-centered. Of course, when secondary measures are sufficient, that’s best. But what do you do when secondary measures are insufficient? There are two ways to deal with this: one is to use strong sanctions like suspension or expulsion, and the other is to use corporal punishment. In the West, we often choose the former, but it doesn’t always work in Korea. While Western education pushes social character through the system, South Korea has used corporal punishment to focus on the individual and help them grow up the right way. In the Korean sentiment and environment, corporal punishment can be educationally useful. However, as the country becomes more Westernized, Western methods of education may be more appropriate.
Discussing when corporal punishment is acceptable and what parts of the body can be spanked
Even though Korean sentiment and environment has been westernized, there are still many areas where it hasn’t. Therefore, in the current Korean context, corporal punishment is necessary when non-contact sanctions don’t work. Let’s discuss the criteria for corporal punishment.
First, corporal punishment is only allowed when verbal admonishment and non-contact sanctions are ineffective. It is not necessary to inflict physical pain, and it should not be turned into an emotional act.
Second, in situations where stronger sanctions, such as suspension or expulsion, are available, it is appropriate to use them instead of corporal punishment. However, there are advantages and disadvantages to both strong sanctions and corporal punishment, and the choice should be made at the educator’s discretion.
Third, corporal punishment should be limited to areas such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet where physical harm can be minimized. This is because the purpose of corporal punishment is not to cause physical harm, but rather as a means of correction for educational purposes. It is important to maximize the educational benefits of corporal punishment while reducing the risk of physical harm.
Reasons in favor of corporal punishment policies
Corporal punishment is one of those teaching methods that should be avoided as much as possible because it involves physical pain. However, the sentiment and context in South Korea is different from the West, and it’s not appropriate to unconditionally accept a ban on corporal punishment. Moreover, for elementary, middle, and high school students, verbal admonishments and non-contact sanctions are often ineffective. Therefore, in the current Korean sentiment and environment, appropriate corporal punishment is necessary, and banning corporal punishment should be approached with caution.
