Spare

I STILL have vivid memo-

- ries of it ... sitting frozen in
fear at my desk in Grade 3
while a teacher hauled a
screaming, crying boy out of
the classroom.

We all knew he was being taken
to the principal's office. We all
knew he would probubly get the
strap — an accepted method of dis-
cipline in that school in the early
“40s.

Alter all that we know now
about the effects of violent behavior
on children, it boggles the mind to
learn that there are stil] adults and
educators who believe it is accept
able for bigger, stronger beings to
hitsmatler, more vulnerable beings.

It's especially miad-boggling
that this corporal punishment is uk-
ing place in a school that professes
to be Christian.

‘The Cornerstone Christian
school in Abbotsford sees nothing
wrong in the use of a wooden rod to
discipline children.

Apparently, the parents of the
students fovor the use of the rod as
well — they sign an agreement that
permits teacher to punish their child
with “a reasonable number of firm
strokes,”

“This is part of our religious
belief system,” says Pastor David
McElhoes, a spokesman for the
school. “Whom the Lord foves, He
chastens.”

ERAS (CUS CARMA?

INSIG

TS

"3

Friday, J

uly 1, 1994 - North Shore News - 7

the rod and spare the child

Quite apart from the fact that
this “belief system” ignores com-
pletely that Jesus Christ was a non-
violent. loving individual (f can't
recall any Bible story where Jesus
used physical violence on anyone),
it is contrary to everything we've
learned about child developinent.

Educators and parents of the
Cornerstone itk would probably
ignore his advice, but here's what
Dr. Benjamin Spock says about
physical punishnient of children in
his book Baby and Child Care.

Though he's addressing parents,
his advice could apply to any adult
responsible for the care of children:
“There are several reasons to avoid
physical punishinent, | fect. 1
teaches children that the farper,
stronger person has the power lo
get his way, whether or nol he is in
the right, and they may resent this
in their parent — for tife.

“Some spanked children [eel
quite justified in beating up on
smaller ones. The American tradi-
tian of spanking nuty be one cause
of the fact that there is much more
violence in our country than in any
other comparable cation —~— murder,
armed robbery, wife abuse, child
abuse,”

rarporal punishment is banned
under the Public School Act, but

Comerstone, a private school, can
engage in the practice because the
Independent School Act makes no
meniion of what constitutes appro-

Collins off-course in
Native perks column

Dear Editor:

Re: Doug Collins’ articte on
First Nations perks.

Doug Collins, you asked for it!
Your remarks show ignorance.

The “perks” of First Nations
people ure not endicss, but on the
contrary often have no beginning.

What is endless is the frustration
of dealing with a bureaucracy of red
tape, the Department of Indian
Affairs (DIA), a system rooted in
apartheid,

There are strict guidelines out-
lining benefits for native medical
and dental coverage.

Acquiring these benefits can be
an ordeal. Being the parent of a
child with native status, i had the
privilege of dealing with DIA first-
hand.

My son had a prescription for
orthotics from the UBC Sports
Medicine clinic, end as outlined in

. the medical brochure, he was sup-
posed to be covered because of his
Indian status.

After eight very long months of
phone calls, sending registered let-
ters to Ottawa, | was finally issued
with a reimbursement cheque. But |
had to put up a real fight.

Dental coverage provides basic
once-per-year cleaning, amalgam
fillings, extractions.

If you need a temporary patch-
up on a chipped tooth, this is cos-
metic and you're out of luck.

A friend of mine, a Coast Salish
carver, went to his dentist with a
backache and they pulled out every
tooth in his mouth. He still has his
backache.

The dentist did the same thing to
his 16-year-old son. What do you
make of that?

If you need a crown you are
blessed with an ugly metallic silver-
grey crown. Who would want this
to line the inside of a child's smile?

You say “Go get yourself an
Indian friend. He can fiddle things
for you.” Natives cannot buy one
thing at Park Royal tax-free without
nasty comments flying, sifent
accusatory stares cutting the air! |
know. I've been there.

Next dime you think about writ-
ing accusatory comments about
native people, do some research
first and yet the facts!

And by the way, it is about time
our Canadian banks begin to sup-
port First Nations initiatives. In the
past they could nat even get a loan,
or vote, or even graduate from high
school, A lot of things that we take
for granted.

M. Ussner
West Vancouver

Poor response
to referendum

Dear Editor:

After reading your recent front
page account of our Reform MP Ted
White being out of pocket by $5,000
due to a dismal response to his
Young Offenders Act (YOA) refer-
endum, | was shocked at the apathy
of my North Shore neighbors, partic-
ularly those who voted him into
office. Other than the fact that the
YOA is of universal importance to
all Canadians, White is to be
admired for his faith in the people he
was chosen to represent and the
tenacity to illustrate his principles.
White is well-liked and respected by
both his peers and those of other
political preferences and I only hope
that he can forgive the 9056 of his
tiding’s eligible voters for their col-
lective slap in the Face.

Raymond Yates
North Vancouver

Catherine
Atyeo

JUST ADD WATER
priate discipline.

Theoretically, Cornerstone and
other independent schools could be
charged with assault for striking a
child, but a parent would have to
choose to lay a charge.

Roger Fox, principal of
Gleneagles Elementary in West
Vancouver, is shocked that any
schoot would condone the use of
physical punishment.

“Violence begets violence,” he
states tluntly. .

Based on 35 years in education,
Fox firmly believes that reasoning.
talking to and counselling children

are far more effective than physical
punishment. .

“By inflicting pain you get com-
pliance, bul not agreement,” he
argues,

Whether you're a parent ora
teacher. children are going to test
you and challenge you —- toa
degree that can send your blood
pressure soaring and make you
want to deliver a firm smack to the
bottom.

But in a situation dike this, it is
up to an adult to take a deep breath
and pull back.

Using physical forge ona child.
whether iCs in the classroom or at
home, is ultimatety an admission of
Taiture ... ofan inability to deal with
the child ina consteuctive way. 1s
really saying: “Lean't be buthered
to sit dawn and tatk to you about
your behavior, so CIE just strike
you.”

As a teacher friend told me,
there is no reason why a good
teacher (or parent, for that matter)
should need to resort to corporal
punishment. There are plenty of
alternatives, she points out, and if
you're clever and dedicated enough
you'll find them.

realize now that, through my
childhood, many of my classmates
encured physical punishment
because they weren't behaving like
perfect little sutomatons, mouth
shut and hands folded on their
desks,

Eventually, many of those kids
were labelled by so-called protes-
sionals as “hyperactive” for exhibit-
ing some of the following behav-
iors: not always listening to direc-
lions, fidgeting, not sitting still,
butting into situations, and showing
off in the presence of other chil-
dren,

Hove the response of prominent
American pediatrician Dr. Robert
Mendelsohn (How To Raise A
Healihy Child..dn Spite Of Your
Doctor) to the perception that the
above traits are samehow undesir-
able and worthy of punishment.

“TL would begin to worry ifa
child dida't display most of those
behaviors, Then Pd devote my
itlention to teying to diagnose why
he is behaving like a vegetable!"

Interesting ‘hat the news of a
school sull using physical violence
on children would appear around
the same tine as revelations of the
abusive behavior of a former foot-
ball superstar.

Undoubtedly, the Cornerstone
fotk would see no connection
between their behavior and that of
OJ. Simpson. But whether you're
deliberately striking a child with a
rod, of regularly whacking your
wife in a rage, you are sending a
message to a child that physical
violence is acceptable in human
relations —- and that can only pro-
long the cycle of violence in this
society,

Neighborhoods need neighbors of all ages

there isn’t housing to suit their needs. Neighborhood:

Dear Editor:

Every neighborhood should share in multiple hous-
ing and more specifically, housing for seniors over 55.

There are many older people who do not want to
leave the neighbourhood they have grown up in, raised
their children in and have become attached to, but they
would like to sell their home. They should not have to
leave their neighborhood and move, possibiy out of the
district completely or off the North Shore, because

that have people of all ages are better and stronger for
it. Their reluctance to sell their homes increases the
shortage of family housing in North Vancouver.

I think we should be supporting multi-dwelling pro-
jects that fit into the neighborhood that are reasonably
priced and well designed.

Roger G. Nickel
North Vancouver