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Elementary school principal resigns after responding to knife threat with a heavy smack

76 Comments
By Rachel Tackett

The principal of an elementary school in Osaka recently resigned under pressure from the city’s board of education after using physical violence as a disciplinary measure against seven of the school’s students for enacting and concealing the event of a knife threat within the school.

In May, a sixth-grade boy broke school rules by bringing a knife onto campus and using it to threaten six of his classmates. No one was harmed, and the event was subsequently concealed from the teachers by all involved, even those students who were threatened. When the incident came to light, all seven students were called into a separate room and hit over the head once each by the principal.

None were injured, but nevertheless, the board of education was not happy at all with the head teacher’s choice of disciplinary action. They emphatically wish that violence not be used to discipline students, linking such acts with suicide rates in the district.

“I only meant to teach the students a lesson,” said the former principal. “I am reflecting deeply on my actions now.”

In response to the article, Japanese bloggers openly criticized the actions taken by the student offender and the board of education, but less so the disciplinary measures taken by the principal. Comments included:

-- “What? …What?!” -- “The kid is the one with the problem!” -- “Oh, Japanese board of educations! Way to teach kids that it’s okay to threaten your classmates with knives!” -- “This is the deplorable state of society.”

Source: Yomiuri Online

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In May, a sixth-grade boy broke school rules by bringing a knife onto campus and using it to threaten six of his classmates. No one was harmed...

and here in lies the problem. The idea that the victims could only be "hurt" if they were stabbed by the knife. And that the victims are somehow guilty.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Probably wasn't the best choice for reprimanding but I think he was on the right path . Responsibility lays with the students as well to report these serious events. Next time it may not just be threatening actions....

2 ( +3 / -1 )

all seven students were called into a separate room and hit over the head once each by the principal.

...and this is how principal ended his career once and for all, only in Japan !

0 ( +3 / -3 )

What the principal did is not wrong, what the boy did is not right. There is a difference between using corporal punishment under the guidance of club activities which causes a student to commit suicide and using corporal punishment to a student threatening his classmates with a knife.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

The story is lacking. Why did he have to hit all 7 kids?? Also why did the principal conceal the act, did he hide it from parents too? They should have been made aware of this.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Asking a principal to resign for corporal punishment...looks good on the paper but it simply empowered the students in this case. Bringing a bladed weapon in the school is a crime in almost all countries and can result to expulsion and even jailtime and a lifetime bad record.

I don't see the point of a principal acting like a father towards his precious pupils to correct them from doing something so foolish and might have them go on a more brighter future being asked to resign in this case.

Sucks to be a teacher in this country.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

A good principal , the punishment was correct, for the student who brought the knife into school, and the students who where threatened and didn't report the incident to the principal. Society is too political correct now. By issuing corporal punishment to all concerned he was teaching a valuable lesson, maybe the method of corporal punishment wasn't correct, but this is Japan. What if, at a later date that student with the knife went on a rampage within the school, and this is an elementary school remember, and before all you do gooders start criticising my response , I have two children in elementary school, 2nd and 6th grade. I wouldn't like it, if one day something bad happened at their school.How many times do we see those shocking news reports, haven't no lessons been learned. I grew up with a system of corporal punishment, and its a deterrent, plus I too felt the cane and the slipper, but you didn't dare tell your mother or she would give your more of the same. Criticise me all you want, but that principal should be reinstated, because what he did he thought was a just punishment, with whats commonly known as " a clip round the ear"

10 ( +16 / -6 )

So were the seven kids who kept this incident hidden punished (aside from the well deserved head smack)?! Especially, the dangerous fool who brought and threatened the others with a knife!

Hats off to the principal. I don't think I would've been able to show as much restraint. He should've just been let off with a warning.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

And In this month's new teacher slaps knife wielding kid in head resulting in no injury loses job. And in other news, over paid executive gets 10% pay cut for one month for secretly dumping radioactive water into the ocean. Give the teacher his job back!

9 ( +10 / -1 )

In May, a sixth-grade boy broke school rules by bringing a knife onto campus and using it to threaten six of his classmates.

June, June, July, August.....timely response by the BOE! (Fail) Must be one heck of an elementary school to have a "campus".

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Why were the six victims also punished? Is it possible that the brat with the knife was being bullied by them, and this was a form of retaliation? I don't think we're getting the full story here.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Why all this praise for the principal?!?! He hit ALL the kids. Not just the bully who had the knife, ALL the kids, including the victimized 6 kids.

For those to dim to understand this, he hit 6 INNOCENT kids for no reason. That is unacceptable. If one of those kids was mine I would be pressing assault charges.

For the record, I don't approve of him hitting the kid with the knife either. He should have called the parents and then the cops, and had the little brat spend a few days in the police cells for "questioning" before cutting him lose (hopefully scared so deeply that he'll have a panic attack every time he even looks at a knife for the rest of his life).

Smacking the knife-wielding kid on the head? Okay if the kid was actually holding the knife at the time. Not okay in a closed office.

-6 ( +4 / -11 )

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

“Oh, Japanese board of educations! Way to teach kids that it’s okay to threaten your classmates with knives!”

Apparently then, strange way of providing education in Japan....well maybe not that surprising from a society that does not consider association of gangsters..being illegal, “Mobs are legal entities here".

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Unfortunately the leaking of liberal western culture into Japan resulted in this. If this was older Japan, those students would have gotten a lot worse and NO ONE would have said anything.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Teachers can't and shouldn't be hitting kids. The principal, for one, should act as a role model for all of his staff. He made the wrong choice - seven times it would seem.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

@frungy

some of the "innocent" kids were idiots for not reporting the incident. if someone threatens you with a knife, and you don't report it then you are part of the problem.

kids these days have no fear of retribution because they know they can get away with almost anything at school. bring back corporal punishment, IMO.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Well I have to ask, what else could he do? I am not condoning hitting students at all, far from it, but I have to ask what other punishments could this principal give the knife carrying kid? I assume the others were punished because they didn't tell the teacher who had the knife.

So, you can't kick kids out of class here, you can't stop them from attending club, you CAN give in house suspension b ut let's be honest, that's so much extra work for staff and teachers and doesn't teach the kid anything. You can't kick the kid out of school so... what can this principal do?

And of course, where are the parents??

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Spare the rod spoil the child. RIght now we're all paying the price for the last 30 odd years of vague A.S.Neil influenced education policies. The next time you see selfish behaviour by young people which will be today, blame the lack of moderate corporal punishment. Active word, 'moderate'. The principal is wrong in as much as he should have given them all a whack across the head with a telephone book and a suspension.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

For those to dim to understand this, he hit 6 INNOCENT kids for no reason

I don't think giving them the same punishment as the kid who brought the knife to school is fair, and for that the principal should be held accountable - but the other kids are not completely innocent. They should have reported it to the teacher.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The story is lacking. Why did he have to hit all 7 kids??

because they didn't report that they were threatened with a knife. That is pretty clear from the story...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

So the moral of this story, is the teachers should wait until some poor kid commits suicide to then do something about this? Also the mentality that the person lashing out has 100 percent culpability is misguided. No one will know the whole story, so all the kids who hid this from the teachers were in the wrong. Innocent people do not hide having a knife pulled on them BTW... at either rate a slap on the head would be the least of any punishments were my own kid(s) involved in something like this...

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Hitting the children teaches them that authority figures are free to use violence as they see fit, and as such the main lesson learned is "don't get caught". He should have explained why what they did was wrong, suspended them, and when they returned to school made them perform extracurricular social services, like cleaning, washing, moving things, etc. Humiliation is far more effective over the long term than corporal punishment.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

As the school principal, it is he who sets the standard for what is permissible. Hitting a student, especially on the head, is by law, not an option. After the school teacher and student questionnaire on bullying this headmaster still thinks it it acceptable! Many teachers find it very difficult to change the way they teach and also the way they treat their pupils. One of the reasons for the questionnaire was to make teachers think again about their actions, verbal as well as physical, towards students.

There is a great deal missing from this report. Usually the homeroom teacher is involved in every part of disciplinary procedures. The head of year is also present when students are in serious trouble. Before any discipline is administered there are many teachers meetings and then parents are informed. Elementary school discipline would never involve physical punishment. As a teacher and a parent, I would call for the principal's resignation and public apology. Also, the discipline of the knife weilding boy should be discussed with BoE reps present. The article should have given some indication of what will happen to the silly boy.

Even with the hiding of the event and subsequent undercovering of what happened it should have been handled properly.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

For those to dim to understand this, he hit 6 INNOCENT kids for no reason. That is unacceptable. If one of those kids was mine I would be pressing assault charges.

They were punished for concealing the incident, in case you were too dim to read the whole article... :P

really, did you really have to conclude that we're all dim?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Humiliation? A more effective method? Are we on the same planet? The damage from humiliation is far worse psychologically. I stand by the telephone book across the head and suspension, say whatever you want. As and addition, I'd expel the kid with the knife. We're all paying the price everywhere for years of wishy-washy education policies and no, that doesn't mean unbridled corporal punishment, rather a return to reality and sanity in schools.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This problem is SO easy to solve.

Clear rules, clearly spelled out, parents MUST sign a document saying they've read and understand the rules, and the implications.

Violation = one week suspension

Repeated violation = expulsion

Have a family member expelled from school? NO WELFARE FOR YOU!

Let the parents worry about their delinquent kids.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

When I was in elementary school & "middle school," we received paddling with a wooden paddle for inappropriate behavior.

It taught us that there were consequences for our actions. Nowadays, kids are pampered & allowed to do as they please, at the expense of other people.

The future looks grim.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

What this tells me is that it's ok to bring a knife to school and threaten to stab students with it, but it's not ok to appropriately punish a student who brings in an offensive weapon. I suppose if one of the students had been stabbed, then the principal's actions would have been justified. But then it would be too late. The education board should congratulate the principal and give him his job back. The kid committed a criminal offence. He's lucky to get a whack on the head.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Ares7, Mark Elrod, you took the words right out of my mouth. Western liberalism is ruining Japan. Kids these days think they can get away with anything. This principle didn't do anything wrong.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@gaijininfo & Mark: And we're all paying the price for it with self-centred egoistic young people everywhere in Japan. The future looks grim indeed when we keep in mind they're the ones who will in theory at least, be taking care of us. One isn't allowed to express opinions like this anymore, I say to Hell with it. I support teachers and their struggle to educate, not idiot parents as the tail that wags the dog. Too much corporal punishment is also wrong but in the case the principal is a broken man because the parents and kids used the media to great effect. I suppose they're all happily playing gameboy and having a laugh. A pathetic system, a hopeless ministry.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I gotta wonder as to what's happening before this incident. Why did the kid threaten 6 other students? Why were they punished as well? Were they bullying him and that's why he brought the knife?

A lot in this story that's not reported...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

This problem is SO easy to solve. Clear rules, clearly spelled out, parents MUST sign a document saying they've read and understand the rules, and the implications. Violation = one week suspensionRepeated violation = expulsionHave a family member expelled from school? NO WELFARE FOR YOU!Let the parents worry about their delinquent kids.

Which just goes to show your lack of knowledge about compulsory education in Japan. Easier said than done.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

There are a few separate issues here and need to be treated as such instead of everything being lumped into one. 1. Shame on the kids for bringing knives to schools. And yes, they need to be punished strictly for their actions. 2. The principal deserved what he got for not dishing out a more appropriate discipline. 3. The board of education needs to take responsibility and have seminars educating educators about proper disciplinary actions in today's modern times.

A lot of things have changed over the years that many older educators are not aware of. Many of these incidents can be avoided with proper training. It just seems as though the principal was unaware that his actions may be seen as having sever consequences.

Personally, I've never been smacked on the backside of my head until I came to Japan, and personally, nothing irks me more than that. Whether it's a joke or not, just don't do it. It's incredibly disrespectful and not a wise decision in any situation.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

HokkaidoKuma: Yes, all makes perfect sense, seminars, more education for teachers, all very sensible. You've explained it well and you probably have a nice smile and set of teeth which is amazing as you've bitten off far more than you can damn well chew. The bottom line here is there a great many wonderful teachers here in Japanese being manipulated by media savvy parents not to mention kids.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Ah, the good old 'smack on the top of the head' punishment. It's very common in Japanese schools. I've seen it dished out quite a few times. Have seen it dished out by parents too. I suppose the fact you can do serious damage to the brain and to the neck of a child is irrelevant. - What about the little punk that threatened his classmates with a knife? Isn't that a criminal offense? Will he be charged?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Sounds like he got a death threat from the parents.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

'Shame on the kids' he says. Oh? I'd thought you might have thrown in "counselling" the mixture? Nothing like a little 'counselling' when knives are brought to schools and principals throw in the hat because they've been manipulated by morons and this society is full of them.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Its a difficult job being a principal or a teacher in that case.... give them a break.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Shame on the kids for bringing knives to schools. And yes, they need to be punished strictly for their actions.

Kid, singular, not plural!

In May, a sixth-grade boy broke school rules by bringing a knife onto campus and using it to threaten six of his classmates.

as a disciplinary measure against seven of the school’s students for enacting and concealing the event of a knife threat within the school.

Inaction not actions.

The board of education needs to take responsibility and have seminars educating educators about proper disciplinary actions in today's modern times.

No, not at all. This HAS to come from MEXT, if it is left up to the BOE's there will be literally thousands of different policies throughout the country.

Next there ARE already guidelines in place regarding the use of force by teachers on students, they can not use it. The principal in question here failed to follow the rules. It's plain and simple.

A lot of things have changed over the years that many older educators are not aware of.

Only if they have been living in a cave they won't know about the policy changes. Staff meetings, teacher meetings, training sessions, and TONS of paperwork have been distributed to ALL teachers throughout Japan regarding this very subject.

There is no justification for it, and the principal went out of bounds in doing what he did.

Odds are a parent complained after finding out about what the principal did. Remember too this happened in Osaka, and after the recent suicide of a student after being hit by his coach, EVERYONE knows about it.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It's obvious to me the knife wielder was being bullied, trying to protect himself. Why? Bullies work in groups with cronies. Since this child was alone, he was showing the other students what the consequences would be if they keep bulling him. I'm sure that's what he told the principle, and that's why all were punished.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Children need to experience the Bible Belt! Beat the Jesus out of the little demons! Furthermore let's change the hormone count to make certain children less aggressive! I would have beaten the kid so hard that all of his facebook friends would have felt it!

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

The worst part was it was covered up in the first place

1 ( +2 / -1 )

So the moral of this story, is the teachers should wait until some poor kid commits suicide to then do something about this?

I guess you missed that there was no suicide and that it wasn't a teacher that hit the kids...

He should have explained why what they did was wrong, suspended them, and when they returned to school made them perform extracurricular social services, like cleaning, washing, moving things, etc. Humiliation is far more effective over the long term than corporal punishment. You really aren't allowed to suspend kids here, nor are you allowed to give them extra "chores" like you mentioned because the students already do such things so no one would agree to allow the other students a break and humiliation is NEVER the answer for kids this age. Humiliation is just another form of bullying.

**Clear rules, clearly spelled out, parents MUST sign a document saying they've read and understand the rules, and the implications.

Violation = one week suspension

Repeated violation = expulsion

Have a family member expelled from school? NO WELFARE FOR YOU!**

I don't think you can force parents to sign anything like this in a public school. Private? Yes. Public? No. Kids can't be expelled from schools here. No welfare? Did you read anything that states these kids are from families on benefits or are you just lumping groups together? Regardless, no, welfare should not depend on kids behaving in schools - though I understand your sentiments. Parents need to take responsibility for their kids and we all can agree that is a huge here in this country because they don't.

Indeed, what led to this kid bringing the knife to school? It seems like this kid might be a victim of bullying and this was the only way he felt he could deal with it. Where are the parents? What exactly can the school do to deal with such things and such kids? The problem here is that parents have taken the power away from the teachers in terms of decent punishments that fit the crime so they have nothing to punish such behaviors. The parents don't seem to be dealing with the problems because if they were, no kid would need a knife, in grade six. So, perhaps MEXT could come up with some ideas, give the teachers power back to kick kids out of class, school and suspend them and expel them. And then make the parents deal with a 12 year old kid being home all day.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Once again, the backwards obsession with the "rights of the child" makes Japan look ridiculous. The knife-wielders should spend some serious time in counseling, and go to a more secure-type school for at least one school year. There are no consequences in Japan, it seems, EVER! Well, until you do something insanely trivial and they choose to make an example out of you (like ride in a car with your friend who has had one beer). I don't know why I let things like this surprise me anymore.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

. The knife-wielders should spend some serious time in counseling, and go to a more secure-type school for at least one school year.

I really wish people would read the article before commenting.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

HimajinAug. 05, 2013 - 09:58AM JST They were punished for concealing the incident, in case you were too dim to read the whole article... :P

So in your mind the way to say, "I understand that you felt in fear of your life, but please feel safe and secure in reporting any incidents of violence in the future" ... is to smack the victims upside the head? Wow... just ... wow.

really, did you really have to conclude that we're all dim?

On reading your comment, I think I may have been too kind.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Wow, I'm not gonna have kids in Japan unless I can afford private school for them.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Its a difficult job being a principal or a teacher in that case.... give them a break.

Where? Arm, Leg, Neck?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It's the kid who brought the knife to school and threatened other students who needs to be punished, and every teacher who colluded to cover up the incident that should be out of a job. Not the Principal.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

An attack by jr high school boys who grabbed the male organs of an ALT was accepted by the teachers as S.O.P. It wasn't until the ALT threatened to file a written complaint with the police that the principal begged to keep it "in house" by asking the boys and their mothers to meet in the principal's office the next day. What is going on in Japan? Attacks and threats by students or their parents cannot be tolerated. The board has to have the back bone to say no to the behavior instead of dismissing it as "boys will be boys."

1 ( +4 / -3 )

It's the kid who brought the knife to school and threatened other students who needs to be punished, and every teacher who colluded to cover up the incident that should be out of a job. Not the Principal.

Quite so, but where is there any inference that teachers colluded to cover up the incident? Did you read the article?

No one was harmed, and the event was subsequently concealed from the teachers by all involved, even those students who were threatened

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Corporal punishment teaches a child that the consequence for bad behaviour is pain, and if the authority figure dispensing the beating is not viewed as legitimate by the child, then the additional lesson is "don't get caught by that jerk". Corporal punishment doesn't instil the more important quality of empathy for others that, once learned, prevents future transgressions. For instiling empathy in a child, explanation and shaming/humiliation (of a proportionate sort) are for more useful and effective. The problem is that teachers in Japan have too few options at their disposal for disciplining students. They need more options than either simple scolding or flipping out and laying the beats on.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

No one was harmed, and the event was subsequently concealed from the teachers by all involved, even those students who were threatened

This really does not make any sense. How could this so-called event be concealed from "those students who were threatened"?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

When I say humiliation, I don't mean standing in front of the school with your pants down. I mean going to detention after class for a week for example. Perhaps humiliation is too strong a word, maybe i mean embarrassment (i.e. something which singles out the transgressor for having done something unacceptable).

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Frungy, you asserted that we were all too dim to see that innocent kids were punished.

I told you (that according to the article) they were punished for lying.

I was telling you what is in the article, as you (as with many others here) seem to not have read it thoroughly, although you have the nerve to call others 'dim'.

I did not say that the punishment is what I would have chosen, or that I advocate it.

So, you can save yourself the jaw-drop.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Wow, I'm not gonna have kids in Japan unless I can afford private school for them

lol. You are being sarcastic, right?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Nashan - Wow, I'm not gonna have kids in Japan unless I can afford private school for them.

Private schools are worse! It all goes on behind closed doors there.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

One thing folks fail to keep in mind that in schools here kids can and DO get into trouble for just being around someone else who does something wrong. Guilty by association. If a kid was caught smoking, the who were around them when it happened would be punished as well.

It is obvious that the principal in this school saw it fit to punish the boys who were being threatened by the one boy with the knife purely because of their silence in the matter.

Is it warped? Without a doubt! But that is how it is, and it won't change either.

The article is also without a doubt lacking in information that would be very helpful in understanding the situation better.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The gentleman was in the wrong profession. How could he go as far as principal with his psychological issues ?

Why were the six victims also punished?

They were not punished victims, they were kids abused by a brute that now tells the story to justify his action. The big big story was "Yamada-kun 6th grade had a knife, he was seen with 6 other kids". Then kids got a Guantanamo experience in the principal's office, and they dared complaining instead of saying "domo arigato".

In May, a sixth-grade boy broke school rules by bringing a knife onto campus and using it to threaten six of his classmates. No one was harmed,

A day in a school in the world.

1963 : In the playground the schoolmaster hears big clamors : "Taro-kun has a knife...". He goes to see Taro : "You have a knife ? -Yes, look...-It's really cool, it's a real Swiss knife, where did you get it ? ...a present from your grand-dad ? You're so lucky. Be careful, and keep it with care, you'll still be using it in 50 yrs.". The bell rings. The end. 2013 : In the playground the anti-bullying educator hears whispers : "Taro-kun has a knife...". He calls an emergency meeting of all the teachers, the principals, they call BOE, PTA leaders, social services, the police, the JSDF, the US army, Mr Abe, Mr Obama. The knife is confiscated as WMD. All involved persons, kids, educators, school staff, BOE... are arrested, sentenced to life. Epllogue : Years later, the 5 cm wagashi plastic knife at the origin of all this is exhibited in the museum of school criminals, and the entrance to the exhibition is restricted to visitors over the age of 30 (majority age in 2063).

The knife-wielders should spend some serious time in counseling,

They spend years in a "counseling" called school, they get group therapy. They go there from 6 to 16, at least...

what other punishments could this principal give the knife carrying kid?

Not even his job, he's paid to be the wise guy that stays over the level of daily quarrels, not to be the one that loses his nerves the fastest.

Clear rules, clearly spelled out, parents MUST sign a document saying they've read and understand the rules, and the implications. Violation = one week suspension

As when you park your charinko just near the verboten sign, so you can go to the kombini 2 minutes, it's a violation of a clear rule. So you should get one week, and if you're over 20 yrs old, it's double, 2 weeks of suspension of your life in Japan (sent back to your parents' country) ? If you had to drink your own medicine...

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Here's a quick question, especially for the apologists out there: is corporal punishment against the law? yes or no. If yes, which it is, why is the man not being put behind bars? THAT is where you need to go first. If you honestly believe the Principal did no wrong, I ask you not to be surprised by the youth acting on his example.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

OK, so in my opinion the teacher had done the right thing, but he should have done it in a diferent way, so that the children (victims) and the thretener might learn something out of this situation, so something like that might not happen again in the futer when the children grow older. So they might get a decent job and so-on. And not go onto the bad path of life.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

is corporal punishment against the law? yes or no. If yes,

There is not "if yes", the school principal knows it is totally illegal.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Totally illegal but accepted by many parents here which is why staff smack kids around and many parents encourage them to smack students when they feel it is 'good" for the students.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Hey Principal!

If you mess with my kids, then there will be HELL to pay! You mess with me. Then I'll mess with you!

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

I assume the school headmaster has not been in a similar quandary before, thus my take is give him a break.

Headmasters or school principals, and no one else aside, should be given a leeway to render an off-the-shelf punishment to erring kids, and a good smack in the head should be one of them.

Besides in the context of Japanese society, one smack in the head is generally considered as acceptable.

Or put the Principal's fate in the hands of school stakeholders, say parents and teachers, by way of referendum if we want to be politically correct about this.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Himajin: I told you (that according to the article) they were punished for lying.

Err... the article says no such thing. It just states that they were punished. You're making a fairly large assumption there.

As I stated before, there's a helluva lot that isn't reported in the article. But I'd guess that there's a bit more sinister in the deeds of the 'other six' than mere silence.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

We are equal under the law- except for judges who are unelected dictators and lawyers who have special privileges and politicians and prison guards.

I don't see anything wrong with appropriate punishment but hitting a heads is not a good idea strong risk of real injury- bottoms or faces won't cause any real damages.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I would like to give an uncoerced apology to Himajin and other users.

I apologise for calling you "dim". It was unkind. I'm sorry if you felt offended or hurt by the implication that you were stupid. I don't know you, and all I had to judge by were your posts.

I would add though that this does not mean that I concede any of your points. For example, there is no evidence in the story that the children were lying, and even if they were it does not condone illegally assaulting children. I find the idea of child abuse to be repugnant, and in my anger I was unkind to those who seemed to be defending the child abuse and the abuser.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I must agree with those who support the Headmaster. He did what he should have, enforce discipline and respect and courage in the face of abuse. To accuse HIM of abuse is just absurd and another example of modern ultra liberal facism, for we are today seeing widespread rampant overly liberal values enforced with brutality by governments at all levels. Schools are an essential place for children to learn respect and the responsiblities of adults. Japanese schools are far in advance of western schools in many ways for they offer and support autonomy and self governance in many ways that western schools have either neglected or abandoned again in an ultra liberal nihilism that is sad to see and tragic for the kids. In this case, yes if the victims of the threat colluded with the aggressor they were ALL then part of the agressors plot and deserved a reprimand. A smack on the head is NOT the same thing as a HIT, and a large paper fan is often used for such as a symbolic gesture and has long been a traddional symbol and the Board of Education had no business trying to do away with valued symbols that show the children the error of their ways. I am hopeful that he will be re instated and will write to the board urging this myself, and I encourage others who are like minded to do the same.

As for the moderators requesting courtesy and respect, i also agree with them having both that right and that responsiblity. It is the same principle. There are rules for groups and respect is an essential one and the leaders of a group, here in the forum the moderators have my full support in requesting whatever they want and should not feel bullied by public attacks of any kind. Thank you for your continued efforts on our behalf.

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CrisGerSanAug. 06, 2013 - 12:42AM JST I must agree with those who support the Headmaster. He did what he should have, enforce discipline and respect and courage in the face of abuse. To accuse HIM of abuse is just absurd and another example of modern ultra liberal facism, for we are today seeing widespread rampant overly liberal values enforced with brutality by governments at all levels.

With all due respect I must disagree. You speak of "brutality by governments", yet fail to connect this with brutality by a school principal directed against the students under his care. This isn't a liberal value, in fact it is the opposite.

Schools are an essential place for children to learn respect and the responsiblities of adults.

And what precisely have the children learned in this case? The knife-wielding student learned that he can threaten people with a knife and receive the same reprimand as his victims. The victims learned that the knife-wielder was punished exactly the same as they were, and that when they're threatened they cannot count on the authorities to help them, in fact the authorities will punish them.

This teaches exactly the opposite of what you claim. These children have learned contempt for adults and authority. The knife-wielder has contempt because he essentially got away with his crime with no real sanction. The victims learned contempt because they were punished for being victims and now know that they cannot expect fairness or help from adults. As for what it teaches about adult responsibilities, well, I'm a little puzzled. The only lesson I can see the principal having taught was that violence is the way to solve problems.

In this case, yes if the victims of the threat colluded with the aggressor they were ALL then part of the agressors plot and deserved a reprimand.

I find no evidence to support this assertion in the article. A far more likely scenario is that they were too terrified and traumatized to report the incident. An alternative scenario is that they simply didn't trust the school authorities, and given what happened when the incident came to light one can hardly blame them.

A smack on the head is NOT the same thing as a HIT, and a large paper fan is often used for such as a symbolic gesture and has long been a traddional symbol and the Board of Education had no business trying to do away with valued symbols that show the children the error of their ways. I am hopeful that he will be re instated and will write to the board urging this myself, and I encourage others who are like minded to do the same.

A smack is defined as:

A sharp slap or blow, typically one given with the palm of the hand.

A sharp slap or blow. That doesn't sound like a tap on the head with a paper fan. I someone were to "smack" you, you would either "smack" them back or file an assault charge with the police. These children had neither option. What the principal did was illegal, exceeded the bounds of his authority, and was abusive since the children were in his care and he had power over them that he used to strike them.

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Japanese schools are AWESOME!

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None were injured, but nevertheless, the board of education was not happy at all with the head teacher’s choice of disciplinary action. They emphatically wish that violence not be used to discipline students, linking such acts with suicide rates in the district.

Emphatically wish? If this principal answers to the Board then they ought to make their "wishes" known through clear and unambiguous rules and policies. If there was a clear "no corporal punishment" rule, then the principal broke it and should be disciplined.

The six, non-knife-wielders were guilty of witnessing a serious breach of the rules against weapons in schools and, in failing to report it, should have been given some reprimand.

If there's no clear rule against corporal punishment, the principal or anyone can cover themselves by giving the offender the choice of taking their punishment as corporal or non-corporal -- provided, that is, if the parents have not mandated that corporal punishment is not to be administered. Many parents have no problem with corporal punishment and many do.

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yabits Aug. 06, 2013 - 03:17AM JST The six, non-knife-wielders were guilty of witnessing a serious breach of the rules against weapons in schools and, in failing to report it, should have been given some reprimand.

In Japan very few children had that perspective in governing their own behavior. Instead, in Japan there is much greater focus on the impact of students behavior on others, and not on themselves. Whether this student that brought the knife to school to threaten somebody, either verbally or physically, they were more concerned about how the other students would feel, rather than if they would get caught.

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can't even head slap kids who do stupid things anymore..... it's not even corporal punishment in my book, maybe something like standing outside the classroom all day for all to see is a better punishment...

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so 6 kids were threatened with a knife, really scared possibly, and they got hit by the principal for not telling? Does he not understand fear?

this is a japanese group responsibility thing, and in this case gone wrong. the kids were probably afraid and a stern reprimand for not telling could be understandable, but not a blow to the head, and ESPECIALLY NOT THE SAME PUNISHMENT AS THE KID W? KNIFE!!!

Give the knife-kid TWO smacks and a suspension, give the threatened kids a stern warning...

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