Treading the wrong path (or 'where has discipline gone?'

Kelvin Harrington pleaded guilty to assaulting teacher Carlton Fullerton at Maloney Government Primary School. The Trinidad Express reports as follows:

"The incident resulted when Harrington's 12-year-old daughter, who is scheduled to sit the Secondary Examination Assessment on March 27, reportedly became quite restless, walking up and down on the morning of March 12 when the National Anthem was being sung.

The child was spoken to on several occasions and ordered to stand still at attention, but disobeyed the teacher's instruction and continued to move about.

Schoolteacher Fullerton then placed his hands on the shoulders of the schoolgirl in order to get her to stand still, but she pulled away and threatened to bring her mother to school for the teacher."

This tells me quite a lot about this family. While I do not know if the junior Miss Harrington is suffering from any medical disorder that makes her restless (in this day of excuses, this is a frequent one) I do know that she is not disciplined in her family or apparently taught manners and respect, neither is her father a disciplined person. I daresay I am not reading too much into the story when I say I saw no indication or hint that Mr Harrington did not have any dialogue with the teacher but proceeded to assault him.

He did not question the teacher as to why the child was being disciplined the previous day, nor explain any medical condition (if any) that excuses her from paying attention to when the National Anthem is sung (we are all required to do this).

Discipline has gone out the window. Parents always seem to believe their children is correct all the time. I believe however that if a child has any particular traits, the parents are always sure to know. As a parent, how could you not?? That is why I laugh when these bandits are shot dead and the parents keep parroting that he/she was a good child. Were you blind??

Now for the ones who will want to criticise me for my stance- I am a parent. And in the 9 years that I have my child I have never hit her. I find other ways ways to discipline her, and I am always complimented on by everyone how well behaved and well mannered she is. Because I take the time to teach her, as do my sisters, her mother, her aunts and uncles.

But I do not believe in sparing the rod and spoiling the child and if one day I would have to mete out that type of punishment I would. Why? Because society crumbles when we refuse to teach the next generation right from wrong. I don't care how many psychologists and psychiatrists and whomsoever tell me it is wrong to beat a child, that it will create this or that complex in him or her - I know you're talking out of your a***.

For millenia parents disciplined their children where pain taught a lesson that something was wrong, and rewards taught them that something was right. Now in the last few decades we have all these 'educated' people anxious for headlines and publicity pushing all these idiotic ideas into the public mind. And they are all wrong.

I can say that with total assurance. Why? Look around you. The evidence is there. Society has broken down to an almost irretrievable position in only the last few decades. This is the only proof you need, the only picture to look at. Never mind these mindless, minute studies. The crime rate is up, corruption is up, lack of responsibility in all factors of life from parental to political is up. That my friends is the final and irrefutable proof. Don't create little Harringtons, discipline your child, be innovative and firm, because you are the one to teach them right from wrong, before it is too late and you are wailing and knashing your teeth over a dead body at the roadside.