Controversial actress and movie producer Yvonne Nelson has charged educational stakeholders to seek alternatives in punishing pupils.
According to her, no teacher has the right to physically abuse a child for wrong doing.
Speaking with the media in a recent interview, Yvonne stated that it is the sole responsibility of parents to punish their wards not a teacher.
“No one has the right to touch anyone’s kid. We do not do any of that here. If we realize that a child is being too much or they are misbehaving, we have measures, we have things we do. You can give them time out. Sometimes they just want to walk around, even go to the play area.”
“They are going through something. Just give them some middle space. We counsel, we talk to them. The last resort is basically picking up the phone to call their parents. Sometimes we feel that when parents talk to their kids, you know, it works well,” she stated.
Yvonne acknowledged the proverb “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” but clarified that it applied to parents at home, not teachers at school.
She maintained that parents have every right to discipline their children at home, but schools should never resort to corporal punishment, even if parents give permission.
Yvonne noted that fear-based discipline, like caning, only harms children and impedes their academic progress and calls on educational stakeholders to refrain from such punishment.
