Collective punishment is when a group of people, in this case, a group of students (can be a class, or the whole grade), is punished for the actions of a few. Usually this is done by teachers to promote a stronger sense of cohesion in the class.
The idea is that by the whole group taking responsibility for each individual’s actions, the group will be brought closer together.
This is a common strategy in sports and the military. In a classroom situation, the theory is that the whole class may bond and will accordingly act more responsibly in the future.
However, this type of punishment does more harm than good. It is unlikely to improve a child’s behavior. It only makes kids hate school.
While we might see initial compliance from collective punishment, there are two main reasons why this strategy should be dropped. First, it’s morally questionable and second, it’s unlikely to produce more positive behaviour in the long run.
The idea [that] a group should be responsible for the actions of an individual is fundamentally at odds with the theories of individual responsibility in western, liberal societies. Legally and morally, each individual has ownership for their own actions and must bear the consequences of those actions individually.
On a more basic level, it is not fair or reasonable to punish one child for the actions of another. Both of these moral concerns would not be acceptable in wider society, so why would they be acceptable in a school environment?
Know more about this topic over at The Conversation.
(Image Credit: klimkin/ Pixabay)
Comments (2)