Ok. Today’s the day. I’ve held it in long enough. It’s the day to rant. (Why should Craig be the only one to get an ‘earful’?)
Most things here I can handle. I can ‘agree to disagree’ and put it down to cultural differences. But some days it’s hard. And regardless of culture, some things I just can’t handle very well. One in particular. Caning. Striking a child with a stick as a form of punishment.
Sure – to some extent I get it…
Sure – I was spanked as a kid…. (but it was always my brother’s fault, not mine – just for the record…!)
Sure – some children benefit from the ‘shock factor’ to smarten up and clean up their act
Sure – obedience and respect are the number one values here in Kenya
Sure – there are few other approaches available here. There are no privileges that can be taken away (it’s not like there are video games, desserts or trips to Tim Horton’s to withdraw). You can’t really add chores – they do enough of those already. And logical consequences – my prefererd form of discipline? Sometimes there just aren’t any. (Either that or there is no logic..!)
Sure – it’s the “African way” and they are unaware of other strategies.
And sure – as they continually remind me – the bible says “Spare the rod and spoil the child”. (But I don’t remember reading anything about the Prodigal Son being caned first…!)
BUT – what if it doesn’t really change behaviour?
And worse, what about when it is used inappropriately or incorrectly ? What if it really wasn’t the child’s fault? (for example: not wearing the correct colour of socks in the school uniform)
Society here is violent enough. Does it need more?
I have had many discussions about this. At Home of Grace caning is not permitted. That’s one policy that we – as the North American partners – have insisted upon. It has not been an issue for the staff here – they know only too well that the children here have already suffered enough abuse.
School is another story. The Kenyan government has officially banned caning at schools. But, apart from the issue of implementation, they have not provided teachers with information about other alternatives. (In Ontario, they would have brought in the consultants and we would have been ‘workshopped’ to death!). So – they go back to the usual ways – the ones that they are used to. And students are so used to it that a teacher who does not cane, they feel, is not worthy of respect.
School teachers and administrators have asked me what we do in Canada. I try to answer in ways that are helpful. I try to model other approaches to class management. When canings are undeserved, done in anger or done in public, I speak out – in as humble but as clear a way as possible.
The teacher I worked with at th elementary school during May saw that the cane caused me discomfort so she put her stick away when I was there. (I thought of putting a picture of myself in the corner so she would always think of me and my displeasure!).
So – it’s a struggle. It’s tough. I try to understand. I try not to judge. I choose my battles.
So here is where I stand right now, as I approach this with a semi-Afroican mindset. And I can’t emphasize enough – this is for the African context – the one where I now find myself. This is NOT how I feel about it in Canada. My current feeling? When caning is deserved, it’s not traumatic but expected. But when it’s not deserved or when it’s delivered in anger, in public, in a humiliating way – that’s another issue entirely…..
Like I said. It isn’t easy. It’s a struggle.
Rant over….untl the next time!!
