Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Punishment in schools

This is in response to the letter (Oct. 29) that argued that the school cannot be blamed for the tragic death of Milan Tanna, a class X1 student who died while running round the ground as punishment for late-coming. One needs to understand that in this case, the student died because of the physical strain. But many children in the same situation may be affected mentally. Punishment is not a solution but only a deterrent. A child has to be made accountable if he or she makes a mistake. The school should counsel the parents and the child to determine the reason.

Teresa Sahaya,

Chennai

The furore over the unfortunate incident seems to be overplayed. It is necessary to deal with late-coming severely. Making a student run a kilometre is not that heavy a punishment as to be called cruel. Unfortunately, the student seems to have been suffering from an ailment which the school authorities failed to notice. An open chastisement in the assembly should have preceded the punishment.

M. Ramankutty,

Tripunithura

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