# FILE NAME: 00001961.soc
# TITLE: Should teachers be allowed to give detention to children aged 12 or below? [4d05573cd93eb2150a040898baae7075]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 4
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - Children aged 12 or below should be given detentions by their teachers if the child has behaved inappropriately and in a way that is not conducive to the learning environment of the school. Teachers should be given the freedom to use their discretion on whether or not to give a detention and the decision should be made based on the severity of the negative behaviour and the child's previous behaviour record. It is important to remember that children are still learning how to behave in school and in society and should be taught the consequences of their actions. A detention should be used as a way of teaching the child that their actions have consequences. It should also be used as an opportunity to speak to the child and find out if there are any underlying issues causing the negative behaviours.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - “Children need to be taught the difference between right and wrong, and what the consequences are of behaving badly. It is only by setting boundaries, and showing children what the consequences of bad behaviour are, that children will learn what behaviours are acceptable and which are not. Detention can be an effective way of showing children that there are consequences to bad behaviour, and should therefore be used in schools for children aged 12 or below. It is not always necessary to use detention, and other options such as asking the child to write lines or apologise, may be more appropriate for younger children. Each case should be considered on an individual basis, and if detention is to be given, the child should be given the choice to do this during break or after school, as to minimise the impact on their education.”
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - Children should not be given detention for misbehaviour. Instead, they should be spoken to and taught why their behaviour was unacceptable and what the consequences of such behaviour could be. They should also be encouraged to change their behaviour for the better.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - Teachers should be allowed to give detention to children aged 12 and under. If they feel that the child would benefit from the use of this sanction as an opportunity to discuss the reason behind their behaviour, then they should be allowed to do so. This will allow the teacher to find out if there are any underlying issues causing the negative behaviors, which will also help the child to learn from their actions. This is likely to lead to the development of a positive behaviour plan for the child, which can be used in conjunction with parents. The group was asked to rank the opinions of the participants in order of importance and came to the following decision:
2: 1,2,4,3
1: 3,1,2,4
1: 1,2,3,4
1: 2,1,4,3