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Abstract
It is generally acknowledged that school discipline is failing. Through a comparison of two very different disciplinary situations, I inquire into possible causes of failure and conditions of success. The argument is made that if discipline is to succeed, students must believe in and identify with the goals it is designed to support. Questions are raised as to just how embracing (pervasive throughout school life), lofty (transcending the classroom), and moralized (emphasizing social over personal) such goals should be. Without specifying the ideal scope and content of an educational mission, I conclude that a moral component is both practical and proper; for it responds to a child's aspirations, builds self-esteem, and provides the social ‘glue’ that binds members of a society.
Notes
Notes
1. ‘Discipline,’ for the purposes of this paper, is limited to efforts on the part of adults to control the behavior of children. It does not include discipline as an area of study, discipline as preparation for accomplishment, or self-discipline. For a richer discussion of the concept see Goodman, Citation2006.
2. This incident was observed by the author.
3. Strike also includes religious and democratic schools in this category. Because I see religious schools as supporting a more moralized, embracing and transcendent set of values, I do not place them in the same category as specialized schools.
4. Schools were asked if one or more of 17 discipline problems was a serious problem. Issues included mild wrongs such as tardiness and absenteeism; more serious issues such as use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, weapons possession, trespassing, verbal and physical abuse of teachers, racial tensions and gangs.
5. Bullying was described as being picked on or coerced to do an unwanted act such as turn over money.