Corporal Punishment

I love the film Kes (1969). It was still modern when I went to secondary school, nearly ten years later  - some local authorities were still trying to get it banned when I was teaching in the 90s, and it’s still modern now. This scene, where the poor messenger boy from the second form gets beaten seems really resonant.

They had CP at my school back then and I don’t believe it made any difference to anyone’s behaviour. I don’t believe it did anyone any good. I remain undecided as to whether it did us any harm, but that’s a moot point, really. As the headteacher in the clip says, he’ll be beating them week after week with no evident impact. As the story goes, Ken Loach, who always uses improvisational techniques with his normally untrained actors, didn’t tell the boys that they’d be properly caned, hence their very realistic reactions.

 

PS: I bookmarked this link to the fantastically funny football scene in Kes with the much-missed Brian Glover a few weeks ago.

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25 February 2008
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3 Comments

Antony Mayfield

26/Feb/2008

Aye - I remember it as something that had only recently been dismissed when I got to secondary school. The idea and the folk memory in the playground made myths of it… it may not ave been policy, but the spectre of a beating still hung above ius in the 80s.

Ugh. I think that the reality of CP was that it was often used to vent some teachers’ frustrations rather than as part of a measured, effective programme of discipline.

Stuart Bruce

26/Feb/2008

A friend of mine (Bernard Atha) appeared in Kes playing a teacher. It’s a great film.

Ian Delaney

26/Feb/2008

Antony - In my case, most teachers deferred beatings to the senior management. Some, however, used it as a way to increase their personal authority. One guy had a custom-made rubber slipper-shape for extra stinginess. Again, I’m not convinced that we were harmed. Kids are pretty springy and rebellious, and it’s possible we were more rebellious because these bastards were in charge.

Stuart - can I touch you?


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