The educational system is not what it used to be. An increasing number of limitations placed on teachers. As a result it is becoming more and more difficult to educate children. The educational system is weakening. However, a teacher who wants to do the job and who wants to educate children sometimes becomes frustrated, sometimes searches for other means to get through to the children.

What can be done?

Some teachers have, especially in the past, taken to spanking children in order to convince them that they have to act properly.

This causes quite an uproar among parents and among others and this is not the place to discuss the positive or negative aspects spanking itself.

However, it is clear that the children do see increasing amounts and dosages of violence on television and in the movies. The school books are also rife with violence and parents themselves who have less time to spend with their children sometimes resort to violence more frequently than in the past. The result is that the children are surrounded by violence all over and they have learned, whether it is right or wrong, that violence does work and it is a way to achieve goals. The only place in which the violence is curtailed is in the classroom because teachers are not permitted to discipline children.

This does not of course mean that violence itself is curtailed. The children themselves bring violence into the classroom but that too is a different issue which is not discussed here.

The situation thus is quite one-sided. Although teacher cannot resort to spanking or violence, the children copy television and they do resort to violence. This does not mean that violence is right or should not be used. This article does not take a stand on this issue. The point is simply that something should be done to even out the situation so that teachers and students are on at least an equal footing. If not to give the teachers the upper hand so that they are able to control the classroom.

What should be used? The cheder method? Should we fix the media in order to reduce children's violence? Should we not allow children to see adult violence around the world through the media?

What is clear is that with the one-sided stopping of the violence on the part of the teacher, the situation has not been resolved or improved and more does need to be done so that it is not just the teachers who are prevented from resorting to violence.

It is also clear that teachers should expect far more cooperation from the administration, the authorities, and the parents.