Taiwan-Mr Chen, a school teacher at Minchuan High School was charged with inflicting corporal punishment on a school boy with Attention Deficiency Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  The defendant was subsequently fined approximately $AU22, 000. The Taiwan’s China Post reported.

According to the child known as Yin, Mr Chen whipped him causing injuries on his right finger, hand and thigh.

The court told the defendant that the right way was to communicate with Yin’s parents prior to applying corporal punishment. 

The court convicted the defendant for imposing corporal punishment on the child with the ADHD, not for just solely imposing corporal punishment.  

In many Asian countries corporal punishment is still a common practice whereas it is against the law in Australia. 

Of the Asian country that has been influenced by the Confucian dogma, justification for corporal punishment is implied in their education system. This occurs when the teacher or Lao Shi (in Mandarin) are given higher authority than parents are or at least teachers are seen to have par parental responsibility (Confucian rank authority in the order of the emperor, teacher, father). This unique position of authority bestows by ancient laws gives teachers discretionary rights to discipline the child as they see fit. This includes corporal punishment.

In Australia teachers do not share parental responsibility with children and thus do not share the same discretionary rights to discipline them.                   

Thousand years of culture and values still lingers and influence Asian society and its institutions as it did in the past. We often hear of parents wishing to give teachers canes as presents.

J.Lam