• Comments(Shoji Sugita) & Public Poll

The School Education Law rules as " Principals and teachers will administer punishment to
students, but shall not administrate corporal punishment to them."
In this case, these two punishments are not divided by a line of legality, but there is a zone
like the "Play" of the steering wheel of a car, so whenever the teacher or the principal will use
such force on the student as the way of punishment that would be legal discipline of the
student and is lawful for them.

And the " Play " is different from the length and the width between the track, the standard car,
the small car and others, therefor, the principal or the teacher should consider carefully about
the age, gender, strength of the body, mental issue, maturity of the student in their adminiatration
of the physical punisnment.

1. To use reasonable force

• To use force to quell a disturbance shall not be considered illegal corporal punishment, and
  also it is the same as for the protection of person or property.
  In Japan, somepeople misunderstand it, so they had better learn the Pennsylvanira Code
  in the U.S. as a sample.
• 2. In Loco parents
  
  Recently in Japan, some commentators might avoid the principle of " In loco parents " on
  punishment of students, therefore we should more think about this principle : " Instead of
  parents " on the problem again.
• 3. Corporal punishment and suspension
  
  Whenever parents do not like to let their children be administered legal corporal punishment
  by the teacher, the teacher would be able to administer suspension or some other punishmet
  suerely.
  And as for In-school suspension, principals do not have the right of " Out-school Suspension "
  of the students at the junior high schools and the elementary schools in Japan. Therefore we
  should devise the way of " In-school suspension " more wisely.
• 4. Administration of corporal punishment is like a disciplinary ceremony.
  
  It may be adminitered in accordance with policies and guidelines. For instance, in some cases
  only the principals have such rights and in some cases witnesses are necesary there for the
  punishment. These are usually useful to administer corporal punishment carefully.
• 5.Guideline
  
  We have to study some guidelines of corporal punishment from other countries or states. And
  also we have to study of the Guidelines ruled by the Ministry of Justice in Japan, and Guidebook
  editted by the Meeting for the Study of Instruction, Ministry of Education by ourselves.
  And I think it is better to cut the last paragraph of this Guidebook, for it makes us confused about
  the real meaning of this book.
• 6.In the future
  
  Corporal punishment may be administered more carefully and the number of cases will decrease
  in the world. But, I heard the class environment became worse in some school districts where
  corporal punishment was banned. And the purpose of education is to educate the students to be
  good citizens, so, student discipline for any country is very important.
  I think the use of corporal punishment comes and goes and is going slowly in the dierction of
  abolition of it, in fact.

�T　　Public Poll of corporal punishment in Japan
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　January 10.1978

1. In some cases, moderate corporal punishment is necessary
　 for the good discipline of a student ...................................................... 33.8 %

2. Whenever there is a good mutual relationship between teacher
　 and student, corporal punishment is permitted............................ 44.7 %

3. Even if there is a good mutual relationship between teacher
　 and student, corporal punishment is not permitted..................... 　7.6 %

4. In any case, corporal punishment by the tescher is not
　 permitted.............................................................................................　 5.4 %

5. No answer s..........................................................................................　 8.5 %

( Source: S.Maki," Discipline of student & corporal punishment ), Rodo P.　　　
Morikatsu Imahashi, " Educational Research of corporal punsiment " Rodo No.27

�U Parents opinion of corporal punishment in Japan
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　August in 1996

1. According to circumstances, corporal punishment by the teacher
　 is permitted to some degree.................................................................... 52.2%

2. Corporal punishment is necessary for a good discipline ................ 17.0 %

3. In any case, corporal punishment by the teacher is not
　 permitted....................................................................................................... 25.6 %

4. Others ...........................................................................................................　3.5 %

5. No answers ................................................................................................ 　 5.4 %

( Source: All Japan PTA Conference & Asahi Shinbun, August 21, 1996 )