Corpun file 22807

Walsall Observer, 11 July 1975

Governors say 'scrap the tawse'

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Joseph Leckie governors are to call on Walsall Education Committee to scrap the tawse.

This comes after complaints from parents that a pupil was tawsed too severely.

The complaints were revealed exclusively by the "Observer". Police action against the teacher in question, Mr. Gilbert Wall, was dropped.

Despite the recommendation that the tawse be scrapped, the governors have voted complete confidence in the headmaster and staff.

They have added that in the period until a decision is reached, the tawse should only be given by the headmaster or his two deputies, and parents should be informed.

Only the parents representative on the governors voted against the recommendations.

But education committee member Councillor Malcolm Beilby, who is also an ex-pupil of the school, said he would strongly oppose the abolition of corporal punishment in Walsall schools.

He gave three reasons:--

-- Standards of behaviour and work would fall.

-- Violence would increase and it would be difficult to protect the vast majority of well behaved pupils from the unruly few.

-- Violence could increase between pupils of different schools.

Teachers at the school have asked governors to think again on their recommendations until all other schools have had a chance to talk about the matter.