CANOE, 21 May 1998

Canadian News Digest

Swearing students strapped in school

EDMONTON (CP) -- Students at a school near Edmonton are learning a new lesson from an old punishment -- bad language equals burning palms.

The Sturgeon Heights school in St. Albert, which has kindergarten to Grade 9, uses the strap on students who use prolific profanity.

"It is not for the occasional swear word that slips out," says Ken Robertson, superintendent for the Sturgeon County school division.

"It is for excessive foul language that describes various anatomical wonders of the body."

He said parents are given the option of choosing a suspension or the strap for their cursing offspring.

So far this year, parents of three students chose the march down to the principal's office, while 13 others went for the suspension.

Has the strap worked?

"We haven't had any repeat performances since they (the three students) were strapped," says Robertson.

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