「体罰」は、私の中学や高校の時代にはあった。あの当時先生たちが行っていたことを今の言葉で表すならば、確かに「体罰」になると思う。「体罰」には冷たい響きを感じる。「いじめ」とか「虐待」に直結するような陰湿で恐いイメージだ。私がかつて見てきた“体罰”は、もっと「しごき」とか「お仕置き」、或いは「しつけ」のようなイメージ。「愛のムチ」と言ったらカッコつけ過ぎかもしれないが、厳しい暴力行為の裏には、先生方の本気で生徒に関わろうとする姿勢があったと思う。もしかしたらそれが間違った方向に行きすぎたことがあったかもしれない。でも当時全く問題になったことがなかったのは、“時代”もあったと思うが、生徒たちが先生から何かを感じ取り、一つの教育の仕方として“体罰”を受け入れていたからだと思う。
　私は幼い頃、妹や弟と兄妹ケンカをすると、父に蹴られた。弱い者いじめをするヤツはけしからんというわけだ。暴力には違いないが、でもそこにはきっと“愛”があったんだと思う。弱い者いじめをするような大人になって欲しくないという、父親の願いがあった。
　そうやって私たちは育てられてきた。それは、当時は当たり前のようなことであって、恐らく我が家だけの事ではないと思う。そういう時代背景の中で、学校現場での“体罰”が見過ごされてきたことは、ある意味で当たり前だったかもしれない。

　私は、体罰を良しとする立場に立っているわけではない。暴力はこの世から根絶されるべきだと思う。しかし現代で“体罰”を行って問題になっている先生たちは、体罰で育ってきた私の世代の人間たちだ。だから教育という大義名分の下に、暴力を振るうことに抵抗が無いのかもしれない。言い訳にはならないけれど、もしかしたら彼らが学生の頃にはもっと酷い体罰を受けてきた可能性もある。「これくらいは当たり前」と思って、体罰していたのかもしれない。

　今、街で、社会で、“しつけ”られていない子どもが多いように思う。公共の場で、目を覆うばかりの稚拙で愚かな行為を平気でやってしまう、あの子たちの神経が分からない。親が自分の子どもをしつけられなくなってきた。それでいて、子どもが悪いことをすると、学校の教育の仕方が悪いからと先生方のせいにする。先生たちは生徒に少しでも怒鳴ろうものなら、ハラスメントで糾弾される。体罰を与えた等ということになれば、職を失うことはおろか、犯罪者のレッテルを貼られ残りの人生を生きなければならないかもしれない。先生という職業は、一つ間違えば社会の中で居場所を失ってしまうような、リスクの高い仕事になってしまった。

　残念ながら報道で問題視されるような体罰は、ただただ残忍で陰湿で、「愛」などが感じられる代物ではないようだ。それでは弁解の余地はない。いずれにしても先生という職業には、時代の流れとともに「できる範囲」が狭められ、同時に「生徒をしつける」という課題がのしかかっているように見える。本来は家庭内でされるべき“しつけ”を学校現場で求められる状況があるようだ。なり手が少なくなるのは理解できる。
　だがしかし、だからと言って先生方が「教育」から逃げていては日本の将来は危ない。生徒に対して、ピシッと言うべき時は言わなければならないと思う。言って欲しい。体罰はなくなってきたかもしれないが、愛のムチがしなる音も聞こえなくなってきたようだ。

　親ももっと勇気を持たないと。

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between corporal punishment and a loving whip

　Corporal punishment” was a thing back in my junior high and high school days. If I had to use today’s terminology to describe what the teachers did back then, I would say it was “corporal punishment. The word “corporal punishment” sounds cold. It is an insidious and frightening image that is directly related to bullying or abuse. The “corporal punishment” I have seen in the past is more like “spanking,” “punishment,” or “discipline. It may be too cool to call it a “whip of love,” but I believe that behind the severe acts of violence were teachers’ sincere attempts to relate to their students. Perhaps there were times when that went too far in the wrong direction. However, the reason why this was never a problem at all in those days was, I think, due to the “times,” but also because the students sensed something from the teachers and accepted “corporal punishment” as a way of education.
　When I was a child, my father kicked me whenever I got into a fight with my younger siblings. He told me that it was inexcusable for me to bully the weaker ones. It was violence, no doubt, but I am sure there was love there. It was my father’s wish that I would not grow up to be an adult who bullies the weak.
　That is how we were raised. It was a common practice at the time, and I don’t think it was unique to our family. Against this background, it may have been natural that “corporal punishment” in the school setting was overlooked in a sense.

　I am not in the position of saying that corporal punishment is a good thing. I believe that violence should be eradicated from the world. However, the teachers who are in trouble for “corporal punishment” today are from my generation, who grew up with corporal punishment. Therefore, they may not be afraid to use violence in the name of “education. It is not an excuse, but it is possible that they were subjected to even worse corporal punishment when they were students. They may have been physically punished because they thought, “This much is normal.”

　It seems to me that many children are not being “disciplined” in the streets and in society today. I don’t understand the nerve of these children, who are not afraid to engage in eye-covering, poor and stupid behavior in public places. Parents can no longer discipline their own children. And yet, when their children do wrong, they blame the teachers for the poor educational practices of the schools. Teachers are accused of harassment if they yell at their students even a little. If they are accused of inflicting corporal punishment, they may have to live the rest of their lives labeled as criminals, not to mention losing their jobs. The profession of teacher has become a high-risk job, where one mistake can cost you your place in society.

　Unfortunately, the corporal punishment that has been reported in the media is simply too brutal and insidious to be considered a form of “love. There is no excuse for this. In any case, as time goes by, the profession of teacher seems to be faced with the challenge of “disciplining students,” while at the same time the “range of what can be done” is being narrowed. It seems that the “discipline” that should be done in the home is now required in the school setting. It is understandable that the number of teachers is decreasing.
　However, the future of Japan is in jeopardy if teachers are running away from “education. I believe that when it is necessary to say something to students, it must be said clearly. I want them to say it. Corporal punishment may have disappeared, but the sound of the whip cracking with love seems to have also disappeared.

　Parents need to have more courage.