Discipline ideology
The latest findings, academic studies, or reports related to collective punishment, education, and behavioural psychology.
-
On Stuart Shanker’s Self-Reg
I remember the feeling—desperate, hollowed out, shaking in that way that only comes when the world around you is collapsing and everyone keeps handing you checklists.
-
When school discipline undermines trust at home
There’s a problem in our schools. You’ll see it on a child’s face when they come home. You’ll hear it in the way they describe something that left them feeling humiliated, angry, or confused—and often, all three at once. It happens when school staff use discipline strategies that completely contradict the values a student has…
-
On moral injury and collective punishment
I did not want to file a complaint. I still don’t—not in the sense that people imagine, with anger or vengeance or a desire for punishment. What I wanted, what I asked for again and again with patience and clarity and increasing despair, was for the district to acknowledge that collective punishment is not just…
-
School District 48 (Sea to Sky): a neurodiversity-informed policy critique
SD48 conduct decision flow (simplified) ⚠️ Critical analysis ✅ Strengths ❌ Gaps Neurodiversity lens: how the policy holds up Dimension Assessment Notes Disability justice ✅ Partial Equity and accommodation are mandated, but process and supports unspecified Neurodivergent alignment ⚠️ Weak No mention of executive function needs, sensory regulation, impulsivity, masking, or meltdown management Protection from…
-
SJ Burnside Continuing Education (SD61): a neurodiversity‑informed policy critique
SJ Burnside Education Centre is an Alternative Education program serving youth aged 13–18 in a small-group, flexible setting. Its published Code of Conduct emphasises high standards of conduct, honesty, integrity, and cooperation during all school-sponsored activities. It explicitly promotes peaceful problem-solving, community engagement, and maintains a personal device policy (e.g., cell phones may be removed if abused). Student Code of Conduct SJ Burnside conduct decision…
-
Reconciliation demands that we put collective punishment aside
Collective punishment in residential schools did more than punish children—it shattered the bonds between parents and children. For many parents who survived, the fear, shame, and trauma they endured complicated their ability to nurture trust in their own parenting. Emotional disconnection and disrupted parenting Adults who attended residential schools often struggle to form secure attachments…
-
A perspective taking primer for educators
Perspective taking is the disciplined art of stepping outside one’s own cognitive scaffolding and entering, as fully as possible, into the sensorium of another person. It is not sympathy, which radiates concern from a safe emotional distance, nor is it projection, which mistakes one’s own feelings for universal truth. Instead, it is an intentional, methodical…
-
Collective punishment: unjust in schools, unjust everywhere
Collective punishment—punishing a group for the actions of an individual—is widely recognised as a violation of human rights. It is condemned in international law, yet it persists in various forms worldwide. From China’s persecution of human rights defenders’ families to Israel’s blockade of Gaza and the Taliban’s illogical governance, collective punishment disproportionately harms innocent people.…
-
Help please: call for Indigenous perspectives on collective punishment in BC schools.
We are seeking contributions from Indigenous scholars, knowledge-keepers and community leaders to speak to the history, lineage and lived impact of collective punishment in British Columbia’s public schools. Your insights will deepen understanding of how these practices have affected Indigenous children and communities and guide our advocacy for restorative, culturally grounded alternatives. What we’re looking…
-
How regressive school policies limit inclusion
On the first day of school, it all looked so promising that it seemed almost too good to be true—the hallway bulletin boards overflowed with vibrant slogans about kindness, leadership, and community belonging, while the principal’s welcome message spoke in glowing terms about student voice, shared responsibility, and the promise of a positive school culture…
-
Collective punishment: it doesn’t work, but still it happens
Written by Dr Penny Rabiger, in 2016, this personal yet incisive piece, discusses the challenges the persistence of collective punishment in schools, despite its well-documented ineffectiveness. Drawing on both professional insight and a child’s perspective, the post illustrates how these tactics damage trust, inhibit learning, and punish children for behaviours beyond their control. The author…
-
Restraint and isolation in British Columbia schools
Physical restraint and isolation—sometimes termed “seclusion”—remain legally unregulated in British Columbia schools, even as provincial guidelines seek to limit their use to moments of extreme risk. Physical restraint is defined as any method of restricting a student’s freedom of movement to maintain safety, while seclusion involves involuntary confinement in a space from which the student…
-
What policy says about collective punishment in schools
Collective punishment is never explicitly mentioned in the School Act or BC education policies, but it is made very clear that the system is meant to be fair, accountable, and respectful. The School act states the discipline in schools must be “similar to that of a kind, firm and judicious parent” (Section 76(3)). I consider…
-
From corporal punishment to collective harm: why Section 43 still casts a shadow over Canadian schools
Section 43 still permits “reasonable force” in schools. This blog explores how it enables collective punishment and violates children’s rights.
-
Teacher Misconduct Case
A recent case involving Alexandra Clare McLean, a BC teacher disciplined for yelling, humiliating, and physically handling students, highlights the urgent need for stronger accountability in schools. Despite multiple suspensions, warnings, and training, McLean’s harmful behaviour continued. This case reflects the broader issue of harmful disciplinary tactics like collective punishment. Both create fear, shame, and…
-
The cost of compliance – the foundational critique and case for change
When children are dysregulated, the response from educators is too often punitive. For neurodivergent students in particular, the cost of these responses is high: shame, trauma, social exclusion, and a deep erosion of trust. But it does not have to be this way. Restorative alternatives are not new. They are ancient practices found in many…
-
A teacher’s perspective on collective punishment
In this powerful TikTok video, Mr Trayvon reflects on his own past use of collective punishment in the classroom—and why he no longer believes it serves students. With candour and humility, he acknowledges the harm these practices cause, particularly to children already carrying the weight of trauma, neurodivergence, or social marginalisation. His shift away from…
-
Collective punishment–fair or farce?
The practice of collective punishment in schools sparks strong opinions among educators, parents, and students alike. While some argue it helps maintain control and sends a message about group accountability, critics point out that it unfairly penalizes uninvolved individuals and damages trust within the classroom. This article dives into the debate, exploring: The piece concludes…
-
How children evaluate collective and targeted punishment
A recent study explores how children perceive fairness in different forms of punishment. The research, conducted with children of varying ages, compares their reactions to collective punishment (where an entire group is punished for the actions of a few) versus targeted punishment (where only the individuals responsible face consequences). The findings reveal that children overwhelmingly view collective punishment as…
-
New research highlights the harmful effects of collective punishment on group relations
A study published in Political Psychology examines how collective punishment—punishing an entire group for the actions of a few—impacts intergroup relations. Researchers Mete Sefa Uysal, Sami Çoksan, and Thomas Kessler found that collective punishment: These findings, based on experiments in Turkey and Germany with over 2,000 participants, reveal that collective punishment not only fails to resolve conflicts…
