smacking schools threatened with closure

Most people know that it is illegal to adminster physical punishment to children at school, except when done by a guardian. It is also illegal for school children play truant and not attend school. Some schools are said to be at risk of being closed down if they refused to reveal if they have smacked children. However they won't be closed down if they refuse to reveal if they teach religious education or school prayers in school hours. They won't be closed down if kids play truant because it is the parents' responsibility for their kids to attend school. It is not the parents responsibility that their kids behave at school. They won't be closed down if kids use drugs in school or if teachers undertake dodgy marking and upgrading of NCEA exams.

Should Labour's 20 hours free childhood policy be enacted, would childcare centres be threatened with closure should they illegally ask parents to pay top up fees?

Where in our legal framework does it say that schools who administer corporal punishment should be closed down? Haven't enough schools been closed down already by this Government?

violence in schools

It is interesting that Green MP Sue Bradford is appalled that a Christian school has not denied smacking naughty kids.Bradford says that schools are supposed to be a safe place, where children are able to learn, free from the threat of violence.

One wonders when she is going to speak up against bullying in schools - or is only certain types of violence condoned. Bullying is just as illegal as physical punishment in schools. The former is more violent than the latter.

If Bradford cared about violence in schools, and was less interested in promoting her own ideaology, she would address bullying.