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20 - School Discipline and the Ethics of Punishment

from Part II - Ethics and Education in Practice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2024

By
Bryan R. Warnick
Edited by
Sheron Fraser-Burgess ,
Jessica Heybach  and
Dini Metro-Roland
Sheron Fraser-Burgess
Affiliation:
Ball State University, Indiana
Jessica Heybach
Affiliation:
Florida International University
Dini Metro-Roland
Affiliation:
Western Michigan University
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Summary

This chapter explores the relationship between education and a school’s punishment and disciplinary practices. Distinct from discipline, punishment is defined partly in terms of its attempt to express moral disapproval. While there are serious criticisms of the use of punishment in educational settings, punishment is largely justified in school in terms of its ability to foster certain sorts of educative conversations. Not all punishment is justified: the particular sort of punishment, and the context that surrounds it, must match the educational nature of the school environment. The punishment must send the right educational messages and accomplish legitimate educational goals. The context of punishment that best supports these goals can be found in the restorative justice framework.

Keywords

punishmentdisciplineethicsautonomycivic educationrestorative justice
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Ethics and Education , pp. 422 - 442
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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References

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