I can think of two bosses whom I have had in the past, in my 50 years of paid and unpaid employment(1955 to 2005), who could have benefitted from a "caning of the ass." School corporal punishment, an official punishment for mis-behaviour by school students, involving striking the student a given number of times in a generally methodical and premeditated ceremony. The punishment is usually administered either across the buttocks or on the hands, with an implement specially kept for the purpose such as a rattan cane wooden paddle, slipper, leather strap, or wooden yardstick. Less commonly, it could also include spanking or smacking the student in a deliberate manner on a specific part of the body with the open hand, especially at the elementary school level.

Sadly, or perhaps not-so-sadly, I did not have the courage, the spontaneity or, perhaps, a background experience in boxing or one of the martial arts. As far as students were concerned: "ass caning" went out in my years as a teacher or I might have resorted to that form of discipline often.


I have come to the view in the evening of my life, though, that in schools and in parenting "caning asses" is best avoided at all costs.