School suspensions for violent behavior: reward or deterrent?

In the wake of a disturbing incident where a female student was subjected to violence by her peers in Rach Gia City, Kien Giang Province, the conversation around school disciplinary measures has intensified. The event, captured in a nearly 2.5-minute video that circulated on social media, showcased a harrowing scene where a student was physically assaulted by another, with their altercation escalating to severe violence. This led to the aggressors being suspended from school, a penalty that has sparked a debate regarding its effectiveness as a deterrent.

Reader Bong dem highlighted a fundamental issue with suspensions: "Naughty students like being suspended from school for a few days or weeks because they already don't care much about studying. There should be more radical solutions, such as separate educational facilities for disruptive students or collaborations with police to ensure stricter consequences."

Echoing this sentiment, Ngochoaop critiqued the current disciplinary approach: "Students who beat their friends are allowed to leave school, I think that is no different than a reward, not a punishment. Simply suspending students for a limited time from school clearly brings no value."

The education sector currently employs a tiered system of discipline, including warnings, reprimands, and temporary suspensions. However, this system is seen by some as insufficient in curbing violent behavior.

Seven Love reminisced about more severe repercussions faced by students in the past: "When I was in school, students who fought like that would definitely be retained and could not get to the next grade. Luckier students were sent to training camp during the whole three-month summer break, going to school to clean and do other trivial jobs assigned by the school every day."

Kimtinhbao suggested an alternative approach to discipline: "For young children who violate school’s disciplines, let's use community service at orphanages and facilities for disabled children as punishment, so that they can see the value of life. This will be much better than letting them be absent from school for a few days."

Vuint recommended a more holistic solution to address the root causes of such behavior: "Students who beat their friends should be transferred to private short-term education, with legal consultants to analyze violations and consequences; psychologists to help find out the causes and consequences, treat them so they don't have wrong thoughts and actions. Suspending them in the form of staying home from school for a few days will allow them to idly engage in bad behaviors and not helping them realize what they have done wrong and correct it."