July 19. “Button, the issue of corporal punishment is starting to boil over.”

“By the way, what exactly is corporal punishment?”

“It means physical punishment. When you beat up someone to punish him for doing something you feel he shouldn’t have done.”

“How did this begin, in the first place?”

“It started when a boy from a well-known boys school in Kolkata committed suicide because he reported that the principal had humiliated him in front of other students. The principal and vice principal of another boys school has been hauled up for beating up a student.”

“But school children have always been punished—physically or otherwise to discipline them—and it was never misunderstood. What made it reach such proportions suddenly? As a school-going child, I remember being caned rather frequently! ”

“The problem now will be that even if a teacher raises a finger, a child will see that as an opportunity to misuse it and blow it out of proportion or even play pranks.”

“Absolutely.”

“Both my sister and brother-in-law are teachers. They are worried because they have suddenly got a huge jolt and are unsure as to where this whole episode will lead to!”

“Simply ridiculous.”

“The latest is that parents have no right to beat up their kids.”

“That was bound to happen.”