Singapore Sports School’s action in expelling five students for smoking in the school is reminiscent of harsh school punishment in the 19th century.
Had they been guilty of more serious offences like arson, assault on teachers and theft the punishment would be justified.
The punishment must fit the crime, and here it patently does not.
Smoking is not a crime, and the boys’ only indiscretion was to smoke in the school.
Teenagers can do things simply out of bravado.
As an educational establishment, SSS should have resorted to counseling the boys instead of imposing unnecessarily harsh punishment.
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