Teacher Cracks Down On Problem Students

A head teacher in a south London school for students whose behavioral problems got them tossed out of mainstream schools has taken a new approach to changing their attitudes. For some students with persistent problems, Duncan Harper of New Woodlands School in Lewisham confiscates computers, TVs, and video games from their homes. According to the British Dietetic Association, schoolchildren spend 20 percent of their time playing video games, using the computer, and watching TV. Noting that students are typically “gobsmacked” when he appears at their homes, Harper said the parents support his methods, often saying they wish they had enough authority to remove distractions themselves. In four years, Harper has taken nine computers from students’ homes. In one case, after Duncan took a television from a student’s room at home, the student saw such an improvement in his behavior that he declined getting the TV back when it was offered. Steve Bullock, the mayor of Lewisham, said, “The kids these days have so many temptations to use electronic equipment that they need more–not less–guidance.”

BBC, 5 June 2006