Can public standards be applied to private institutions?

Frontiersman editorial board

Frontiersman has received many comments since the Friday publication of an article about the controversy at Matanuska Christian School.

Most of the comments expressed concerns over an error that appeared in the article. Frontiersman should have reported that the school's principal allowed a teacher to spank him with a belt as students watched. Frontiersman regrets any confusion caused by the article.

The many calls and e-mails we've received about this article are indications of how emotional this topic is in our community.

Since the incident at the school, several parents have removed their children from that campus -- some because they're concerned about the environment and others in support of the fired principal.

The effects of the incident reverberate far outside the confines of Matanuska Christian School, however. This story combines the topics of education, discipline, morality and religion -- an explosive combination under any circumstances. The bizarre details of this story only add fuel to the volatile mixture.

It's important to remember that this happened at a private school, and that does change the nature of the incident.

For parents and students who only have the public-school experience to draw on, it's tempting to apply that set of standards to this different environment. The initial infraction that had the students in hot water involved kissing girls. That was deemed by the principal to be immoral behavior, and the boys were in danger of expulsion.

The principal didn't want to expel the boys, so he prayed for guidance, and believed God provided the idea for the unusual punishment. He would take the boys' punishment for them, until they admitted what they'd done and took responsibility for it. The punishment involved a belt spanking administered by a teacher as the boys watched.

While many of us find the incident extreme and distasteful, some students at the school wanted the boys expelled, and some parents, teachers and students do believe the kissing was a serious infraction.

The private school must decide how to deal with the situation, and then parents must decide whether they can live with that decision.

As long as no laws are broken, private institutions cannot be judged by a public yardstick -- no matter how strong the temptation.