Punish or educate, or both? What role should our educators play?

Two university students were captured on video having sex on the street in front of a university's dorm in an early morning.¹ They were later charged for indecency in public. The court adjourned the case to May 26, while the prosecution was seeking legal advice. The local communities were shocked and the general sentiment was to “punish, punish and punish” the students for what they did. In the university communities, views are generally lopsided, and the female student was looked at as a big shame of her university. The male mainland student, being an exchange student, will surely be facing the toughest punishment upon returning to his home institution after he has served his sentence here, which is yet to be decided by the court. In any society, there is an unarguable expectation that every person should be responsible for what he or she does, the two university students being no exception. Indeed, the police or DoJ has already laid charges against the two students, and they will be punished according to the law. But my question is: what roles should education institutions be playing, given that they are entrusted by society to shape the minds of our young generations? Should educators just follow the public, condemn the students, and expel them from the campus?

The students are only 18 or 19 years old and are now under tremendous pressure, from their own families and being the media's focus, let alone facing charges. They committed this foolish but very serious offence almost certainly out of ignorance or under influence of drugs or alcohol. Videos that captured the scene went viral on the Internet, and the media has taken it as a repulsively sinful act and incited much sarcastic sentiment as the young offenders are mainlanders. But while the public has all the rights to accuse the students of such unsightly behavior and even make fun of them, and the court will soon announce the sentence, universities should instead be demonstrating their soft power in educating and guiding the young offenders to become good citizens. For sure now, the law will make them responsible for what they did, as they are adults under the local legislation. Would double or triple punishment help in any way?

In schools and universities, appropriate disciplinary actions are often necessary and can be very effective means to maintain a fair, safe and desirable learning environment for all students. But at the same time, schools and universities should also educate students of the right values and give them the opportunity to learn to correct mistakes. I hope our educators would not just join the public as onlookers, especially in this sensitive juncture where little tolerance is allowed for mainland offenders, but rather focus on rehabilitation and counseling of these young offenders, and conscientiously offer them help so that they will be given a chance to "begin again" and eventually contribute positively to society.

April 28, 2015

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Online news:

1. Sex on the street: Hong Kong police arrest mainland Chinese student, 19, as video goes viral -- South China Morning Post

2. As two Oklahoma students are expelled for racist chant, Sigma Alpha Epsilon vows wider inquiry -- The New York Times