http://tech.slashdot.org/story/10/03/04/02...-Social-Control

"Classical music is being used increasingly in Great Britain as a tool for social control and a deterrent to bad behavior. One school district subjects badly behaving children to hours of Mozart in special detention. Unsurprisingly, some of these youth now find classical music unbearable. Recorded classical music is blared through speakers at bus stops, outside stores, train stations and elsewhere to drive away loitering youth. Apparently it works. Detentions are down, graffiti is reduced, and naughty youth flee because they find classical music repugnant."

Linking to: http://www.sott.net/articles/show/203685-W...-social-control

Don't agree with this to be honest, even if it does work in reducing bad behaviour!

Obviously they've never read Clockwork Orange - Alex would love it!

I love that book/film and it does make you think about it! You can bet that the sound quality is awful through school PA speakers or whatever they use though, so it'd not be a great experience for anyone!

They use it at my tube stop and I love it(and the lack of loiterers). I don't see a problem with using it to stop anti-social behaviour etc, but using it as a punishment in schools seems a bit bizarre.

(If you wanted to get rid of me might I suggest you play some gangsta rap.)

Isn't that just moving the problem elsewhere rather than dealing with the issue itself, though? I never understood that...

I don't believe it. I work with young vulnerable children and we use Mozart and Vivaldi to calm down children. Maybe the troublesome youths just don't want to tune in to feeling good rather than actually finding it repugnent. Good idea for detention to help children relax but not as a punishment - a bit like saying if you don't behave you can stay in and do more maths. no wonder lots of children hate maths.

I don't agree with this either. This is promoting classical music in a negative way.

I take it the high-pitch-emitting "Mosquito" devices aren't having the desired effect?

I think you're on to something there. Being an uncultured, brash "gangsta/solja" seems to be the "in" thing with some kids. Despair and a life of grime is cool, according to gangsta crap.

Maybe, but I don't think it's a problem with an easy solution otherwise it would have been solved by now. Also, it doesn't appear to be always on, maybe it only coincides with the "loitering rush hours". I don't think it's prompting classical music in a negative way, but would agree that using it as a punishment, i.e. forcing people to listen to it in a locked room, is.

Easy solution would be for politicians and councils to stop putting money in their pockets/spend money on useless paperwork or surveys and invest it in sport centres instead (free for under 18s). But that would mean thinking of the population before themselves and that will obviously never happen!
They also started playing classical music in a station I use regularly and the sound is terrible. Nothing to do with music...just a terrible, awful noise you want to run away from!

I'm sorry, but I do not believe that having free sports centres will solve the issue of loitering and/or whatever that loitering leads to. I can imagine that these places would be deemed un-cool.

Pointless surveys by councils however, annoy the h-e-l-l out of me

hmmm..as sad as it is..you might be right there!

I think you will find that with the right staffing, it could work. I remember reading about the woman who started Kids' Company - at first the kids started trashing the place but when they were pushed into realising that they were cr@pping on their own doorstep, they soon calmed down.

Moving back to music (and sports if you like), surely its getting them young. Access to playing instruments is so dependent on money and parents expectations in this country. Get them up and music making for free whatever their ability. What about something like the Venezualan project - weren't they doing that in some run down city in Scotland (apologies for those that live there).

Surprised that nobody so far has pointed out the obvious. 99% of those youths would no doubt find classical music unbearable no matter how they're punished.

I'm just waiting for a comedian to make a sketch out of it.

"Okay boy, you're down for six of the best! What's it to be?

Symphonies or Sonatas?"

Steve

I personally would love it if teachers played me classical music as a punishment! Maybe I should suggest it to the teachers!

Er...first you have to find a teacher who knows what classical music is.

If half of them can't pass the O-level Maths, what chance do you have?

I think you'll find that this idea originates from various know-it -alls in the LEA, not from the school.


Steve

I did consider playing Reger organ music during my maths lessons but gave it a miss because I would have been sidetracked by the music myself, perpetually stopping in mid flow to say,"Listen to this bit!"

Furthermore, when I used to sit at home marking whilst listening to Bach organ works, I would find myself playing 'air pedals' (like 'air'guitar'). Given Reger's manic pedal-writing, together with my long legs, that would have been a horrific sight in the classroom, possibly traumatising my students.

(The staffroom tolerated my 'air keyboards' and frequently asked me what in fact I was playing!)

gangsta rap...

But back on topic : I have played classical music to children in an area of London that's not usually on the tourist trail : and you ought to see their faces : they really enjoy it! Using such music as a punishment is something I really don't agree with at all...

Richard Holloway was trying to get it going in Raploch up Stirling way. Think it's a brilliant idea myself but haven't heard anything recently. Will keep my ear to the ground and see if there is any progress in that area.

Cheers,

Matt.