Just watched I Not Stupid Too (2). How would I put it. It was a really emotionally charged show and Jack Neo really outdid himself this time. I seldom find sequels that are better than the original but then again title aside, this was in most parts a standalone show addressing totally different issues. While the main focus of the show is about the communication breakdown betwwen parent and child, it takes time to develop the story further by addressing a whole host of side issues ranging from 'abusive' teacher to public canings. Issues that are still pretty fresh in our minds (think of that clip circulated by email whereby a teacher tore up the student's homework). Many people who watch this show will easily identify with it be it a parent, teenager or granparent. But what I thought remarkable about the way this show was filmed was the way Jack Neo showed us that he isn't biased in his thinking. Unlike some shows whereby everything is based on a single viewpoint, he shows a single issue looked at by different people and from different viewpoints. An example I guess would be needed to substatiate my point. During the beginning of the show, it starts of by showing kids that are neglected by their parents, kids that are constantly nagged at by parents..etc. It sort of thugs at you because I'm sure that every single child has gone through that in their life (and yes, I saw a few parents squirming in their seats). Then just when you thought that parents are the root of all evil, Jack Neo shows you that parents really care for their child. They slave their lives away for their child but just don't know how to educate them correctly. So round and round the story goes. And before I log off, there are 2 really interesting yet 'negotiatED' issueswhich I would like to give my views on.

Teachers hitting students:
Its true that a long time ago, teachers hitting students was an accepted norm. In fact, parents would hit their child a second time if they knew that the teacher hit their child in school for misconduct. Teachers then were given absolute rule well at least short of severely injuring a child. Caning and the like were a given. However, with more educated parents who like to think that Singapore should be a more civilised society, corporal punishment is frowned upon now more often than not. They like to think that if anyone should decide to 'dish' out punishment to 'THEIR' child, then it would have to be them and not anyone else. Which brings me to my second view point regarding..

Public Caning:
Before the show, I forgot all about public caning. It all seems so long ago when I witnessed my first public caning. I mean, I couldn't be bothered with it even though it was addressed a few times in the papers. i mean, why should I? It doesn't affect me. And that was before the show. When I watched the scene, it really brought back memories of me witnessing a caning in my school once. There was this malay kid from Primary 5 who was caught smoking outside the toilet. I was appalled then. Pri 5 and smoking already? This guy was good. Then there was that prefect who got caught stealing from the school's computer lab. It was really stupid because he happened to be the only student who knew the password to the security system AND the breakin was unforced. And the last 2 kids were caught fighting in school. Anyway, all of them were subjected to public caning while the rest of the school watched. I remember watching how those guys screamed out in pain each time our disiplinary master beat them with this very long cane which looked like a bamboo stick more than anything. Anyways, it was really a horrible expirience which thankfully time eroded away from my memory. So do I think public caning is evil? Yes extremely. Should it be abolished? Well, its a grey area. I have a friend who got caned publicly, felt the gravity of his mistakes after that and repented. So its not all bad. I think...But just think...what if it was your child who just got caned. How can you as the parent bear to let the whole school watch YOUR son get caned.