Childhood Memories

Yesterday, I punished a kid by sending him out into the hallway to face a wall and hold his hands above his head until I was ready to let him back into the clasroom. I usually do this for about 15-20 minutes, long enough to make their arms hurt. Yesterday, the principal was walking by and decided to give Tom (the kid) a verbal lashing. I opened the door just in time for all the other kids to hear this, so they were all frightened into submission. After the class, the head teacher came up and to me with a message from the principal. He said that I can punish kids however I want to, but don't make them face the wall. It leaves them with bad childhood memories to face a wall.

HUH?? I read journals from other kids whose mother's beat them with shoes or slap them if they don't study hard enough. One of my students was sick, and called her mom to come home. Her mom said no, keep learning English. I'm not a childhood psychologist, but seems to me that these things, beatings and constant slave driving in school, would leave kids with bad memories. Dunno, just throwing it out there.