Hong Kong court rules against playground noise
Post on: 2011-11-02 By: admin
A Hong Kong school has lost an appeal against a noise abatement order issued after a neighbour complained about the daily ruckus emanating from its playground, reports said Tuesday.
High Court Judge Thomas Au dismissed an appeal by Lantau International School, which was required in 2009 to keep noise levels below 60 decibels or face fines, the South China Morning Post reported.
The school said it respected the court's decision but asked how the hush order could be enforced on a playground full of young children.
"Asking a child not to make noise in a playground is like asking them not to blink or a rabbit not to eat lettuce," the school's lawyer was quoted as saying.
The initial noise abatement order was made after a neighbour complained in September 2008, the Standard daily reported. An inspection found the noise level in the resident's bedroom to be 62 decibels, above acceptable limits.
The school was subsequently ordered to keep the noise level below 60 decibels between 7am and 11pm or be fined up to HK$100,000 ($12,900) for a first offence, and HK$200,000 for subsequent convictions, with an additional HK$20,000 for each day the order is disregarded.
The school declined to comment on Tuesday.
Children's right to engage in play and recreational activities, enshrined in international conventions, was among arguments raised by the school in its appeal last year.
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I've never had a problem teaching my kids to be sensitive to others and keep the noise down.I just yell at them really, really loudly to be quiet like I am.....
• Missoula, United States•
And we thought OUR courts were insane......
• Milwaukee, United States•
10 lashes each, that'll make them think before laughing on the playground. I'm taking Hong Kong out of my bucket...
Simple... tell the kids they cannot use their outside voice.... EVER!!!
62dB is nothing. It's noisy, but completely acceptable.
I wonder if they measured it A weighted?
• Intercourse, United States•
I would think the school was there first.
Ever heard a Chinese person just speak in a normal tone? It sounds like screaming to an American ear. Just imagine a bunch of hyper kids screaming in that echo chamber. It would shatter the windows.
Those who work in the child care industry should be ashamed (if they dont even bother trying to keep the noise level down and pretend it isnt even possible to try - they have given up even before they began).
.
I used to teach at several different levels and was surprised at the attitude of some educators.
.
For example, There was a student with a mangled hand (disabled) who was repeatedly excluded from physcial education class, a required class) by his peers (if he had been excluded from intramurals, not a required class - I wouldnt mind as much, but this was during the school day, not before or after).
.
Personally, I cannot stand a disabled kid treated like dirt cuz his hand doesnt work well (and I cannto stand a teach who stands around and allows one student to be picked on or excluded cuz he is disabled).I can almost understand the obnoxious attitude of fellow children (though I might try to addres it), but I cannot tolerate such an ignorant and dispeciable attitude to be held by a fellow teacher.
.
Since I was the teacher this day one day, I insisted the disaabled boy be allowed to play the game (he should be taught so he could be included, not excluded all the time).ON many previous days I saw the teachers and the students excluding the disabled kid from the game of kickball yet again (how would the kid ever learn to play if they always excluded him I thought?).
.
The biggest bully kid in the group was not happy that the disabled kid was gonna be included (the bully started to throw a tantrum when I told him that the disabled kid needed to be included-and that I wouldnt back down just cuz a bully kid threw a tantrum).
.
Well, the feloow teacher who regularly allowed this disabled kid to be excluded did not give me the procfessional courtesy that I gave her most of the time (butt out while I am teaching and I will respect you while you are teaching).She came over and told me, I know what you are doing and it is not gonna work.Boys will be boys and there aint nothing you can do about it
.
This attitude I find way too much (I cannot stand around and watch a kid be bullied by another kid regularly).We are the adults, we cannot just sit back and do nothing while one kid bullies another (DURING SCHOOL).Boys will be boys and teachers job is to guide these kids in the best behavior not sit by and refuse to help a disabled ki being picked on and excluded.
.
Women teachers (and men that act that way) make me sick.
ffs. why dont they just cut the children's tongues out while they are out it?.. i am joking of course, but i hope some HK politician doesnt get any ideas..... i wouldnt put it past they people who make decisions in that area of the world (china- although i realize HK is autonomous to chinese mainland law)
Children should be seen and not heard.
If they cannot teach children to spend time out of doors without screaming at the top of their lungs, then they are NOT teachers.With the use of positive and negative rewards, teachers can do this or they should get out of the profession.
.
Any child who doesnt yell at the top of their lungs during recess will get a lollipop.
.
Any child who makes a major ruccuss during recess will spend time in the corner and be sent inside before recess is over.
.
If you cannot teach childrem then get out of the profession.The neighbors will be forgiving of exceeding the limit occassionally if the teachers actually try to do their job and keep the noise to a minimum most of the time
Wow. What a bunch of ding dongs they have running things in Hong Kong.
And this is the kind of attitude that gets to move to Canada
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