Rather than straw man the Prussian system you could iron man it.

Corporal punishment was common when the Prussian system was founded (1800s) across the world.

The system provided free education for the lowest rungs of society for the first time in Europe, that's a mighty achievement!

Pedagogically it is a hierarchical system with a strong focus on authority. It doesn't encourage questioning authority outside of the sciences which is a feature for the authoritarian societies deploying this educational model.

Spießrutenlaufen was used by the military and was a severe, often fatal punishment. It was certainly not a great educational tool.

I think, he is confusing the figurative meaning with the real punishment. The former is not un-common in Germany even today. And yes, it has - or had - some relation to a certain concept of pedagogy. Cruel, but at times also positively personality-forming.

Ha!

With my University diploma I've also got a rank of Lieutenant-reserve of РВСН (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Missile_Forces) so the procedure is metaphorically close :D

Combined with the parent comment, I think that makes it a perverse incentive here, depending on who is setting yhe standards.