Corporal Punishment Returning?
Most states have outlawed physical punishment but some schools are returning to it.
While most people think corporal punishment is a thing of the past, it is actually making a comeback in some states. Where is corporal punishment being promoted?
"Spare the rod and spoil the child" is a frequently heard quote. It is often heard when grandparents discuss their childhood days. But, it is now being quoted by parents of this generation. This philosophy seems to be alive and well in the Bible Belt.
Rick Lyman of The New York Times learned that corporal punishment is being reinstated at some schools throughout the U.S. While 28 states have banned corporal punishment, Lyman states that it is legally used in the South and lower Midwest. It is not only legal there but widely used.
The Stats
Lyman states that in 2002-03 school year, over 300,000 students received blows from paddles in this country. Some of the paddles have holes cut in them for more sting. 70% of the 300,000 reside in
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Mississippi
- Tennessee
- Texas
Clash in Philosophies
There is growing discord in some communities that are growing in the south. With growth come new community members. These new students and parents come from states where corporal punishment is banned and there is an outcry that this form of discipline still exists. New families are frustrated with the practice and attempt to have it changed. Most are not successful.
While the American Academy of Pediatrics have come out against the practice, James C. Dobson, the child psychologist , author and founder of Focus on the Family, supports it.
Lawsuits
Some schools have parents give permission before a paddling but others do not. Lawsuits are being filed when students are being paddled without permission but the courts are siding with the schools if there is a written policy endorsing coroporal punishment.
Some parents that Lyman interviewed said they would never have moved to the present school had they known there was a policy of corporal punishment. Parents that do not endorse corporal punishment need to call the school their children will attend prior to moving and find out what the policy is. The policy may even differ from building to building within the same district.
While many administrators say paddling is effective, it is hard to believe that a different method would not have been more humane. How much effort is being put into finding the underlying cause of the behavior or trying forms of behavior management? The 28 states that have banned corporal punishment have positive atmospheres in schools without resorting to violence.
Related articles: Spanking and Deviate Behaviors, Punishment Doesn't Work.
Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2006 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
