Encyclopedia of Children's Health

[markablue]

Here is the place for the campain to ban corporal punishment in American schools.

[HS3000]

Many people throughout the US are surprised to learn that school "corporal punishment" still exists in this country. Although it has been banned in many states, it is still going strong in many school districts, mostly (but not exclusively) in the Southern United States.

As a result of school paddling over the last few years, here in my home state of Texas, we've had a broken back, bleeding skin, and an 18 year-old female high school student, paddled by force and injured by a male administrator. (It is commonplace in many school districts for male administrators to paddle adolescent young women for sometimes very minor offenses, even at the Senior high school grade level. The potential for exploitation should be obvious.)

But probably worse than the dramatic cases like those stated above, are the perhaps thousands of cases that occur every year in which children develop problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, unwanted sexual fetishes that last a lifetime (have a look at all the fetish websites on the internet), and disassociative disorders, as a result of being physically beaten in school.

Another problem is that in states that still allow corporal punishment, parents have no rights under the law. Legislation has even been passed to prevent parents from suing, no matter how egregious the injuries. Hardly what you would expect from a country that stresses the individual rights of citizens, and purports to believe in the conservative ideals of limited government.

The important concept to grasp here, is that school beatings are inherently unhealthy, irregardless of how they're carried out, and there is no safe way to do it.

And it's not as if paddling states perform better than non-paddling states. Quite the contrary. Non-paddling states perform as well or better than states that allow paddling do. The only question is when paddling states will catch up with the rest of the United States and civilized world, and ban this archaic, harmful practice.

Here are a few online references:

http://www.nospank.net/

http://www.nopaddle.com/

http://www.stophitting.com/

[Peggy]

Corporal punishment is legal in 21 states. I am on the Board of Directors for PTAVE, Parents and Teachers Against Violence in Education. I live in NC, and am working to effect legislative change here.
Lest you think that corporal punishment is reserved for the worst of misconducts, let me tell you what we have seen here.
Parental consent is not mandated here in NC, and there is no opt out form to prevent my children from being hit. My county, Union County, has never complied with state law that declares that districts who choose to hit students must publish a list of offenses that could lead to the use of corporal punishment. How can one trust a district that sees itself above the letter of the law? They even hit disabled children.
Injuries have occured, and one recent NC case is being investigated by the state board of education, but it is doubtful that anything can or will be done. The teacher who inflicted severe bruises is still in the classroom, and able to hit any child that he sees fit.
The only solution is a change in law.
Go to www.nospank.net/bancp-nc.htm
One of the children pictured on the petition site is from NC.
If you live in NC and would like to add your name to the petition, contact me.
Thanks,
Peggy

[concerned]

Thank You, markablue. Hi, Peggy. I can tell you this I would have moved to NC everything was set to go untill I found this out. Being from a state where this was never an issue and moving to a state that accepts this was hands down the only reason I refuse to move there. You cant teach in one state that doing this is a crime and you will serve time in prison then moving to another state where it's widely acceptable and no crime at all. America needs to get on the same page here and stop the beatings in all schools. I can say I was in Complete Shock upon finding this information and am so grateful you put it out there for us to find. I've passed the word in NJ. Every one who I talk to has seen the site listed above this post. I'll continue to send links around to family and friends. NJ mother's and fathers and grandparents are appauled and shocked that this still goes on in today's day and age. Keep Up the good work.

[libby8888]

Even though Dallas, Houston, and other big cities in Texas have given up paddling students, east Texas still worships the paddle. They go against 60 years of research that says that hitting kids is not a viable means of communication. They misquote the Bible's New Testament teachings to justify humiliating, demeaning, and causing physical harm to students. Parents that bruise their children go to court but schools have teacher immunity laws that protect them from being prosecuted for abusing children. In schools that use paddling, you will find teachers that do not respect other people's children, the learning environment is dismal, and teachers have long since forgotten various teaching methods. My child has had almost five years of straight lecture classes, where kids are supposed to sit all day long and listen. Seems like teachers forget that lecture is the least desirable method of teaching as it requires no participation from students and that rote learning is the lowest level of learning. It is no wonder to me why these students are bored out of their minds. Not one time has my child come home and been excited about a homework assignment. Very few times has a special event happened in class that has attracted her attention. Adults would be bored with eight hours of lecture with five minute breaks, sitting in those hard chairs all day long, five days a week. Schools that use intimidation and humiliation as a means of control do not offer a positive learning envirnment that encourages children to learn and does nothing to motivate them. It's sad that this is allowed in the United States since it is against the law to hit your slave, your prisoner, your wife, your dog, but you can hit other people's children and it is not considered assault.

Libby8888

[Skout]

What a great topic. This has just made me ask this question when looking for a new state to move to.

1. What states allow this?
2. Why don't the parent(s) strike back physically? Teacher stops, parent gets a fine. Big deal. I am 6'3 and 250lbs male adult over 35yr. I would not allow ANY teacher to touch my child. Period.

Anyways, thanks for this board.

[bedvan]

You need to start keeping a log of everything that you see, dates and what happened, then call CPS, the police and the state agency that gives them the license. You might want to contact the parent also, they need to know. Can you take some video with your phone without being noticed? That makes me sick! If it's as bad as you say I would keep talking until somebody listened, contact the media if need be.

[bma43]

The state law allows Georgia school districts to paddle any student for any reason. It is left totaly in the hands of the AP's and in my sons school it is the first source of corrective action taken on a student. I have spoken to the AP in question and statrd that if he hits my child I will be glad to deal with him directly.

[Michelle815]

My Fiance and I were planning on relocating to NC with our 6 year old son until I found out that corporal punishment was allowed in the schools. I had no idea that this was allowed in any school in the US! The day that someone paddles my son is the day that I show up at the school with a baseball bat and beat the crap out of the S.O.B.!!

[claudius2u]

Please, people! Are you really so naive' about discipline? Corporal reaction to an incorrigible adolescent is both humane, and "Human" treatment of a disease called immaturity.

However, really, "HOWEVER" - there are monsters who pretend to be school teachers, who have every intention to "HARM" our vulnerable children placed in their control.

The issue with liberal, free-minded school "teachers is their desire to exert absolute "CONTROL" over BOTH students and parents.

No, I am Not referring to conservative-minded teachers who tell parents and students alike that there are codes of acceptable conduct, that stepped out of require quick and rational reprise, including proper, open corporal actions, including several smacks to the appropriate rear-end, "NEVER" in a closed-off room, and "NEVER" without parental involvement, especially if the parent is willing to work with the staff to evaluate the misconduct, and the appropriate reprisal, which is rarely corporal.

Schools foster bad will in students' minds when they pander to parents who eschew corporal reprimands - kids are just not capable of self-control when with other kids. My children had the same thing when they were that age, so did you parents, and myself, during those days of our youth.

Now, YES, there is school personnel physical and mental abuse - in my case, my older son was mentally abused by some school personnel, and he is still suffering the consequences of those rotten teachers at age 39. I protested to the teachers, but in the end, the damage was done, and no words I could feedback could undo their harm to my child.

Fortunately, physical discil=pline was sanely used, and my three children were unharmed as they learned respect for corporal discipline at home, and decided that it was not worth testing the mettle of school staff in their interpretation of "Spanking."

And, being human, it was not always that I shared corporal discipline without emotional overtone. But, as it has been for thousands of years practice by parents who loved enough to use corporal, my children have thanked me for using deserved corporal, and chided, but forgiven me for my emotional reactions. They each now understand that corporal is all about love, when used in a kind spirit, and about the opposite of love when used without love.

School is no place to abuse children, but abusive children attend school, and must be dealt with on terms that cause them to be at least less abusive.

Poor grades is "NO" reason for any corporal, or mental punishment.

Poor Grades is a symptom of POOR teaching. Sometimes, it is also a result of attempting to teach something to a student who is just not ready, not gifted to learn it, or has issues outside the class that cause disability to focus on the teaching and subject.

In fact, studies over many years show that keeping every child at home till they are the age of current fourth graders, then introducing formal education induces accelerated learning curves, and a average time of 9 months to master all the subjects taught to pre-school through 3rd grade.

Plus, these unpressured kids are superior in adapting to new environments, and assimilating new subject education. They are also much easier to teach, want to learn, and fully capable of finishing education well ahead of their peers who started formal education before their sixth birthday.

Also, these kids are Not ADD affected, and have little need of discipline, especially corporal.

How would you like for your own children to have this opportunity in their life?

[Selizabeth]

I think that corporal punishment is the worst thing you use to correct a child's behaviour. I am in high school and i am friends with people who are 14,15,16,17,&18......some of them are still smacked when they are wrong. I think it is totally wrong. I think children who are smacked when miss behaving end up disturbed in some way.[/b]

[Hazel_83]

It is not only about being disturbed, but it also affects a child's normal mental growth, and he may start taking things differently, negatively... It should be banned... They can be made understand with love nad affection as well....

[vernon_wharff]

You are right Hazel.. The mental trauma it creates, and he grows up with different values and understanding, and grievances...




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[mgudelis]

There's a thin line between discipline and punishment. How do you know if you are crossing on the latter?

[andrewmason]

bma43 yes you are right and i am fully agree with you.