What is your opinion on corporal punishment/paddling in schools?

I live in Va, and it was outlawed long before I ever started going to school. However, I have some cousins who live in Texas and where they go to school, paddling is still legal. They have never been paddled but have heard from some students who have that it really does hurt a lot. Do you think that this form of discipline is out dated, or do you think that more schools should implement its use? One of my cousins told me that the embarrassment and fear of getting paddled does act as a deterrent to make sure she follows the school's code of conduct. Apparently, this practice is not completely uncommon in the deep south or among other states. In fact, I saw a show called "The Principal's Office" that displays different schools across the country and how they deal with student behavior and other educational issues, and in one episode, they show students at an Arkansas school choosing to be paddled rather than take a full-day of Saturday detention. I have mixed feelings about this because I think the lack of discipline in so many homes is making it harder for teachers to do their job in the classroom, so it seems like they have to pick up the slack and do the parents' job of disciplining. However, I think I would have a hard time allowing a stranger to spank my child, so I can see how this is a very controversial topic. What are your thoughts?What is your opinion on corporal punishment/paddling in schools?
Yeah, this definitely is a controversial topic. I agree that children need discipline and that should start in the home, and it is a shame when that doesn't happen and the schools have to, as you say, "pick up the slack." Personally, I would feel like my right to feel safe in school was violated if I were a student and someone hit me. I received spankings at home from my parents, but that form of discipline stopped around age 7-8, and I started to have things taken away. I do find it interesting that many people think corporal punishment in schools is illegal across the board in all 50 states. That is not true at all. It is up to the states and each school district within the state to decide, and there are a handful of states, mostly in the deep south, that still paddle. In fact, well over 100,000 students were paddled last year at school, be it a private, parochial, or public school. This did not include "repeat offenders," but the fact that the numbers were that high shows that it is still being used in certain schools.



I think the practice, from a practical standpoint, is outdated, and I don't think schools should have the right to hit children, but I think most, if not all, would agree that if parents teach children respect and morals at a young age and work hard to enforce them at home, it would carry over much better than making the school do this work for them. After all, students spend far more hours of the week outside of school than they do in school, so outside forces can really affect what they do and value at school. Good question. I hope this answer was helpful!
Lack of discipline is an issue at home. Spanking is punishment and is not the reason the teachers have to pick up the slack. There is no reason to ever strike a child. It doesn't accomplish anything long term. Consistently enforcing boundaries is what is is missing in today's homes.What is your opinion on corporal punishment/paddling in schools?
Abuse in any form can lead to very bad things... it can lead to physical and mental underdevelopment which can effect the victim of the abuse, there community and society in general... basic sociology.
no one better hit my kid...

tell me what they did, and i'll decide to hit them or not.



if they hit my kid, i'll probably have to hit them.What is your opinion on corporal punishment/paddling in schools?
go for it! desperate cases require desperate remedies!
It's out dated the southern states seem to have a fetish for it.
I'm shocked that this is legal ANYWHERE.
Awesome, time to whoop some ***!
You lay your hands on my kid, I'm gonna lay my hands on you. Period.
I support it
You touch my kid...and I'll blow your school up(figuratively).
Hi I am from Britian, UK. During the mid 1970's cainning punishment was outlawed. I believe punishment like that can have lasting affects which are taken in to Adult hood. I am 23 myself and I believe cainning being used just shows the child you have completly last control of the situration.



In a school envionment I believe teachers should been given extra trainning to handle bad behaved students. Parents should back the schools more and stop insulting the school system infront of the child. All that does is learn the child its ok to miss behave at school.



I was a good student at school, never got in trouble. The one thing that shocked me to this day, is how teachers tend to give the unrulely child more of their time then the well behaved child. There was this teacher at school who never once lost it, he had this way of making the bad behaved

child look silly, by making a joke of his carry on. So of course the class would all laugh at the child and after awhile the child got fed up with being in the spot light.



The UK has it fair share of yobs and gangs in some in city areas, but I believe it shouldn't be up to the school to parent a child in that way. The reason for the yobs and gangs is the lack of parenting going on. I totally uderstand once your child becomes a teenager, you have to find another way of parenting them, relaxing your methods alittle. At the same time keep firm with them and be there friend too.



All I am saying any form of slapping, cain ect punishment is not the way forward. and can scare a child for life mentally.
I think it's never a good idea to teach a child that larger people can control smaller people with violence. Those smaller people grow up not knowing how to deal with situations other than violence. It teaches young ladies that bad behavior is reason to hit them. It teaches young men to solve their problems with violence.



and y'all wonder why you see children beating each other, parents beating their children to death and women battered and bruised. It's how they were taught to deal with social situations that don't go their way in school.



I've also wondered about the kind of pervert that takes pleasure in administering that kind of 'punishment'.
School should be a positive experience for children- not something they should fear. I think that children respond more to rewards than physical punishment. Providing incentives for good behavior is a better road than providing punishment for bad behavior- otherwise children will eventually stop blaming themselves for the punishments, and start to villainize the school authority, causing more rebellion towards learning.



I think there is a place for punishment (even the kind that acts as a deterrent by being embarassing) but the physical stuff is just uncalled for. Leave that up to the parents.
Here In Canada it was called the strap! I can remember my older brother got the strap once, for fighting with a fellow student. He got 3 whacks on the palm of his hand. I also remember when another brother got the strap. This was a case of mistaken identity, (the truth came out later on) the principal gave him 5 whacks! This brother was very quiet and shy, never did anything wrong in school. Well let me just tell you, My Dad came unglued! He went to the school, marched into the principals office, while removing his own belt. He actually struck the principal with his belt a few times while threatening his life if he laid a hand on any of his kids again. The principal was screaming for help. My Dad scared the bajeepers out of him. By the time I was old enough to go to school they had changed rules of discipline. I can't believe the principal never laid charges against my Dad. I don't agree with corporal punishment in the schools. I think I might react like my Dad did if a teacher laid a hand on either of my kids. However, kids did have more respect for authorities back then. I know if I got a call about my kids doing something wrong at school, I would certainly deal with it when they got home, some parents would let it slide, so the kids would get away with it anyway. I don't know what the answer is. Parents need to be more accountable for their kids behavior.
For most good parent this is not controversial.

more schools should implement its use!



When I was a kid we had it. I went to a private school. It really didn't hurt much and was done by two teachers. The thing that really sticks is the embarrassment and shame you get. That is not bad! Remember the embarrassment and shame where brought on by the student and stopped by the teacher.



The only problem I have with it is morals are not in schools any longer so what would they based the need on...teachers mood.



Interesting the answers. People are much less into corporal punishment and have much lower standards for their kids today. Kids can only reach the standars thier parents set.



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My kids going to MIT...I expected this of him from day one. Good luck maybe your kid will beat his next high score and get another ear ring and sweet tatt.