Corporal Punishment in Schools

[emzie]

I always found it interesting liberals are overwhelmingly anti-corporal while conservatives are very in favor of it. Just a typical tradition vs. new approach debate, I guess?

Tradition vs data.

 

[Cynovolans]

I still remember when most of us thought those corporal punishment permission papers sent to our parents were a joke.

Corporal punishment has never been used as far as I can remember though. (As in since I started school)

 

[Formaldehyde]

That map is highly misleading. While corporal punishment hasn't been officially banned in public schools in all those states, it is really still only practiced in a handful of states and is declining even there. It is also interesting to note that it is only banned in private schools in two states:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_corporal_punishment

Individual US states have the power to ban corporal punishment in their schools. Currently, it is banned in public schools in 31 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.[90] In two of these states, New Jersey[91] and Iowa,[92] it is illegal in private schools as well. The 19 states that have not banned it are mostly in the South. It is still used to a significant (though declining)[93] degree in some public schools in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.[90]

 

[downtown]

Corporal Punishment was fairly common where I taught in Louisiana, and I know Fifty saw it being used in Mississippi. I refused to take part in it, since I knew if I started hitting kids, I would start hitting kids HARD, but my students came to expect it, and had trouble responding to other discipline types.

Nobody paddles rich white kids, only poor black kids.

 

[Godwynn]

Corporal Punishment was fairly common where I taught in Louisiana, and I know Fifty saw it being used in Mississippi. I refused to take part in it, since I knew if I started hitting kids, I would start hitting kids HARD, but my students came to expect it, and had trouble responding to other discipline types.

Nobody paddles rich white kids, only poor black kids.

Did you just write that on the toilet?

 

[Tani Coyote]

I refused to take part in it, since I knew if I started hitting kids, I would start hitting kids HARD,

Why would you hit them hard? All you'd need is a bit of restraint.

Just remember you are their teacher, not their captor.

Nobody paddles rich white kids, only poor black kids.

That to me is a critique of the mentality, not the use of corporal punishment in and of itself. Sounds like a reform of the teacher pool is in order.

 

[Butterball]

You paddle a kid around here and you might get shot.

 

[Leonel]

I'd rather the parents be responsible for corporal punishment.

 

[Tani Coyote]

I'd rather the parents be responsible for corporal punishment.

Indeed. Parents can at least re-affirm that they love the child afterward, and that such discipline is an extension of their love.

Teachers can't say "I love you" without facing jail time as I recall...

 

[Squonk]

Having worked as a teacher for some time, I had to use "force" (not violence, though) thrice:

when younger children insisted on throwing a guy into my class, and kept the door closed so he couldn't come out. I had to force-open the door, while they were holding it close, so that he could come out. One girl actually started shouting that I'm "beating them", which made me so surprised I didn't know what to answer. this younger class was horrible and I wouldn't mind if someone spanked them, actually, but I didn't fortunately have much contact with them so I didn't have to do it myself.

When a class tried to get out, and I wanted to keep them in, I kept the door close. despite their attempts to open it and escape. Normally I'd act harder, but it was their party, so I didn't want to act very strictly, so I was just holding it closed while being, f.e. stabbed with a paper trident by a certain girl. It was all very funny and horrible at the same time. That was the first lesson I had with them, and actually they were calmer and nicer with every next one. I really liked that class, though it was perhaps the worst in that school.

when a certain kid was singing loudly, I gently held his mouth closed, so that the rest of the class could hear what was I saying.

 

[Tee Kay]

Sparingly would be only a few swats. As soon as the child feels pain and knows why they are feeling it - they misbehaved.

Once they make the association, the act is done and anything further is abusive. Save the extra spankings for the next time they misbehave.

How seriously should the child misbehave before you resort to spanking? Shoplifting? Making a scene? Spilling water? Simply annoying the parent?

Excessive punishment comes off as abuse; excessive reward comes off as spoiling;

Yes. My point is spanking should classify as excessive punishment.

Indeed, that's a brutal form of spanking to me. You only need a few swats to get the desired effect - the child now knows what will happen if it does the bad thing again.

Except often it doesn't work. The child continues to "misbehaves" and the frustrated parents/teacher resort to increasingly excessive violence.

Why would you hit them hard? All you'd need is a bit of restraint.

Unfortunately restraint is something humans are not very good at when frustrated or angry, especially if violence is involved, whether you are the one on the receiving end or the one inflicting violence.

 

[Gustave5436]

Pain is a language every animal, no matter how intelligent or lack thereof, understands.

For older children, simply taking away toys will suffice. But for younger ones, a light spanking gets the point across.

Now normally, you should be able to scare a child straight just with your voice. But if that fails...

Scientifically speaking, positive reinforcement is the most effective intervention at generating the desired behavior in an individual. Not only is positive punishment (e.g. electric shocks, beatings, what have you) less effective, but it's also been demonstrated to have significant adverse effects, such as learned helplessness, when used repeatedly.

So, yes, animals do understand pain. But they understand other methods better, with less risk of harming their overall ability to function.

 

[Ajidica]

Paddling wouldn't work past middle school, when most students are at least the same size, if not larger then the teacher.

 

[civ_king]

Corporal punishment works, I know this because my father whipped some sense into me.

 

[Masada]

I was spanked, as were my siblings. Need I say more?

I'm yet to see a better arguement against corporal punishment. I've changed sides.

Moderator Action: Trolling.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[classical_hero]

Corporal punishment against children, both by parents and schools, should be forbidden. It certainly teaches children to use violence against weaker children. They should instead learn that violence against humans is strictly forbidden and severely punished under any circumstances.

No it teaches that there are consequences to their actions. It better to have a bit of physical pain now than much worse pain latter on.

 

[Gigaz]

No it teaches that there are consequences to their actions. It better to have a bit of physical pain now than much worse pain latter on.

There are other ways of punishment.
You do not know what you teach the child if it does not fully understand the situation. My father was beaten by my grandfather in his early childhood and this got him a psychological trauma, which made him unable to acknowledge his own fears.

 

[Formaldehyde]

I've changed sides.

This forum has definitely changed my opinion on the matter. Far too many people seem to be willing to abuse corporal punishment.

 

[Labtec600]

It certainly teaches children to use violence against weaker children.

My mom had a spoon she used to dish out punishment.

1) I would think twice before doing something, thinking what the consequence of this would be.
2) I never picked on other people in my life.


There goes that theory.

 

[Mad Man]

I still advocate capital punishment in schools, I had more details about it in another thread but I can't seem to find it at the moment.