Paddling in schools happens more than we think. It needs to stop.
News of a Missouri school district and a North Carolina county reviving corporal punishment is alarming.
As children all over the U.S. are heading back to the classroom, a Missouri school district and a North Carolina county are reinstating the use of corporal punishment. Nineteen states, including Missouri and North Carolina, allow for this type of discipline.
Corporal punishment can be defined as a school employee having the right to spank or paddle a child as a form of punishment to stop or modify undesirable behavior. Such behavior varies in severity from skipping class, inappropriate use of a cellphone, tardiness, violating dress codes, talking back to staff and faculty, bullying or taking a trip to the bathroom without permission.
This type of discipline is illegal in military training facilities, juvenile detention centers and as punishment for a crime — but children can still be struck in school.
This type of discipline is illegal in military training facilities, juvenile detention centers and as punishment for a crime — but children can still be struck in school.
Corporal punishment should not be considered acceptable in schools and has been on a decline since the late 1970s, according to a 2016 study. Still, too many students face the possibility of being hit or spanked. The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that during the 2017-2018 school year, that number was more than 70,000. Any push to add to that amount is dangerous, potentially leaving lasting psychological and emotional damage to a child.
Rating: 5