I believe that most people do understand and realize the difference between the definition of corporal punishment and parents teaching, punishing or disciplining a child. To a child there is a huge difference between mommy or daddy spanking them and the teacher hitting them with a ruler or paddling them. Children understand that their parents punish them to correct their behavior, but if their teacher does, they believe that just anyone that doesnt like they or what they are doing can hit them. This is the wrong message to send to our young ones; parents have the right to decided if physical harm is right way to discipline their child, not the public schools.
Raising children is obviously one of the harder things in life to do, and in most cases parents know best. Parents know their children like others dont, because kids are their parents, just smaller versions. Most parents discipline their children, whether physical or not, the way they feel is the best way for their child. Joan Beck, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune, states that is why millions of parents use spanking as a necessary and inevitable part of raising a child. She goes on to say that many pediatricians approve of spanking as a necessary strategy to keep children from turning into obnoxious brats. (Beck 2) The question that now comes up is when do children become brats, and when is it to late to correct it? Again, Beck states that babies and teens should not be spanked and that other methods are effective. (Beck 2) Notice that the use of spanking being described is by the parents and is used in the sense to correct behavior, not cause harm to the body. Beck states that, Corporal punishment actually teaches kids that big people can hurt and humiliate smaller people. (Beck 2) This is why discipline from parents and corporal punishment should not be viewed as the same thing, they arent.
Not only is it legal child abuse, its a message schools shouldnt deliver. (End Legal 10A) This is exactly what corporal punishment in schools is; legal child abuse. In this child abuse, children are taught that violence is acceptable, as long as it is in response to inappropriate behavior. (End Legal 10A) According to Dan Warrensford, a columnist for Florida Today, We shouldnt expect teachers to be psychologists, police officers, prosecuters, judges or jailers. All we should ask of them is to teach. (Warrensford 10A)
Corporal Punishment in schools does not establish and preserve discipline in the classroom in the classroom, advocates Bob Keeshan, long time television personality Captain Kangaroo. (Keeshan 66) Frederick Green, a writer for The Humanist, states The essence of corporal punishment is the inflicting of pain and humiliation. It is teaching by fear. I cannot describe either pain or humiliation as being developmentaly enhancing. The lessons learned by corporal punishment are short-term and will usually disappear when the threat of punishment disappears. (qtd. in Keeshan 67) Keeshan goes on to say that corporal punishment will usually help temporarily and teaches violence as an appropriate solution. (Keeshan 67) Joan First, executive director of a Boston-based education group, says it best by simply stating Corporal punishment has no place in school. (qtd. in Wade 62)
Lawrence Wade, a syndicated columnist, along with corporal punishment activists would argue that this punishment will instill respect and discipline and brink back order to schools. (Wade 61) He goes on to say that hes not for child abuse, and corporal punishment must be defined. (Wade 62) The problem is thats a contradiction to a lot of people who believe they are the same thing.
Paddling proponets argue that it deters violent behavior. Research shows the opposite. (End Legal 10A) Disciplining your child the way you see fit should be the responsibly of the parents. When schools attempt to do this they are using corporal punishment. This punishment has no positive effects, and in fact has many negative effects. It teaches to solve problems with violence. (Keeshan 67)
Parents need to raise their children to have the up most respect for authority. If this involves spanking or paddling to get this message across so be it. This is up to the parents, not the government, not the schools, and not the individual teacher. Physical punishment, if chosen as a teaching tool, is the responsibility of parents. Children do not deserve to be corporally punished or beaten by anyone, and if by parents it shouldnt be considered corporal punishment.
