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Freep a Poll: Should Corporal Punishment play a role in schools?
KVOA TV Tucson, AZ ^ | 0-28-2009 | KVOA TV Tucson, AZ

Posted on 08/28/2009 8:33:05 AM PDT by AZ .44 MAG

Should Corporal Punishment play a role in schools?

A state task force recommends CP be banned in schools. It would ban: spanking, paddling, slapping with rulers and more. Although not used much in AZ, it is commonly employed in other states.

Corporal punishment be banned.
Minor forms of corporal punishment are acceptable, like spanking and using rulers.
Corporal punishment should be banned in public schools only.
All forms of corporal punishment should be allowed.
The government should spend their time on other important issues.

(Excerpt) Read more at kvoa.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: Arizona
KEYWORDS: arizona; corporalpunishment; discipline; education; school
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To: dynachrome
Thanks for pinging the list.

I am ambivalent on this one. I received proper corporal punishment at school and after at home after the folks found out about my transgressions. Heard stories of over the line abuse, though.

Me too. On all three of your points.

But I think we know what the authors of the poll want to see.

21 posted on 08/28/2009 8:52:27 AM PDT by AZ .44 MAG (A society that doesn't protect Jim Thompson's children doesn't deserve to survive.)
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To: SoConPubbie
If you knew and trusted the Principal and set guidelines in a contract, I’d be all for it.

The private school my son formerly attended had corporal punishment. There was a very strict protocal which had to be followed including the principal only was allowed to administer it and then only in the presence of two other school officals. The parents had to be notified immediately. My son was spanked once and he said the worst part of it was the embarassment of being spanked in front of a couple of my friends.

Corporal punishment was always their last resort and my son admitted he had been warned a couple of times to stop his behavior. Like a lot of young boys, sometimes, only a spanking can get their attention.

22 posted on 08/28/2009 8:55:15 AM PDT by CommerceComet
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To: nmh

Way back in my day I got a few paddlin’s but you’re right. I’d dare ANY screwell official to touch my grandkids in today’s screwell systems.


23 posted on 08/28/2009 9:09:36 AM PDT by Dawgreg (Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.)
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To: AZ .44 MAG

I don’t agree with it anymore. I did once upon on time. Then liberal idiots took over the schools starting in the 60’s.


24 posted on 08/28/2009 9:09:39 AM PDT by DJ MacWoW (Make yourselves sheep and the wolves will eat you. Ben Franklin)
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To: CommerceComet
My son was spanked once and he said the worst part of it was the embarassment of being spanked in front of a couple of my friends.

Every time I remember being swatted it was in front of the whole class. It got my attention and almost always stopped the behavior permanently. Embarrassment was a major component of the deterrent effect.

25 posted on 08/28/2009 9:11:05 AM PDT by AZ .44 MAG (A society that doesn't protect Jim Thompson's children doesn't deserve to survive.)
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

I think I’d rather be swatted by the big guy. The clown looks like he’d enjoy it too much.


26 posted on 08/28/2009 9:13:47 AM PDT by AZ .44 MAG (A society that doesn't protect Jim Thompson's children doesn't deserve to survive.)
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To: AZ .44 MAG

I am 100% in favor, but there should be clearly defined guidelines. Students need to respect their teachers. Without respect there is no discipline, without fear there’s no respect.


27 posted on 08/28/2009 9:17:13 AM PDT by libh8er
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To: AZ .44 MAG
Back in the day just knowing my principal could take down the belt kept me in line and respectful. I found out years later he had only used in once in 30 years.

That being said, I think they should call the parents in to administer (missing work because your kids behavior problems might solve things). Too many administrators are babysitting unruly kids today on taxpayer funds.

28 posted on 08/28/2009 9:19:34 AM PDT by ThisLittleLightofMine
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To: AZ .44 MAG

Once taught at a small school district in Texas. Parents had to sign a release for us to administer corporal punishment. If we had no release parents were called to come pick up junior. After about the second or third call most of them asked to sign the release. Some parents wanted us to call them so they could come to the school and administer it personally. Most of their kids never gave us any more trouble.


29 posted on 08/28/2009 9:23:15 AM PDT by ontap
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To: nmh

when i was a kid in school with corporal punisment it worked wonders...i believe it should be brought back across the country...i believe that is one problem in the schools today with kids being out of control....they know nothing is going to happen except maybe a suspension of detention...first off the parents were always told that the child was going to be paddled and then you had to think about going home all day and facing a good old fashioned butt whoopin when ya got there too...


30 posted on 08/28/2009 9:29:28 AM PDT by tatsinfla
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To: libh8er
I am 100% in favor, but there should be clearly defined guidelines. Students need to respect their teachers. Without respect there is no discipline, without fear there’s no respect.

I can't agree with you because of how hard it is to get rid of bad teachers in public schools. I don't trust them to teach my child (we homeschool) so I wouldn't trust them to inflict pain on her. In a perfect world with good teachers I'd be more inclined to allow it but not the way things are now.

Students need to respect their teachers. Without respect there is no discipline, without fear there’s no respect.

I do agree with you about the need for discipline and respect. And part of respect in this case is fear of what might happen if respect isn't shown.

Unfortunately the parental response to even mild non physical punishment is often to defend the offending child and call for the discipliner's head. That does not contribute to good order in the classroom.

31 posted on 08/28/2009 9:42:10 AM PDT by AZ .44 MAG (A society that doesn't protect Jim Thompson's children doesn't deserve to survive.)
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To: libh8er

What a horrible mindset where fear and respect are confused.


32 posted on 08/28/2009 9:47:55 AM PDT by Melas
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To: AZ .44 MAG

61% now for either minor or all corporal punishment should be allowed. Only about 19% think it should be banned in some way.

They said they’ll report the results on their 10 PM newscast tonight.


33 posted on 08/28/2009 9:49:57 AM PDT by AZ .44 MAG (A society that doesn't protect Jim Thompson's children doesn't deserve to survive.)
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To: ThisLittleLightofMine
Back in the day just knowing my principal could take down the belt kept me in line and respectful. I found out years later he had only used in once in 30 years.

In most cases where I saw swats administered it was only once. The only exception I can remember was in Gym class where it might have happened two or three times.

And then there was wood shop. The teacher was a big man and the paddle was scaled to fit him. He said the holes drilled in it were so the air wouldn't slow it down. I can't remember that paddle ever being used or hearing about its use and he was my home room teacher in Jr. High.

34 posted on 08/28/2009 9:57:44 AM PDT by AZ .44 MAG (A society that doesn't protect Jim Thompson's children doesn't deserve to survive.)
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To: AZ .44 MAG

A long-time schoolteacher friend has said that a turning point in the behavior of students came when corporal punishment was outlawed. Wnen it was permitted, it was not actually used on a student unless their parent had given the school written authorization.


35 posted on 08/28/2009 9:58:48 AM PDT by frposty (I'm a simpleton)
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To: AZ .44 MAG

What balances corporal punishment in schools isn’t the public vote, but the willingness of some parents to litigate. Even in the Midwest, in the 1930s, corporal punishment was common *except* under threat of lawsuit, and then for a particular parent and student.

In one case, of that time, a particularly violent and aggressive 3rd grader was taken from school to school by a mother whose income was derived from suing schools. Finally, once threatened with a lawsuit prior to any corporal punishment being used, a principal had the wise idea of scheduling the 3rd grader to take his recesses with 6th graders.

The 6th graders would not tolerate the 3rd grader’s attacks, and took pleasure in beating him. When his mother complained, the principal urged her to sue the very poor parents of the 6th graders, as it was out of his hands.

There being no money in it, she and her son moved to the next school district.

In today’s world, the legal concept of “alma mater”, that a school represents a temporary foster parent for a child, with the same authority and responsibilities as a real parent, has pretty much been killed by litigation. The alternative, which more and more schools are adopting, is that when a student misbehaves in such a way as to warrant corporal punishment, the police are summoned to arrest the child.

This, of course, is ridiculous, but increasingly, the public schools are left with little choice.


36 posted on 08/28/2009 9:58:52 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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To: AZ .44 MAG
Corporal punishment worked fine when I was in grade school. These days, the results would very likely be that some kid with a sore butt is going home and het his brotha's AK47 and return to hose down the school, starting with the individual that spanked him.

Just last year in my own inner city high school, a teacher confiscated an iPod from a female student. She slapped the meek and kind male math teacher on the spot and he had her removed from class by security. She was given 10 days outdoor suspension (I was sick that day and found out in the aftermath). She then returned to campus after school when this kindly man was running a tutoring class on his own time to help struggling children. The girl brought her crack addict mother and equally strung out on meth brother who held the Golden Gloves in boxing. As he was locking up for the afternoon (without any security in sight) he was ambushed by the group and his jaw broken in 3 places. I often stay late to grade papers. As I said this day I was out with the flu. This happened right across the hall from my room. I can't tell you how much I regret not working that day just to catch these wolves in the act of savaging a sheep. I promise you, they'd have spent more time in the hospital than their hapless victim! It's not that I'm any tougher, but with their attention fixed on the victim and their backs to me, I'd have had a pretty free reign in any action I decided to take in defense of a helpless victim.

My own students approached me afterward and asked if I was now "frightened to come to school." I responded thusly: "Look, I'm too young to die and too old to take an A$$ whuppin'....so I'm just gonna kill you." They said "Yeah we thought you'd say somethin' like that!"

37 posted on 08/28/2009 11:35:13 AM PDT by ExSoldier (Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on dinner. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.)
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To: ClearCase_guy

Exactly. If I want a steak I do not go to a vegan restaurant. Any one who wants vegan cuisine is free to patronize such a restaurant. Likewise if a private school wants to apply corporal punishment, it would be parents’ prerogative to decide if they want that and if the teachers/administrator are suitable to apply said punishment. It is amazing how well freedom works. It is the only way. It will not produce a perfect world. Just the best possible world.


38 posted on 08/28/2009 12:11:58 PM PDT by all the best
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To: Melas
What a horrible mindset where fear and respect are confused.

Normally fear and respect wouldn't have to be inter related, but children at a young age aren't developed enough emotionally or psychologically to understand respect. But they respond very well to..er..lets say 'primitive stimulii'. A little spanking, or more, can go a long way to correct behavioral problems.. There is an old English saying, spare the rod and spoil the child. Worked then, works now.

39 posted on 08/28/2009 12:27:27 PM PDT by libh8er
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To: ExSoldier
Just last year in my own inner city high school, a teacher confiscated an iPod from a female student. She slapped the meek and kind male math teacher on the spot and he had her removed from class by security.

They'd have expelled her outright in my school district, and rightly so.

40 posted on 08/28/2009 12:38:41 PM PDT by pray4liberty (http://aroodawakening.tv)
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