“Personal and parental responsibility is what’s needed, not paddles for principals.”
In principle, I’m in agreement with Thomas, at least in the matter of parents doing their job. Discipline begins (or should begin) at home. It would eliminate, or at least reduce, a number of the discipline problems.
In reality, good luck with that. I would lay odds the parents whose children are the worst discipline problems are the least likely to make any effort to correct the problem. More likely, they’ll accuse the school of picking on their precious baby unfairly.
As for corporal punishment...I went to an elementary school that allowed it, and I came out unscarred. But it sounds to me like there are bigger problems afoot in the Memphis schools than just unruly behavior. If middle school students are physically assaulting teachers, a paddle probably isn’t going to be enough to solve the problem.
“If middle school students are physically assaulting teachers, a paddle probably isn’t going to be enough to solve the problem.”
Bingo!
Read Post #7. I said the same thing.