School considers bringing back spanking

[The Straight Story]

Terrell ISD ponders bringing back spanking

TERRELL (TX)- While spanking as a form of punishment has been done away with in most schools around the country, administrators in one North Texas school district have suggested their district bring it back.

When it comes to how parents personally discipline their child within their own homes, it seems there is very differing opinions.

"I spank my kids," said parent Jessica Sandoval.

....

Terrell Independent School District is considering bringing back spanking in schools, which is a practice that hasn't been used since Walt Davis took over as superintendent four years ago.

Davis said the decision comes down to much more than simply to spank or not to spank.

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa070621_mo_spanking.1431f2.html

[donheld]

1. Only monkeys should be spanked n/t

[Horse with no Name]

2. Many schools in Texas still use what is called "corporal punishment"

If you opt out of it (as I did), then you are required to pick up your child within a certain 30 minutes notification of whatever incident that caused their needing to be spanked.

[mykpart]

3. "Spanking" is such a euphemism.

The truth is, you are giving school officials permission to beat your children. Doesn't matter if you spank them at home - you are the parent. Even if you believe in spanking (which I don't), you don't know who will be hitting your child, or how hard they will be hitting her/him.

Suppose the school was required to videotape all corporal punishment and make it available to parents. Seeing someone else hit their own child, often with a wooden paddle, might make some spanking advocates change their minds. There are plenty of other ways to discipline students.

[ima_sinnic]

4. it has been 50 years, exactly, but the memory of 2 of my classmates

being spanked with a paddle is what stands out (actually, pretty much the only thing I remember) when I think of the old witch, Mrs. Davis, whom we endured in 4th grade. One girl had forgotten her homework paper at home; I forget what the boy's transgression was. I was in shock; we had moved to a backward town in upstate NY from a nice suburb of Boston where my male teacher was my idol. It was the same kind of adrenaline rush and helplessness that one would feel on witnessing any kind of abuse. I occasionally think of Karen and always guess that she remembers that day, too, with a rise in blood pressure and deep anger and humiliation.

My father got active on the school board and ending corporal punishment is one of the achievements he worked on.

[HughBeaumont]

5. I got paddled in first grade.

All it did was make me hate school, hate teachers and be continually untrustworthy and have contempt for adults and authority figures. My crime was being pushed out of line at a drinking fountain. Since she didn't care about justice or talking, the solution was paddling both of us. It wouldn't be the last time I was embarrassed or abused by a teacher either (see the journal for more). Shit like that stays with you forever and sets an ugly precedent in one's image for institutions of learning.

[quickesst]

6. Yep....

The graduation rates in this country reflect the tremendous strides we hav made. Discipline is so over-rated. Thanks.
quickesst

[fasttense]

7. I do some volunteer work in the schools

I stand in for a parent when a child has been removed from custody. In most cases the children are disabled. In one school they asked for permission to spank a young girl who was mouthy. I refused.

I was surprised they even asked because they had not tried time outs and other things. It is so easy to resort to spanking and hitting, but so hard to develop a method to actually teach the child.