Is corporal punishment allowed at DC's school?

[JTsMom]

We're in the process of house hunting, and the area schools are obviously a very important piece of the puzzle. Georgia, as a whole, does allow corporal punishment, but some areas do not use it. I need to call and find out what the policy is at the schools the neighborhood we like is, and I'm sick just thinking about it. I can't believe that in 2009, I have to call and ask if I'm risking having my 5 year old hit with a board if I send him to school. :gloomy:

Is anyone else in the same boat? Coming from South Florida, where paddling is not allowed in public schools, I am really having a hard time with this.

[brittone2]

I know you know we homeschool, but if DS went to public, in our county corporal punishment is banned. However, there are many counties in NC that still allow corporal punishment, paddling, etc. I've linked to some of the info and stories in the past :( I'm on an email listserve that deals w/ corporal punishment in NC...I find it interesting to follow, and disheartening that it is still an issue here in 2009.

[3isthelimit]

Not sure about Georgia in particular, but here you have to sign a waiver at the beginning of school stating whether or not you will allow corporal punishment to be used with your child. Then, they would have to call and reach you first, before any action is taken or if you prefer an alternative. You might want to check and see if that would apply to your school.

[kayte]

I can't believe that in 2009, I have to call and ask if I'm risking having my 5 year old hit with a board if I send him to school.

That is seriously screwed up!

I hope the area you are looking into does not.

sigh...

[JTsMom]

:yay:I guess I should have posted months ago- after literally months of looking online, I just found out our county does NOT allow corporal punishment!!! I searched everywhere, but posting here always seems to bring me luck for some reason. I am SO relieved right now! I've felt like there was a pound of cement in my stomach all day.

[brittone2]

This 2008 article mentions Atlanta public schools specifically at the end as having a ban. Not sure if you'd be in a district where it is banned or on the outskirts.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/20/corporal.punishment/

Reading the justifications put forth makes me :banghead:

[egoldber]

Our school district (in fact, I think all of VA) has a ban on corporal punishment in schools.

[brittone2]

:yay:I guess I should have posted months ago- after literally months of looking online, I just found out our county does NOT allow corporal punishment!!! I searched everywhere, but posting here always seems to bring me luck for some reason. I am SO relieved right now! I've felt like there was a pound of cement in my stomach all day.

Thank goodness. I'm so sorry it even *has* to be a concern for parents :hug:

[o_mom]

I don't know about the state in general, our district does not allow it. Glad you found what you needed. :)

[JTsMom]

Beth- I remember us discussing this before, and I actually just went back and read your old posts on the matter hoping to find some stats for GA, but had no luck.

I know my opinion on this is probably more extreme than most, but I wouldn't be comfortable sending DS to a school that allowed paddling period, even if I could opt out. I wouldn't want him witnessing it, hearing about it, being threatened with it, etc. I had some really horrible experiences just witnessing this type of thing as a child, and I would never put DS in that position. Also, I've heard of more than one instance where the school "forgets" you have opted out.

It IS seriously messed up that it's even an issue, but I'll do you one "better". To opt out, you have to have a doctor's note. In some counties, you can NOT opt out, even with a note! I'm dead serious. Also, when these kids come home with serious bruising, there is nothing you can legally do about it.

[kayte]

This 2008 article mentions Atlanta public schools specifically at the end as having a ban. Not sure if you'd be in a district where it is banned or on the outskirts.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/20/corporal.punishment/

Reading the justifications put forth makes me :banghead:

from article
"The highest number was in Texas, with 48,197 students." (receiving corporal punishment)

Thanks for the link---just one more reason my DD will never set foot in a Texas public school.

[JTsMom]

This 2008 article mentions Atlanta public schools specifically at the end as having a ban. Not sure if you'd be in a district where it is banned or on the outskirts.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/20/corporal.punishment/

Reading the justifications put forth makes me :banghead:

I wish we lived closer to the city, but we're actually in the southern burbs. It's like stepping back in time, and not in a good way. I miss the north side desperately. It's dramatically different there.

ETA: I read the same article earlier today. Great minds and all. ;)

[brittone2]

The racial disparities (and the potential message being sent by a white teacher hitting a black student) make it extra sickening (as if it isn't sickening enough). Then the indications that it is more common in students w/ disabilities, etc....sigh.

[vludmilla]

I am beside myself right now. Living in New York and Connecticut all my life (where corporal punishment has been banned for a long time) this amazes me. I find it hard to imagine that this really exists. I would definitely be a home-schooler if my DD's school did this.

[AnnieW625]

Corporal punishment is now thankfully illegal in California, but I remember hearing from my friends who went to the private Christian school in town from 82 to 92 that the teacher had a paddle near their desk.

I would not send my child to a school that had corporal punishment even it was the best school in the county.

[rosiegirl1]

As a former Texas teacher, I never worked for an admin who was willing to paddle...even if it was "legal."

However...practically every parent I know IRL here in Texas believes in and uses spanking as a discipline tool. If some of my students had behavioral difficulties at school which had been dealt with appropriately, I wouldn't send a bad note home because I knew the kid would get a good spanking and I just didn't feel like encouraging that. Being anti-spanking definitely leaves me in the minority of parents around here.

It's definitely a regional thing - I'm originally from WA state and I didn't know anyone who talked about spanking....and I can't remember ever being spanked...

[elektra]

Wait, this is still allowed at some schools in the US?? I must be living under a rock.

[brittone2]

Wait, this is still allowed at some schools in the US?? I must be living under a rock.

Many states, many schools still allow it.

eta: these are 2 groups I get emails from periodically with updates on reform efforts, etc. in our state (NC) and others:
http://www.thehittingstopshere.com/

http://nospank.net/classrm.htm

[stella]

The racial disparities (and the potential message being sent by a white teacher hitting a black student) make it extra sickening (as if it isn't sickening enough). Then the indications that it is more common in students w/ disabilities, etc....sigh.

Why would the message being sent by a white teacher hitting a black teacher be more sickening than the reverse? I ask honestly. And the only time I was ever "paddled" in school (Mississippi, 1980) was by a black teacher. I'm white. It was for talking while she was out of the room. She came back in, asked "who was talking while I was out?" and I was so dumb as to admit to it. I got paddled as a reward for my honesty.

Luckily, I don't think I am scarred, but I was very embarrassed at the time because I was not the kind of child who got in trouble.

[mommylamb]

Our school district (in fact, I think all of VA) has a ban on corporal punishment in schools.

Thank God! I didn't realize it was still allowed anywhere, and just freaked out reading this thread.

[brittone2]

Why would the message being sent by a white teacher hitting a black teacher be more sickening than the reverse? I ask honestly. And the only time I was ever "paddled" in school (Mississippi, 1980) was by a black teacher. I'm white. It was for talking while she was out of the room. She came back in, asked "who was talking while I was out?" and I was so dumb as to admit to it. I got paddled as a reward for my honesty.

Luckily, I don't think I am scarred, but I was very embarrassed at the time because I was not the kind of child who got in trouble.

I think it is horrible, horrible, horrible...period. But I think about the male teacher hitting female students, the white teacher hitting a minority student, a teacher hitting a disabled child, and it adds an even greater level of disgust for me (if that's possible, since I think it is horrible and inexcusable, period). I think it sends even more confusing messages than just the principle of paddling in general. JMO. I don't think any of it to any degree is excusable whatsoever.

(eta: with respect to race specifically, honestly for me it potentially brings to mind the master/slave type of scenario for example. I don't think any student should be hit with a paddle and the idea of an authority figure being permitted to do so is sickening to me. But I think the racial aspect *for me* (and I'm not African American, so I can't make assumptions about how individual African Americans feel about this)....but for me, it brings up thoughts of master/slave types of beatings, etc. that make it even more horrifying (if that's possible).).

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

WOW!!!! I must be a super naive liberal, but i had no idea that was still allowed.

[brittone2]

I always wonder how many of the districts that allow corporal punishment have a "zero tolerance" policy in place for student-on-student violence.

[AnnieW625]

I think it is horrible, horrible, horrible...period. But I think about the male teacher hitting female students, the white teacher hitting a minority student, a teacher hitting a disabled child, and it adds an even greater level of disgust for me (if that's possible, since I think it is horrible and inexcusable, period). I think it sends even more confusing messages than just the principle of paddling in general. JMO. I don't think any of it to any degree is excusable whatsoever.

(eta: with respect to race specifically, honestly for me it potentially brings to mind the master/slave type of scenario for example. I don't think any student should be hit with a paddle and the idea of an authority figure being permitted to do so is sickening to me. But I think the racial aspect *for me* (and I'm not African American, so I can't make assumptions about how individual African Americans feel about this)....but for me, it brings up thoughts of master/slave types of beatings, etc. that make it even more horrifying (if that's possible).).

It shouldn't matter whatsoever who is doing/done the paddling and who was being paddled, black to white/white to white/white to black/black to black; male. to female/female to female/female to male/male to male. In all cases it's wrong and I am glad that it is done with and illegal in my state.

[Globetrotter]

WOW, I had absolutely no idea that this was still allowed in some parts of the U.S. I learned something new... and disturbing.

[brittone2]

It shouldn't matter whatsoever who is doing/done the paddling and who was being paddled, black to white/white to white/white to black/black to black; male. to female/female to female/female to male/male to male. In all cases it's wrong and I am glad that it is done with and illegal in my state.

I agree it is very, very wrong no matter what. I'm fairly sure my posts have made my opinion on that very clear. However, I personally believe that in certain scenarios, there are additional psychological and emotional factors that come into play as a result of male on female paddling, white teacher paddling an African American student, etc. I've seen psychologists comment on this as well in papers on some of the sites I linked to...it gets brought up in some of the papers since African American students are more likely to be paddled than white students.

eta: for example:
http://nopaddle.com/exhibits_slavery.asp?imgNo=43 (sensitive: photograph of a "slave paddle" from the Library of Congress Archives

I'm not African American and can't claim to imagine what it is like to have experienced (or have had relatives experience) racism, slavery, etc. but the "paddle" concept of a white person paddling an African American student seems to me to have additional undertones that make me even more sickened by the whole concept. But the entire corporal punishment issue makes me sick regardless.

http://nopaddle.com/exhibits_slavery.asp?imgNo=67 (highly sensitive...quote from the Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb, An American Slave, written by himself-1850)

[MamaKath]

Not done in the public schools here as far as I know. Many of the private schools do. Coming from North Jersey, I honestly didn't realize how many areas still practice corporal punishment until we came south.

I have a dear friend who told us to check with her before enrolling our children in ANY private or parochial schools in the area. She knew ds well, and knew the policies of many of the schools from family members who taught in many of them. She felt that quite a few would not recognize ds as have special needs and would beat him to the point of significant trauma. The school he attends does not practice corporal punishment in any way!

[deborah_r]

Not sure about Georgia in particular, but here you have to sign a waiver at the beginning of school stating whether or not you will allow corporal punishment to be used with your child. Then, they would have to call and reach you first, before any action is taken or if you prefer an alternative. You might want to check and see if that would apply to your school.

Seriously?

Wow.

I didn't even consider whether our school district allowed corporal punishment - I just assumed they don't. I feel like I've entered the Twilight Zone reading this!

I live in a state where, last I knew, they were trying to make it illegal to hit your OWN kid, so I doubt our schools allow it.

[JTsMom]

Not done in the public schools here as far as I know. Many of the private schools do. Coming from North Jersey, I honestly didn't realize how many areas still practice corporal punishment until we came south.

I have a dear friend who told us to check with her before enrolling our children in ANY private or parochial schools in the area. She knew ds well, and knew the policies of many of the schools from family members who taught in many of them. She felt that quite a few would not recognize ds as have special needs and would beat him to the point of significant trauma. The school he attends does not practice corporal punishment in any way!

Kath, that is my exact fear! DS has serious attention and self regulation problems, coupled with some right brain issues, and an extremely high activity level. I know that he would be the #1 target for physical punishment if it were allowed, and there is no way I would allow that to happen! I wouldn't send any child of mine to someplace where they would be hurt, but with DS, I'm hyper-aware of that.

I'm fortunate enough to be at a point where we don't have to live in any particular county (the counties are small here, and we could choose from several), and where I could homeschool if it came down to that, but a lot of people don't have those options, and frankly, I don't want to feel like I'm backed in a corner and have no choice in the matter, kwim?

Can you imagine being a blue collar family, barely making it, 2 parents working, and being in a situation where your choices are send your kid to the local elementary for Pre-K, knowing odds are he'll be paddled to the point of bruises for even a minor infraction, or.... well, or nothing. That would be your one option. It makes me ill to even think about it.



You know what else that I can't wrap my brain around? Isn't it considered CPS-worthy abuse if a parent hits to the point of bruising in most states? How then, can a school legally do the same thing?!?! And they outright acknowledge the fact that there will often be bruising- it's not like it's unusual.

[JTsMom]

Seriously?

Wow.

I didn't even consider whether our school district allowed corporal punishment - I just assumed they don't. I feel like I've entered the Twilight Zone reading this!

I live in a state where, last I knew, they were trying to make it illegal to hit your OWN kid, so I doubt our schools allow it.

I know, it's disturbing. :( It's really just the south and parts of the midwest that still does this. In one county in GA, that actually reinstated it, after it had been banned for a while, and parents supported it!!!

[brittone2]

You know what else that I can't wrap my brain around? Isn't it considered CPS-worthy abuse if a parent hits to the point of bruising in most states? How then, can a school legally do the same thing?!?! And they outright acknowledge the fact that there will often be bruising- it's not like it's unusual.

On one of the sites...nospank I think? that fights corporal punishment in schools, they show an example of a kid that ended up with major bruising, etc. and ended up going to the hospital. The hospital workers never reported the paddling to CPS or any other authorities. What happened to being a mandated reporter, kwim???

Like you said, I'm curious what the actual legalities of that are...I mean, if the paddling is "legal," and it leaves bruising, how is another teacher or health care worker or other mandated reporter not mandated to report???

[MmeSunny]

I might get flamed for this but. . . I am a teacher in GA. I have taught here for 9 years. I have never heard of a student being punished in this manner. We are not supposed to touch the children at all, especially not in a disciplinary manner.

It's easy to think that schools are out to get your children, but we're really not. I've noticed quite a few threads on this board with what boils down to, "Public schools are a terrible place where no learning happens, children are brain-washed and socialization becomes a never-ending cycle of bullying".

Please remember that most teachers are parents too. None of us go into this because we've nothing better to do, want to make gobs of money, want to abuse children, get long vacations, etc. We're here to instruct and inform your child and help them meet goals.

I don't know of any teacher that would want to paddle a child or could be even made to do so.

Yeah, I'm getting on a soapbox here, but gosh, there is a lot of negativity about teachers/schools here. I know people need to vent, but for those of us who work for you and your children, it makes it harder to give all we have when it doesn't seem like it's appreciated--only vilified.

[new_mommy25]

Really? I mean, really?? I have never heard of such a thing in this day and age. I'm grateful to be living where I am. :cry:

[MamaKath]

You know what else that I can't wrap my brain around? Isn't it considered CPS-worthy abuse if a parent hits to the point of bruising in most states? How then, can a school legally do the same thing?!?! And they outright acknowledge the fact that there will often be bruising- it's not like it's unusual.
In most states it isn't legal for a parent to hit a child with something other than their open hand (spanking). I can't wrap my head around how it is than legal for a school to paddle. Ita also about pulling and homeschooling at that point. It is something even now that dh and I have talked extensively about, and may still down the road even without the corporal punishment in our school. I worry about some of the homeschool kids here (especially the families I have met locally who are Pearl followers, I don't mean the moms on this board who are homeschooling ;)) though who are as or more extreme with corporal punishment as some of the schools.

[MamaKath]

Yeah, I'm getting on a soapbox here, but gosh, there is a lot of negativity about teachers/schools here. I know people need to vent, but for those of us who work for you and your children, it makes it harder to give all we have when it doesn't seem like it's appreciated--only vilified.
I am sorry if I sound negative, it is certainly not toward you or teachers in general. I am a teacher and bust my rear for my students and school as well as for my family every day. That doesn't change the fact that it is 2009 and there is still corporal punishment in many schools.

[brittone2]

I might get flamed for this but. . . I am a teacher in GA. I have taught here for 9 years. I have never heard of a student being punished in this manner. We are not supposed to touch the children at all, especially not in a disciplinary manner.

It's easy to think that schools are out to get your children, but we're really not. I've noticed quite a few threads on this board with what boils down to, "Public schools are a terrible place where no learning happens, children are brain-washed and socialization becomes a never-ending cycle of bullying".

Please remember that most teachers are parents too. None of us go into this because we've nothing better to do, want to make gobs of money, want to abuse children, get long vacations, etc. We're here to instruct and inform your child and help them meet goals.

I don't know of any teacher that would want to paddle a child or could be even made to do so.

Yeah, I'm getting on a soapbox here, but gosh, there is a lot of negativity about teachers/schools here. I know people need to vent, but for those of us who work for you and your children, it makes it harder to give all we have when it doesn't seem like it's appreciated--only vilified.

I choose to homeschool, and it has nothing to do with corporal punishment. I'm thankful that public schools exist as one of many educational options in this country. It isn't the option that works best for my family, but I'm happy that public schooling is available to those who wish to use it for their families.

I'm also glad to hear that you are unfamiliar with students in your district being punished via corporal punishment. However, from what I've read on the subject, it varies widely from one district to the next. Here in NC there are counties and districts with outright bans, but paddling in some areas of the state still happens.

FWIW, the CNN article linked early on in this thread cites that 200,000 children were spanked or paddled at school in 2007 or 2008 (eta: CNN piece is from Aug 2008 and it says these are the number of corporal punishment incidents from the "past school year" so I'm not sure if they meant 2007-2008 or 2006-2007). While that number could be worse, it is not insignificant. There *are* districts where it is happening. http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/20/corporal.punishment/

The same article also says that Mississippi leads the nation in paddlings/corporal punishment by percentage of students, with 7.5% of students as recipients of corporal punishment. TX had the largest overall number of paddlings/corporal punishment w/ over 48,000 incidents. Um, to me, that is unacceptable. Perhaps that makes me over reactive :shrug: However, to me, those are *not* numbers that should be ignored.

IMO, those numbers are unacceptable. I am not going to turn my back and pretend that I think those numbers are okay because my home district has a ban on corporal punishment or because we homeschool and aren't directly affected by this. IMO, it is an unacceptable and barbaric practice. I'm glad that your district does not engage in it; however, it is obviously taking place in some districts across this country.

[JTsMom]

I might get flamed for this but. . . I am a teacher in GA. I have taught here for 9 years. I have never heard of a student being punished in this manner. We are not supposed to touch the children at all, especially not in a disciplinary manner.

It's easy to think that schools are out to get your children, but we're really not. I've noticed quite a few threads on this board with what boils down to, "Public schools are a terrible place where no learning happens, children are brain-washed and socialization becomes a never-ending cycle of bullying".

Please remember that most teachers are parents too. None of us go into this because we've nothing better to do, want to make gobs of money, want to abuse children, get long vacations, etc. We're here to instruct and inform your child and help them meet goals.

I don't know of any teacher that would want to paddle a child or could be even made to do so.

Yeah, I'm getting on a soapbox here, but gosh, there is a lot of negativity about teachers/schools here. I know people need to vent, but for those of us who work for you and your children, it makes it harder to give all we have when it doesn't seem like it's appreciated--only vilified.


I just want to be clear- I am NOT anti-school at all (nor am I anti-HS) , and I'm not lumping teachers or administrators into one category by any stretch of the imagination. Actually, I was certified in elementary ed in FL, and planned on teaching full time before DS came along! I may well teach at some point in the future.

I think there are far more good schools than bad, and I think there are far more good teachers than bad, but we all know that there are bad apples in any group. Corporal punishment has no place in schools. None. I obviously have serious problems with it.

I know that there are many districts in GA where c.p. does not happen (like ours, thank goodness!), but there are many where it does. It's not debatable, it's a simple fact. I don't think that means teachers are "out to get" my child, it means that he could be hit in a way I consider abusive.

[deborah_r]

I was thinking on this some more, and just want to clarify: you all are saying this happens in *public* schools, right? I had heard of course that some private schools still allow this, but you are talking about public schools when you say some districts still allow this?

(Oh and I wanted to clarify my earlier post, what I was referring to is I think CA tried to make specifically spanking illegal, so it would be illegal to spank your own child. I don't believe that passed though.)

[HIU8]

Oye, do I really have to check into that. I cannot believe it. I'm in Maryland--borderline south (to some). That had never even crossed my mind.

[egoldber]

you all are saying this happens in *public* schools, right?

Yes, there are public school districts which allow the use of corporal punishment.

[JTsMom]

Definitely check out some of the posted links if you are at all concerned about your area. The map on the CNN article will give you a quick and easy answer about your state. If it is allowed in your state, then you need to check your district, and possibly even your individual school.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/20/corporal.punishment/#cnnSTCOther1

Most states do NOT allow corporal punishment.

[JTsMom]

Here's another link http://www.corpun.com/usscr2x.htm with some scary stuff.

Be sure to check out Barrow county's Approved Student Code of Conduct here:
http://www.barrow.k12.ga.us/parentinfo/ApprovedStudent_Code_of_Conduct_SY2009.pdf
Page 7

Here's one of the district's that requires a doctor's note to exempt the child from cp:
https://eboard.eboardsolutions.com/ePolicy/policy.aspx?PC=JDA&Sch=4057&S=4057&RevNo=1.11&C=J&Z=P

[MamaKath]

you all are saying this happens in *public* schools, right?
I am referring to private schools in my post. I live in an area where most private/parochial elem. schools utilize corporal punishment. The school we chose does not.

In many states though, public schools are allowed to use corporal punishment.

[ThreeofUs]

:yay:I guess I should have posted months ago- after literally months of looking online, I just found out our county does NOT allow corporal punishment!!! I searched everywhere, but posting here always seems to bring me luck for some reason. I am SO relieved right now! I've felt like there was a pound of cement in my stomach all day.


So glad to hear it. I know *I* was almost sick when I read your post - so you have to feel SO relieved!

[JTsMom]

Thanks! :)

[brittone2]

I've been thinking about this topic quite a bit since last night. What I wanted to point out is that what bothers me considerably is that in many of these cases, it isn't just a handful of "bad eggs" that are administering the corporal punishment. Rather, even when legal challenges have come up in certain instances, the school's right to use corporal punishment has been upheld. That is what bothers me...we aren't talking about lone wolf teachers operating on their own, making a terrible decision. We are talking about policies that are in place, and being legally upheld in certain states.

For example:

http://www.nospank.net/n-n87r.htm

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/2008/06/the_supreme_court_and_corporal.html

http://www.childrenandthelawblog.com/2009/03/17/deana-pollard-sacks-on-constitutional-restrictions-on-corporal-punishment-in-public-schools/

An 18 year old woman left school to buy breakfast. When she returned, she was restrained by 2 teachers, paddled, and her hand was injured as she attempted to block the paddle from striking her bottom. She was not allowed to leave the building even though she asked to (as an 18 year old). Apparently her mother had signed a form saying corporal punishment was permitted. But this was also an 18 year old who was not consenting (herself) to corporal punishment and was not allowed to leave the school building.

What is upsetting to me is again, this wasn't a lone wolf bad decision by an administrator. This was upheld in court.

from here: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/school_law/2008/06/the_supreme_court_and_corporal.html

Serafin's lawsuit cited several state and federal claims, including assault and battery, negligence, false imprisonment, and violations of her 14th Amendment rights to due process and equal protection of the law. A U.S. district court dismissed her federal claims. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, in New Orleans, ruled against Serafin in October 2007.
In a unanimous decision by the three-judge panel (http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/unpub/06/06-50530.0.wpd.pdf), the appeals court said it was well settled in the 5th Circuit that "corporal punishment of public school students is only a deprivation of substantive due process rights when it is arbitrary, capricious, or wholly unrelated to the legitimate state goal of maintaining an atmosphere conducive to learning."

[carolinamama]

Wait, this is still allowed at some schools in the US?? I must be living under a rock.

I must be under the same rock. I am seriously appalled that in this day and age we still allow corporal punishment of any sort.

ETA - Of course we are in NC and they allow cp. I can't believe that I just had to look up our local school district to make sure they do not allow it. Sigh of relief, they don't but still.....

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

WOW. Arizona allows it, but only a few schools do it. In my granola area, people would be tossing their Birkenstocks and Tevas at someone, if a teacher EVER did that.

[brittone2]

WOW. Arizona allows it, but only a few schools do it. In my granola area, people would be tossing their Birkenstocks and Tevas at someone, if a teacher EVER did that.

:ROTFLMAO:Thanks for the laugh!!

[stella]

Let's talk about whether people we know or schools we are aware of are using corporal punishment, because from what I am reading here, a lot of states allow it, but individual districts/counties do not. Or we are seeing that it is not allowed in our state. I believe that it is not prohibited in our district, but I know that it is not used per the superintendent.

So I would be curious to know whether we or people we know have seen or heard of it employed - other than the statistics.

I do have a friend who was teaching in rural Tennessee last year. She referred a student to the office and then was required to be a witness as he was paddled. She was horrified and felt like it put her in a real bind, because she couldn't adequately discipline her students or maintain control over her class (she is tiny and soft-spoken), but she was unwilling to participate in any more corporal punishment, so she couldn't send any kids to the office. It created a real dilemma for her.

[kayte]

I might get flamed for this but. . . I am a teacher in GA. I have taught here for 9 years. I have never heard of a student being punished in this manner. We are not supposed to touch the children at all, especially not in a disciplinary manner.

It's easy to think that schools are out to get your children, but we're really not. I've noticed quite a few threads on this board with what boils down to, "Public schools are a terrible place where no learning happens, children are brain-washed and socialization becomes a never-ending cycle of bullying".

Please remember that most teachers are parents too. None of us go into this because we've nothing better to do, want to make gobs of money, want to abuse children, get long vacations, etc. We're here to instruct and inform your child and help them meet goals.

I don't know of any teacher that would want to paddle a child or could be even made to do so.

Yeah, I'm getting on a soapbox here, but gosh, there is a lot of negativity about teachers/schools here. I know people need to vent, but for those of us who work for you and your children, it makes it harder to give all we have when it doesn't seem like it's appreciated--only vilified.


Perhaps it was my remark which has upset you--I said 'another reason my child will not attend a public school in Texas'. If it did I am sorry.

I was a public school teacher- in Florida and Ohio. My mother taught in the public school system 32 years before retiring and my dad, in his retirement from another industry, currently teaches math part time at a public middle school. My husband's father teacher at a public university. I do have the upmost respect for public school teachers. I do not, however, have any respect for the Texas public school system. My reasons are many--- GWB did a number on it here as Governor , the religious stronghold in the school boards is outrageous (recently there was 7-7 tie on removing evolution from science instruction, that was eventually decided not to remove it--but seriously a 7-7 tie on a school board????), the misallocation of funding to highschools with strong football programs and to athletics over academics is astonishing, etc... I could go on and on... And when I read that Texas had the highest number of students punished with violence I was not at all surprised.

So I am sorry if my comment offended you, please no that was not my intent.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

:ROTFLMAO:Thanks for the laugh!!

Tevas were created in Flagstaff, and the owner lives here in town....Kinda the way Boulder has their Crocs, we have Tevas... BUT the best was when a landowner had trees illegally cut down on some commercial property, it was dubbed the Flagstaff Chainsaw Massacre, and people protested with pictures of dead trees on their signs.... FUNNY!

http://www.carryabigsticker.com/news/chainsaw_photos.htm

[infomama]

My state just outlawed corporal punishment this year. :thumbsup:

[brittone2]

Tevas were created in Flagstaff, and the owner lives here in town....Kinda the way Boulder has their Crocs, we have Tevas... BUT the best was when a landowner had trees illegally cut down on some commercial property, it was dubbed the Flagstaff Chainsaw Massacre, and people protested with pictures of dead trees on their signs.... FUNNY!

http://www.carryabigsticker.com/news/chainsaw_photos.htm

Sounds like a great place to live :D