Corporal Punishment

Aria Pongratz

During the 1999 - 2000 academic school year, teachers in American public schools hit 342,000 students.  I wonder if the parents know that their students are being abused in school.  Of course, the students might tell their parents, but I’m sure there are some students who wouldn’t.  There is also the possibility of parents thinking that it’s all right for their child to be abused while in class.

There are 23 states that currently allow corporal punishment, although there are about nine that don’t use it that often.  The state of Texas uses corporal punishment the most. In 1999, about 74,000 Texas students were hit.  Texas accounts for 22% of paddlings in the U.S.  In Mississippi, one out of every ten students is struck with a paddle.

I don’t think corporal punishment should be allowed in U.S public schools because abused children will probably be violent towards their own children. There are also less violent ways to handle any situation.  Of course there might be some that think corporal punishment should be allowed.  Their arguments, however, are easily refuted.

Again, children abused during childhood are most likely to abuse their own children.  Over three million children were put into child protective services because of their parents abusing and/or neglecting them. In 1997, three children died every day because of constant abuse by their care-givers.

There are many different ways to handle a situation where a student refuses to pay attention or participate.  The student could sit out during an extra curricular activity.  She could also be given a few warnings, and then she would have to go to the principal’s office and discuss it with him or her.

Some people that support or use corporal punishment might think it is the only way to make students listen, pay attention or learn anything.  It could also be somewhat of a reflex to hit students. Therefore, they think corporal punishment should be allowed. 

Yes, it might also just be human nature to employ corporal punishment. However, abusing anyone will not make him learn anything but fear, and I’m pretty sure that’s not what we should be learning. The only reason why the students would be paying attention or learning anything is because they would be afraid to be hit.  School is supposed to be fun, not fearful.

Therefore, I think we should abolish the use of corporal punishment in U.S public schools.  If we don’t, the number of students being abused probably likely increase.

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