Corporal Punishment?

[abirken]

Growing up in the south, if you got in trouble at school, you went to the office and got paddled. But this was back in the 80's. I can't BELIEVE this is still an acceptable form of punishment in the South???? I thought we had come so far regarding alternative ways to deal with discipline within our school system.

Turn it around: If a child gets in a fight with another student while on school property, he throws a punch, then the cops are called and he's cuffed and arrested for violence. But yet it's ok for a school official to throw blows on a kid with a wooden paddle for disciplinary action? What kind of message is this? . Thank god we moved to Colorado where this is not practiced in our school district.

[Redpb]

It's not considered a beating if it's your kinfolk.

[sparker1]

It's not considered a beating if it's your kinfolk.

As we know, down south everyone is your kinfolk.

[KapitanSparrow]

The only people allowed to paddle your buttocks should be your mom and dad. Perhaps a significant other, and a woman that gets paid for it, heh. I think allowing this to go on in schools is a shame.

[Reedus]

I have a different take: If my kid is acting up in school and doing something he knows he shouldn't, I would WANT the teacher to smack the living hell out of him. I am a believer in the old paddle and willow stick. It teaches respect which kids don't have an ounce of these days. *flame suit on*

[BruteForce]

I have a different take: If my kid is acting up in school and doing something he knows he shouldn't, I would WANT the teacher to smack the living hell out of him. I am a believer in the old paddle and willow stick. It teaches respect which kids don't have an ounce of these days. *flame suit on*

I disagree.

I was on the receiving end of paddling @ Ft. Lewis Washington back in the early 80's. As I recall, some teachers would get aggressively creative in inflicting pain (creative paddles, etc). Some seemed to truly enjoy the process. I don't recall it ever convincing me to stop whatever it was I was instantly guilty of.

If someone were to touch one of my boys, they'd be on the receiving end of a major ass-kicking. I just don't trust anyone to be objective in meting out punishment. Parents need to stand up and hold their children accountable. Time-outs simply do not work.

[Mooseman70]

When I was in 7th grade in So Cal, I was sent to the Principal's office for acting out in class. I got in there and he had a large wooden paddle sitting on his desk. He threatened to use it on me, but never did. Aside from getting my rear end tanned, I wonder what would have been the consequences to the school had he done it and I told my folks after the fact?

[KapitanSparrow]

I don't think parents should allow strangers beat on their kids. If the kid is acting up, call the parent and let him/her deal with it. Why is it that parents can't smack their kids but it's allowed in schools? When I was a kid they took away my games, legos, wouldn't let me go out and play, but they also kicked my ass every now and then when I did something really bad. And it worked. I think it worked for the great majority of us.

[sparker1]

Being from the old school, I think teachers must have the respect of students in order to do their jobs. This can be gained in many ways, but for some students it is tougher to get the message. Where behavior warrants, paddling by school personnel should be an option. I got it and suffered no permanent damage, but did learn better behavior.

These days, some students show zero respect for teachers, or law enforcement, partly because permissive parents take the position that no one can discipline their child. They say, "That is my responsibility", but in practice don't live up to it.

We have reached a point where most teachers would be terrified to discipline some of their students for fear of serious bodily harm. Same applies on school buses, where older drivers are afraid to attempt keeping discipline.

[Deathcricket]

I have a different take: If my kid is acting up in school and doing something he knows he shouldn't, I would WANT the teacher to smack the living hell out of him. I am a believer in the old paddle and willow stick. It teaches respect which kids don't have an ounce of these days. *flame suit on*

I agree completely. I went to a catholic private school when I grew up in San Diego. We wore uniforms, cut our hair very short, and they would not hesitate to spank us if we deserved it. It was very rare that it was used, in fact I never saw or heard of it happening. But it was an option. I turned out just fine. My parents spanked me on many occasion though.

I see so many kids being rebellious and acting up now. Parents have just lost control. In fact, I banned my neighbors kids from coming over because they are complete hellions. Every parent can discipline their child how they want, but once your kids don't respect your authoritayyyy, it's time to bust out the belt/wooden spoon/paddle. It should be rare but it's warranted sometimes to give them a reality check.

I must also say this is a tragic day for me! This will be the first time myself and abirken have disagreed on a subject.
*goes to weep in the corner*

[JP]

It teaches respect which kids don't have an ounce of these days.

That is the understatement of the year

I don't think parents should allow strangers beat on their kids.

I agree with that also, but teachers are not strangers

We have reached a point where most teachers would be terrified to discipline some of their students for fear of serious bodily harm. Same applies on school buses, where older drivers are afraid to attempt keeping discipline.

We see that in the bigger (most populated) cities in Connecticut. That is a concern for both.

[accadacca]

My Mom broke many wooden spoons over my ass in the ole days. Many times I was laughing during the beatings . . .I was horrible.

[Mooseman70]

My Mom broke many wooden spoons over my ass in the ole days. Many times I was laughing during the beatings . . .I was horrible.

Oh, man, did that bring back memories! And it used to drive my Mom crazy why she could never find any wooden spoons later in the week! Wooden spoons, and rubber spatulas were destroyed weekly in our house. Of course, nowdays when my siblings and I joke about it, she flat out denies having done that.

Now, if my Dad got home and you found him rummaging around in his closet, you better have run for all you were worth, 'cause the fraternity paddle was about to be used.

[bbennett]

And it used to drive my Mom crazy why she could never find any wooden spoons later in the week!

That sounds like my mom.

[BruteForce]

I too have been the recipient of many spanking/ass-beatings. Having a hooah father (26 years US Army), and a very German mother, they were no strangers to the belt and wooden spoon.

My boys have had very few spankings (they're generally good kids), but the threat persists even though my 13 year old will soon outweigh/outsize me (how the hell do they get so big?!?!)

I agree with some of the previous statements. Today's parents are far too tolerant and politically correct. If were were to (as parents) appropriately punish our kids, a majority of the BS we put up with today would cease.

[denaliguide]

i'm not sure how you can call a few swats on the ass a beating. i too believe that you spare the rod you spoil the child. most parents don't do a very good job of instilling respect or teaching the discipline neccessary to their children in order for them to act as mature individuals.

timeouts and "use your words" just are not effective.

[Sombeech]

The kids probably prefer a paddling rather than getting their iPod taken away.

[Mooseman70]

The kids probably prefer a paddling rather than getting their iPod taken away.

Or their cell phones! Some kid was texting away while my partner was trying to talk with him, so he yanked the phone outta the kids hands and set it on top of the patrol car so he could get the kids undivided attention.

I thought the kid was gonna have a grand mal seizure by the way he started to shake and get all freaked out about "When can I have my phone back? Are you going to give me my phone back?" Who need drugs when you can have cell phone and go through withdrawls!

[BruteForce]

The kids probably prefer a paddling rather than getting their iPod taken away.

Or their cell phones! Some kid was texting away while my partner was trying to talk with him, so he yanked the phone outta the kids hands and set it on top of the patrol car so he could get the kids undivided attention.

I thought the kid was gonna have a grand mal seizure by the way he started to shake and get all freaked out about "When can I have my phone back? Are you going to give me my phone back?" Who need drugs when you can have cell phone and go through withdrawls!

My sister in law uses this as punishment. NO MORE iPOD or PHONE FOR YOU!

Seems to work too. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!?!

[moabfool]

I got spanked as a kid. I think that sometimes I deserved it and sometimes I didn't. Most of the time I just remember getting spanked and not really knowing why. I don't ever remember getting a bare butt spanking or the belt. One thing that did keep me in line was the full knowledge that my dad brought me into this world and he could (and would) take me out too. I'm 99% sure he's still tougher than I am.

How many of you hated hearing the following stagements.

"This is going to hurt me worse than it's going to hurt you." Huh? Uh, I think my butt is going to be in far more pain than your hand when this is over. Butt vs. hand battles are decidedly one-sided.

"Do you need a reason to cry?" Looking back he was totally right. Stop your blubbering ya whiny brat. You aren't getting your way.

"(My full name) Come HERE!" Uh, no. "Here" is where the beating is. No thank you. I'll pass.

I remember the last time I got spanked. I think I was 12 years-old. I probalby mouthed off to my step-mom so I had it coming. My dad dragged me over his knee for the spanking. I decided I was too old for a spanking so I fought back. It was the first time I had actively resisted. He got a couple of whacks in and then I guess I hit him somewhere sensitive. He just stopped and let me up. He got really quiet and let me walk away. After that punishments got really creative and really bad. I should have been content to get my spanking.

The best threat he ever came up with was the "holes punishment." Well, first he said that if I ever got arrested he was going to let me rot in MOWEDA untill he had calmed down enough that he wouldn't go to jail himself because of what he'd do to me. For those that don't know, MOWEDA is an acronym for MOrgan, WEber, and DAvis (counties). It was where they sent the small-time miscreants 'till their parent(s) came to pick them up.

Anyway, he said that if I ever went to MOWEDA I would languish there 'till he had enough time to calm down, probalby a week or two, and I believed him (most kids were there less than 24 hours).

If that wasn't scary enough, the next part totally cured me. He said that when we got home from MOWEDA, he would get a shovel for me and a chair for him. My first job would be to dig a hole in the back yard. He said I was going to dig until he was tired. Then I would dig another hole. Again, I was going to dig until he was tired. Then I would get buckets and take the dirt from the first hole and put it in the second hole, then I would take the dirt from the second hole and put it in the first hole. He said he didn't care about the lawn, the utilities, or the sprinklers. I was going to do that over and over and over until he was tired of watching me do it. It worked, mostly because I knew he would make me do it.

Well, I didn't believe he could make me do it at the time. In true teenager fashion I said that he couldn't make me do anything. He said I was right. But he also said that even though the law said he had to feed me it didn't say that he had to feed me well. I guess he's lucky my step-mom is an excellent cook.

My philosophy on children: If, at some point, your kids don't resent you as a parent, if only just a little bit, you're not doing your job.