More on spanking

I feel the need to discuss this spanking in schools issue a little more. There are a lot of “experts” out there that want to dismiss it off-hand. They say it isn’t effective and that it creates an environment of fear that is not conducive to education. The problem is, like most things, you can’t make generalizations. Even the principal from the story I quoted earlier in my blog was quick to point out it isn’t the magic bullet, quick-fix answer to everything for his school (or any other school for that matter). What he does see it as, I think, is a tool – and an effective one at that. Sometimes, and with some children, you need a way to escalate punishment. That’s one of the main reasons for administration’s involvement in the punishment process. Otherwise you’ll get instructors spending their time disciplining kids instead of teaching them. No one wants that.

The big reason corporal punishment has gone away is liability. Schools don’t want to be on the hook for possible abusive situations and so they keep a hands-off policy for faculty. I can understand that in this sue-happy day and age. Still, liability aside, it’s hard to argue against the methodology which is not only effective, but makes sense. Most schools send unruly students home on suspension as a last resort. Really though, what good is that? You’re taking away their access to a better future, and believe me they don’t know or care. They don’t understand what a difference education can make for them until it’s too late. “While suspensions take kids out of the classroom for days, paddling could be done in 15 minutes…. ‘This way there's an immediate response, and the child is right back in the room learning.’” When the majority of parents are OK with corporal punishment it’s usually because that is what happens at home. Sending them home for a few days means they still get the corporal punishment, but you have hindered their ability to get a good education. This school is just cutting out the middleman and making sure the kids get the education they need. As Nixon says, "What are we here to do? Educate."

Experts though have to make sure everyone believes them:

"Most education scholars consider it abusive, helpful only in the short term and even predictive of future violence. ‘This is not a practice for the 21st century,’ says Nadine Block, executive director of the Center for Effective Discipline in Ohio. ‘Maybe for the 18th century. An atmosphere of fear is not going to increase learning. Maybe temporarily. But over time, it does not work.’"

I remember getting spanked in school and that was the norm during my time. What I don’t remember is a lot of fights and kids bringing guns to school or having sex with teachers. Kids today have this sense of invulnerability and entitlement that wasn’t present two decades ago, or earlier. Times are different, yes, but times are also the same. How does suspension not create “an atmosphere of fear” at its root? Isn’t that the general idea of punishment in practice to make the person receiving it not want it again? Or is Nadine suggesting that we never punish kids at all? That’s not preparing them for the real world where you can and do go to jail for stealing (among other offenses).

I believe corporal punishment is appropriate in some situations, but not all. We use time-out, reward and praise for good behavior, grounding and other basic parenting techniques. However, sometimes those just don’t get the message through – the lesson isn’t learned. There are also times when other methods just aren’t effective. Spanking is just another tool. When used properly and lovingly by a parent it can do the job intended, but like most things it can also be abused. It’s really as much about the parent as it is about the child. By making parents feel bad that they spank their kids they are pushed to do it only in private. That creates the opportunity for mistakes because other parents can’t critique the methodology they witness and offer feedback. Parents are hesitant to even mention they spank their kids these days in conversation with other parents. It isn’t always abuse and I really wish they would stop the slandering campaign. Sometimes tough love means punishment and too many parents are doing it all wrong, or worse, not at all.