BAN THE BOARD
19 STATES - SCHOOLS STILL ALLOW HITTING KIDS
It's a tale as old as time: the teacher catches little Timmy talking in class, so she grabs the nearest ruler and gives him a good whack on the hand. Timmy cries, the teacher feels smugly satisfied, and everyone moves on with their day. But is this really the best way to discipline children in schools? Let's take a closer look.
First of all, let's address the elephant in the room: no one likes getting hit with a ruler. It hurts! And it's not just physical pain, either. Being humiliated in front of your peers by someone in a position of authority can be incredibly damaging to a child's self-esteem. So why do we still think that corporal punishment is an effective way to discipline students?
Maybe it's because we've been told that it builds character. After all, if you can survive getting smacked with a ruler, you can survive anything, right? Wrong. Studies have shown that corporal punishment does not improve student behavior or academic outcomes. In fact, it can actually make things worse by increasing children's behavioral problems over time and lowering their self-esteem and self-efficacy. So much for building character.
But what about the argument that corporal punishment is necessary to maintain order in the classroom? Surely without the threat of physical punishment, students would run amok and chaos would reign supreme. Well, not exactly. There are plenty of effective and humane ways of promoting positive behavior and discipline in schools without resorting to hitting children. These include creating a supportive and respectful learning environment; setting clear and consistent rules and expectations; providing positive reinforcement and feedback; teaching social and emotional skills; involving students in decision-making; using restorative justice practices; and providing counseling and support services for students with special needs or challenges.
"But wait," you might say. "What about all those kids who turned out just fine after getting spanked as children?" Ah yes, the old "I turned out fine" argument. Well, here's the thing: just because something didn't harm you personally doesn't mean it's not harmful in general. It's like eating broccoli. Some people love it, some people hate it, but everyone knows it's supposed to be good for you. That doesn't mean we should force everyone to eat broccoli all the time, especially if there are other options that might be more palatable.
And let's not forget that corporal punishment is a form of violence against children that violates their rights to respect for physical integrity and human dignity, health, development, education and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. These rights are enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been ratified by every country except the United States. By allowing corporal punishment in schools, the United States is failing to uphold its international obligations and protect its own children from abuse.
So what's the bottom line? Corporal punishment in schools is an outdated and harmful practice that should be banned in all states. It doesn't improve student behavior or academic outcomes; it can cause physical and mental harm; it violates children's rights; and there are better alternatives. We can do better than hitting children with rulers. Let's create a safer, healthier, and more peaceful society for our children and ourselves by ditching corporal punishment once and for all.
HEAR ARE SOME FAQS WHY CORPORAL PUNISHMENT SHOULD BE BANNED
Corporal punishment in schools is the practice of hitting, spanking, or otherwise inflicting physical pain on students as a form of discipline. It is still legal in 19 states in the United States², and over 160,000 children are subject to it each year¹. However, this practice is not only ineffective and harmful, but also violates the human rights and dignity of children. Here are some reasons why corporal punishment in schools should be banned.
It does not improve student behavior or academic outcomes
Contrary to the belief that corporal punishment deters misbehavior and motivates learning, research shows that it has no positive effects on student behavior or academic achievement¹. In fact, corporal punishment may increase children's behavioral problems over time and lower their self-esteem and self-efficacy¹. It may also impair their cognitive and socio-emotional development, leading to poor educational outcomes².
It can cause physical and mental harm
Corporal punishment can result in serious physical injuries, such as bruises, welts, cuts, fractures, or even death². It can also cause psychological harm, such as anxiety, depression, anger, aggression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or suicidal ideation². Moreover, corporal punishment can damage the relationship between students and teachers, creating a climate of fear and distrust in the classroom².
It violates children's rights
Corporal punishment is a form of violence against children that violates their rights to respect for physical integrity and human dignity, health, development, education and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment². These rights are enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been ratified by every country except the United States². By allowing corporal punishment in schools, the United States is failing to uphold its international obligations and protect its own children from abuse.
It perpetuates a cycle of violence
Corporal punishment teaches children that violence is an acceptable way of solving problems and expressing emotions. It also normalizes the use of power and authority to inflict pain and humiliation on others. This can have negative consequences for children's socialization and moral development, as well as for their future relationships and parenting styles². Studies suggest that parents who used corporal punishment are at heightened risk of perpetrating severe maltreatment². Furthermore, corporal punishment may contribute to a culture of violence in society at large, increasing the risk of interpersonal violence, crime, and war².
There are better alternatives
There are many effective and humane ways of promoting positive behavior and discipline in schools without resorting to corporal punishment. These include creating a supportive and respectful learning environment; setting clear and consistent rules and expectations; providing positive reinforcement and feedback; teaching social and emotional skills; involving students in decision-making; using restorative justice practices; and providing counseling and support services for students with special needs or challenges¹². These approaches not only foster student well-being and achievement, but also respect their dignity and rights as human beings.
(1) Corporal punishment and health - World Health Organization (WHO). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/corporal-punishment-and-health.
(2) Corporal Punishment in U.S. Public Schools | Society for Research in Child Development SRCD. https://www.srcd.org/research/corporal-punishment-us-public-schools.
(3) Corporal Punishment in U.S. Public Schools: Prevalence, Disparities in .... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5766273/.
(4) School corporal punishment - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_corporal_punishment.
(5) School corporal punishment in the United States - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_corporal_punishment_in_the_United_States.
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