A Discussion on The Use of Corporal Punishment on Students in Public Schools

School culture is based on many things, with student-teacher interaction being a major factor. Here in South Carolina, corporal punishment is outlawed. In the classrooms within this state, there is no violence factor when teachers are correcting students. The same does not go for the nineteen states that still use this as a disciplinary tactic. I chose this topic because I had never fathomed that this method was still used today until two years ago when I attended a school in Bonifay, Florida. This school, Bonifay High, was where I obtained first-hand information on the use of corporal punishment on students in public schools which are: differentiating factors between schools that practice this method, aggression in adults from the use of this method as a child, and restrictions being enforced.

An Examination of Corporal Punishment Practices in Public Schools

Children have a tendency to do things they shouldn’t for reasons such as getting a rise from the class, to test the teacher’s patience, and many more. Whatever the reason, the child has done something in a regional schooling system to the point that the teacher felt necessary to inflict corporal punishment upon the child. Seunghee Han, a professor at the University of Missouri–Columbia, in his article Probability of Corporal Punishment: Lack of Resources and Vulnerable Students (Han, 2017), discusses why some schools that use this method of discipline use it more than others and what factors seem to be causing this statistic. One of his key ideas is ‘corporal punishment in discipline theories,’ which talks about schools with a variety of teacher training programs and violence prevention programs using corporal punishment less. However, schools with higher ethnic minority rates and special education student rates “...had a 2.1 times greater and a 1.8 times greater likelihood of use corporal punishment, after controlling for students’ problem behavior and school characteristics” (Han, 2017, p. 5).

Another key point made in this article by Han was ‘School Practitioners’ Perceptions and Practices of Corporal Punishment.’ Though one of his shortest points, it shows the perspectives teachers and principals from multiple studies have on corporal punishment as a means of discipline. In a shocking conclusion, most educators find this an ineffective means of punishment and others feel greatly that the principal should be the person to inflict any form of corporal punishment. This highlights the ongoing debate within the education system about the effectiveness and ethical implications of such practices.

Long-Term Implications of Corporal Punishment

Tamara L. Tail lieu and Douglas A. Brownridge, in their work, state that “...CP [corporal punishment] has been linked to a number of internalizing problem behaviors in children and adolescents” (Tail lieu & Brownridge, 2013). Their article discusses the negative effects derived from the method of corporal punishment that parents use on these children as adolescents. One key point they make on this topic is ‘physical abuse experienced in childhood,’ which goes on to use statistics from a recent study at the University of Michigan that show a pattern in abuse. The study focuses on abusive adults and traces that anger to abuse they experienced as children through corporal punishment to help show the negative long-lasting effects of this disciplinary measure. This finding is critical, as it underscores the potential generational cycle of abuse perpetuated by corporal punishment.

Current Measures and Restrictions

Lastly, an article reflecting what measures are being taken so that the line of corporal punishment does not cross into abuse is Paddling Makes Comeback in Florida School by Alison DeNisco (DeNisco, 2015). This article discusses schooling in Florida being allowed to, once again, use corporal punishment within its public schooling system. DeNisco touches on key subjects that cover why schools there are allowing this and specifics on what measures they are taking to ensure child safety. In the section of her work that talks about the restrictions they are taking, she explains how teachers are allowed “the right to strike students on the buttocks with a wooden or fiberglass paddle” (DeNisco, 2015, p. 2). Restrictions that apply to this are: “parents must give written consent once a year, and principals must get verbal permission from parents before actually giving the punishment.” Even then, corporal punishment is restricted to elementary students being punished through this method once a semester per student. This approach is controversial, as it balances between disciplinary actions and the rights and safety of the students.

Conclusion

I am pleased to see that with this abusive form of punishment being allowed to be practiced within public schools, it is getting the attention it deserves and that people are recognizing the problems that come with this. Seeing now that the necessary precautions are being taken and that school systems are keeping watchful eyes gives me, as well as parents of these students and the students themselves, peace of mind. These articles were very enlightening on this subject and the people who wrote them are well-respected, accredited scholars. Though I now see a new side to this form of punishment, I hope to never teach at a school that practices it as a means of discipline or in any other fashion.

References

DeNisco, A. (2015). Paddling makes comeback in Florida School. Education Week, 34(1), 2-3.

Han, S. (2017). Probability of Corporal Punishment: Lack of Resources and Vulnerable Students. Journal of Educational Research, 110(1), 1-10.

Tail lieu, T. L., & Brownridge, D. A. (2013). Physical abuse experienced in childhood. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28(3), 1-15.