Essay/Term paper: Corporal punishment

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Sociology Term Papers

Using corporal punishment in schools is not benefiting our children. In fact, it may be hurting our children more than helping them, and teaching them the wrong way to deal with their problems. I feel that discipline starts at home, and should not be left for the schools to handle.

Corporal punishment may do more harm than good. It "has no positive effects that we know of" (Keeshan 67). It may stop the unruly behavior temporarily, but it does not treat the underlying causes (Keeshan 67). "Unruly behavior is a cry for help" (Keeshan 67). These children do not want to act this way, but they have no choice. We don't know why these children act unruly. Maybe it"s because they are hungry or physically or emotionally abused at home (Keeshan 67). This is a plea for help and we answer these pleas with a paddling (Keeshan 67-68). No beating will take away the hurt the child goes through at home.

Corporal punishment also teaches our children that violence solves problems. "Children are taught, by the example of authority-wielding adults, that violence is an acceptable response to inappropriate behavior" ("End Legal" 14A). To me, it seems that with all of the violence involving kids today, that we would find a different way to deal with these kids" unruly behavior. I feel that discipline starts at home. If parents would teach their children what is and is not appropriate, then more children would behave in school and we wouldn"t have more than five hundred thousand students being paddled each year ("End Legal" 14A).

"The object lesson for kids is that as they approach adulthood, violations of others" personal or property rights result in punishments much worse than minor taps on the tush" (Warrensford 14A). This is true, so why should we spank our children when they are going to receive worse punishment for things they do when they are older? It seems that we are teaching kids that if they do wrong, they"ll get nothing but a little swat and that"s all. There has to be another way to teach kids that their behavior was not appropriate. How about sending kids to their rooms? That simulates going to jail. What does spanking simulate? When these children grow up and commit more serious crimes, they will expect the court to give them a slap on the wrist and let them off. It doesn"t work that way and they will be surprised to learn this.

I feel that corporal punishment only hurts our children and teaches them violence. Parents should demand that they be the ones to decide how their child is punished and then perhaps the five hundred thousand children that are paddled at school could actually benefit from discipline.



Works Cited



"End Legal Child Abuse; Stop School Paddling." USA Today. 1 Apr. 1994: 14A.

Keeshan, Bob. "Corporal Punishment in Schools Would Not Help Children." From Bob

Keeshan: "The Time is Now." The Humanist, November/December1988. Rpt.

Opposing Viewpoints: America"s Children. Ed. Bruno Leone and David Bender.

Dunskin. Gulliford, CT 1995. 65-68.

Warrensford, Dan. "Spanking Benefits Students." USA Today 1 Apr. 1994: 14A.