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Corporal Punishment Should Be Reintroduced

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Corporal Punishment as described by the Collins Dictionary and Thesaurus (in one volume – 1990) is “punishment of a physical nature such as caning”. The term mainly relates to children being punished at school but can also refer to children being punished at home. As of 2008 corporal punishment has been banned in 24 countries, including Germany, Greece and the Netherlands. Nevetheless, it is still widely used by parents in their homes. In the UK, corporal punishment has been banned in schools for numerous years. However a debate is now arising as to whether the decision to ban corporal punishment in schools was the right decision and hence, whether corporal punishment should be reintroduced?

All the Yes points:

  1. bad behaviour is on the increase in the class room
  2. there has been an increase in crime
  3. there is a lack of father figues in the home
  4. other sanctions have no effect
  5. rights culture needs to be impeded
  6. it will improve the lives of those who are bullied
  7. Asbo’s dont work – swift punishment may prevent bad behaviour later
  8. it works!
  9. Montaigne
  10. The administration of corporal punishment made us grow up to become responsible citizen.
  11. It depends on how the actual punishement is administered
  12. it makes a direct link between a behavior and its bad consequences

All the No points:

  1. It has been made illegal in so many countries for a reason.
  2. It increases the rate of crime and violence.
  3. It has negative psychological effects.
  4. It is wrong and inappropriate.
  5. harms children with genuine behavioural disorders or other disabilities
  6. Currently legal in 21 states. Where is the betterment?
  7. old corp
  8. I think corpral punishment should be eleagle in every country.
  9. It brings fear in the person
  10. it makes the victim hardend
  11. it can lead to death
  12. For children, actions speak louder than words.
  13. Many students who misbehave in school come from unstable families
  14. Allowing children to be hit sends the message that it is OK to treat children in this way.
  15. If teachers and parents weren’t allowed to hit children, they would discipline them in better ways.

bad behaviour is on the increase in the class room

Yes because…

In a survey completed by the Times Educational supplement (1), 6000 teachers were questioned. One in five believed that class room behaviour had deteriorated since the abolition of corporal punishment and they believed the education system would improve with the re-introduction of corporal punishment. We should adhere to the teachers requests.

(1) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/education/3123827/Teachers-Bring-back-the-cane-to-restore-order-in-schools.html

Old Corp

frustrated and afraid i grow
our society in decline
discipline, personal responsibility
only few adhere to

how far must the pendulum swing
is this when, enough is enough!

learn we must from past misfortunes
our elders abused and taken for,
those locked rooms, monsters behind unchecked
horrors lived, compassion grow-ed, forced upon;
Justly! the Corporal dishonourably discharged

now! today—————————— legacy apparent
our youth growing without
the Corporals watchful eye-
time outs, detention
stars to earn…
all to worry bout! ! !
much we have learnt
evidence mounting…

remember or imagine
for those who never felt,
the Corporals hovering hand on watch;
lol…one weighed up quick smart
if sacrifice was worth, old Corps loving touch-
and we did, at that young age
decide to take ‘one’ for a noble course
consequence learned, schooled was i

steered by our negligence/wisdom!
our impressionable youth out of balance-
drowning em in compassion
we’ve got it ass bout
before grow-ed, before ‘it’ earned

see our youth-lost
initiated wanting
self inflicted search, a cry for help
mans hammerer of fate hovering?
too late, when crashes

short life lost knowing no consequences
short life lost…when schooled on streets
long life…serving, consequence learned

the Pendulum out of control
risking destruction

come!!!
let us stand up! let us unite-
rein list the Corporal…
reinvent the old bastard… our future begs!
learn we must,
modern twist for age old teach

Utopia do we live?
Jails still exist, war still wages
are we so arrogrant…

stop preaching, they have to make their own mistakes
we must show wisdom to aid in this!
give them the tools for this journey..

RPL our children/invest in the future

when coming of age, when the chemicals hit, natural or manmade
Old Corp’s training just might save that youth from the daily horrors/ challenges of our society

civilised or uncivilised
please define!

at a loss i am…

No because…

One in five teachers? That is the also the figure then of how many teachers need more training! The only reason why a minority of teachers want to see a reintroduction of corporal punishment is because they do not have any effective discipline methods under their belts. The answer? More training, not resorting to corporal punishment. Also remember that school is for learning and it is the teachers job if the students are doing poorly. Corporate Punishment is just and excuse for teachers to whip and hurt people

there has been an increase in crime

Yes because…

It is inevitable that bad classroom behaviour will filter into life outside school. You only have to look at the crime statistics to see that crime has increased dramatically since the abolition of corporal punishment. Between 1981, when corporal punishment was legal and in 1997, after the abolition of corporal punishment, there was a 67% increase in crime (1).

(1)http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/digest4/chapter1.pdf

Additionally, the U.K.’s banning of corporal punishment is not attached to a propaganda website called nospanking.com and portrays a more convincing argument for reintroducing corporal punishment since it clearly documents crime statistics before and after the abolition of corporal punishment in schools. On the other hand, the opposing argument contradicts itself. How can you refute that the abolition of corporal punishment has not led to an increase in crime because of varying factors when the case that you cite to support your argument is so biased and overlooks a large number of factors- such as poverty, drop outs, consistent use of paddling, perceived fairness of paddling, credible or qualified teachers, etc. How can you realistically argue against a corporal punishment that has successfully been used for thousands of years in home and without to discipline children? It’s worked for all this time and managed to create fairly decent, responsible human beings without traumatizing them.

Pro-Spanking Research:

A study published in the Akron Law Review in 2009 examined criminal records and found that children raised where a legal ban on parental corporal punishment is in effect are much more likely to be involved in crime.

For example, in Sweden “enlightened” parenting seems to have produced increased violence later. “Swedish teen violence skyrocketed in the early 1990s, when children that had grown up entirely under the spanking ban first became teenagers,” Fuller noted. “Preadolescents and teenagers under fifteen started becoming even more violent toward their peers. By 1994, the number of youth criminal assaults had increased by six times the 1984 rate.”

Margaret Gunnoe in 1997 published work showing that customary spanking reduced aggression, but it went largely unnoticed by the media because it contradicted mainstream opinion. Of course, we all know that aggression is often the main culprit in violent crime.

Dr. Diana Baumrind of the University of California, Berkeley also found that children who were never spanked tended to have behavioral problems, and were not more competent than their peers. This supports the view that banning spanking would lead to an increase in crime.

http://www.newsmax.com/US/spanking-studies-children-spock/2010/01/07/id/345669

No because…

You cannot single handedly blame the banning of corporal punishment for the rapid rise in crime. There are many factors, and there is nothing that definitively shows that there is a link between the banning of corporal punishment and the rise in crime. There are many things that have changed and the rise in crime is a combination of some or maybe even all of these factors, things like increase in population, increasing living expectations, the poor and the rich living in a close proximity. We should not bring back corporal punishment on a whim that it may possibly decrease the levels of crime.

Also, this theory was tested in America, where it’s flipped around and the states in the US that had corporal punishment were the states with the highest murder rates.

Those eight paddling states are. in order by murder rate: Louisiana, which has the highest murder rate in the nation (6th in the nation by percentage of students struck by educators); Mississippi, which has the 2nd highest murder rate in the nation (1st by percentage of students struck by educators); Georgia. which has the 4th highest murder rate (7th in the nation by percentage of students struck by educators); Alabama and New Mexico, tied with the 5th highest murder rate in the nation (3rd and 10th, respectively, by percentage of students struck by educators); Tennessee, which has the 7th highest murder rate (4th by percentage of students struck by educators); and North Carolina and Arizona, which are tied with the 9th highest murder rate in the nation (12th and 18th, respectively, by percentage of students struck by educators). The two non-paddling states are: Maryland, which has the 4th highest murder rate; and Illinois, which is tied with Tennessee with the 7th highest murder rate.

Murder Rate (lowest):
Of the states with the ten lowest murder rates in the nation, educators paddle children in one of them.

That paddling state is Idaho, which has the 3rd lowest murder rate (18th by percentage of students hit).

The nine non-paddling states are: North Dakota, which has the lowest murder rate in the nation; South Dakota, which has the 2nd lowest murder rate; Maine, which is tied with Idaho with the 3rd lowest murder rate; Vermont, with the 5th lowest murder rate; Iowa, with the 6th lowest murder rate; New Hampshire, with the 7th lowest murder rate; Montana, with the 8th lowest murder rate; Utah, which has the 9th lowest murder rate; and Oregon and Massachusetts, which are tied with the 10th lowest murder rate.

http://www.nospank.net/correlationstudy.htm

there is a lack of father figures in the home

Yes because…

In the family, there once was a strong male figure that children would fear. However, with the increase in single parent families, often consisting of a mother, that figure has gone. Children fear nothing these days and the reintroduction of corporal punishment would give them some fear and this would curb disruptive behaviour in the classroom.

A woman cannot realistically be both mother and father no matter how hard she may try. Children also realize this and a lot of their acting out is because they feel neglected by their fathers. It is not sexist to consider the importance both sets of parents play in a child’s development. Just like a father cannot be a mother to his kids neither can you expect a mother to be a father to her kids. Catering to one role is hard enough as it is.

No because…

The education system cannot be a complete substitute for poor parenting, though it has a part to play. Schools may complete social instruction, but what we see now is a lack of even it’s most fundamental aspects, and work on repairing this must start in the home, where children learn by example from their parents.

p.s. that is also sexist – there is no reason a woman cannot take the role of the father figure.

other sanctions have no effect

Yes because…

It is all well and good those on the sidelines saying that giving children a small wrap on the knuckles is morally outrageous but they are not the ones who witness appalling behaviour in the classroom.

If you ask the teachers, those on the front line of disruptive students, a recurring comment is that with corporal punishment off the agenda, there are no sanctions available to teachers for the most stubborn of terrors!

No because…

It is true that teachers cannot hit children but this was because beforehand, they abused their power on occasions and this cannot be tolerated in society. The law is there simply to protect the children. Clearly if teachers cannot get children to behave using correct behavioural techniques and being strict but without punishment physically then clearly they are not as qualified as we once thought to handle children. gugug

rights culture needs to be impeded

Yes because…

Children’s behaviour has been adversely affected by the rights culture we have in Britain. A teacher cannot threaten a detention, something they are allowed to do, without the retort of “but you can’t take away my freedom”, “you have no right” or “I have rights”. In fact children are acutely aware of how much power they have over the teachers by way of laws and rights, and they use every opportunity to remind the teachers of that fact. If we re-introduced corporal punishment this back chat would cease and the power would be retained by the teachers.

And detention is not going to be taken seriously by anyone. What does detention do other than waste your time? If you have ADHD or a creative mind you’ll have a blast, effectively learning nothing to correct your behavior. If this is the only effective authority a teacher has for an out of control student then that teacher is and probably knows his/her authority is rather pitiful.

No because…

Teachers can impose a detention, regards of the child’s retort. Teachers do have this authority.

it will improve the lives of those who are bullied

Yes because…

There is a real feeling amongst those who are bullied that telling the teacher will worsen the problem, not make it better. Victims of bullying fear repercussions. However, if there was a system of corporal punishment behind the teachers, then something could be done which would scare the bullies out of their bullying ways. This would open bully victims up as they would discuss bullying issues with teachers knowing that something definitive could be done.

If a child thinks it’s okay to hit because a teacher or adult uses corporal punishment then that child is slow and fails to realize the purpose and meaning behind such an action. Besides a good and effective teacher is not going to use corporal punishment all the time, but as a last resort when all else fails. A threat is no good unless there is some fearful truth behind it.

Also, teachers are only ignorant to bullying matters because they know they cannot realistically do much to stop it. So in effect, bullying has gotten a lot meaner.

No because…

Often when nothing is done about bullying it is actually the teachers being ignorant to the goings-on of the playground. The teacher could just as easily with that power turn around and strike the bullied child- say for example if they are from a bad background who are not liked by the teacher, yet still bullied by their peers. Having authority would not necessarily make teachers do the right thing. Often with the authority that they possess now, teachers fail to combat bullying- giving them more will not necessarily solve the issue.

Actually, when teachers hit, it actually lets the child think that violence is okay and than they take it out on others.

Asbo’s dont work – swift punishment may prevent bad behaviour later

Yes because…

This is a personal view, but I am sure if the cane had been retained in schools the obscene and violent behaviour that too many young peope engage in would not take place today if that behaviour had resulted inthem being punished

A exclusion or an asbo is seen as a badge of honour no threat

Are teachers not accountable?

No because…

Sumtimz teechers get too angry and beet them too hardly and due to this the students get ascareded of the teachers to tell something like someone is bullying him/her,some one is speaking bad words.

it works!

Yes because…

Corporal punishment is the most effective way of maintaining school discipline and dealing with juvenile crime.

I went to an inner city co-educational primary school in an industrial area during the late 1950s/early 1960s. Academic standards were high. Between 30% and 35% of its pupils passed the 11+ and went to grammar school.

Discipline was strict. The headmistress caned or slippered boys and girls on the bottom. Corporal punishment was used for minor infringements of rules, for deliberate defiance and to prevent prosecution for criminal offences. It was more of a deterrent for girls than it was for boys who were always challenging authority and getting into mischief. I and three other boys received “six of the best” for disrupting lessons and refusing to do homework. Not wanting to be caned again, we settled down, worked hard and passed the 11+.

The school’s major disciplinary problems were caused by ten and eleven year old C stream pupils who lived on a new council housing estate At the beginning of the autumn term, the boys organised playground protection rackets. Some carried flick knives or knuckledusters given to them by elder brothers who had been in prison or borstal. One teacher was attacked with a broken bottle. Although uninjured, he had a nervous breakdown and was away from school for two terms. Girls had jam and marmalade rubbed into their hair. Both boys and girls had their clothes slashed with flick knives.

Classrooms were vandalised and on two occasions boys were caught setting fire to coats in the cloakroom. At the time children as young as seven could be prosecuted and sent to approved school. The head was put under great pressure by the staff and the local authority to involve the police in these incidents but she always refused. Unlike many head teachers, she accepted responsibility for her pupils’ behaviour out of school hours. Most weekends she was called to the police station to deal with girls caught shoplifting and boys arrested for assault or vandalism. Often the only way she could persuade the victim to withdraw the charges was to agree to cane the delinquents and the punishments were carried out at school with parental consent.

Using corporal punishment efficiently and effectively, she kept the members of the school’s criminal fraternity out of the justice system giving them a chance to escape from their back grounds and make something of their lives. One boy who was caned for vandalism obtained a degree in engineering. Another who had been whacked for rubbing marmalade into a girl’s hair went to university and graduated with a degree in economics.

Because Dr. Phil is such an expert I guess his expertise is wiser than our ancestors and our elders who have effectively used corporal punishment to discipline their children- our parents and grandparents even. If we were to listen to them they would tell us that corporal punishment is not for everybody because some children can be settled with a reprimand and disapproving look. That being said, they would still rely on the expediency of the cane because all some of these bad kids need is a good spanking.

No because…

Not to call you old, but the 1950s/1960s was a long time ago. As time changes, so do problems and the way you deal with them. A recent Dr. Phil show explained the effects of corporal punishment perfectly. Some children respond to it but others respond negatively to it. If a child really responds negatively to it, then you have a worse problem than you started with.

Mental illness is much more prevalent today than it was in the 1950s/1960s. If a student is acting out due to mental illness and they are punished for it, that will make the mental illness worse.

If we have a student that is about to become a school shooter, a few smacks is not going to stop them. It would just make them more angry and aggressive, if anything.

Also, culture had become more “me centered”. People are much more self-centered and selfish now than in the 1950s/1960s. It’s a lot more likely now that a teacher will abuse their power than in the 1950s/1960s. If a teacher abuses their power, students will be abused. This will cause even more trouble than the corporal punishment was suppose to fix. Also, a student can falsely claim that they were abused by a teacher. This could ruin the teacher’s career and lower the chances of them getting another job.

I could continue with the problems of corporal punishment but I won’t for time’s sake. There are too many problems for corporal punishments to be brought back in all schools in today’s society.

Actually yes, if you’re looking for years that far from now, you are probably reallllllly old.

Montaigne

Yes because…

I believe in Corporal Punishment. It is very effective. Yes, it is true that some Principals go way overboard using too much force to where kids get broken bones and sent to the hospital. But when I was paddled, it hurt, and there was trust and respect for the principal that I had. My parents allowed the principal to paddle me. I only was paddled one time. I was a very good kid in school. I am in my 30’s and still haven’t been in trouble. The paddle was what saved me from doing wrong. I only wish that we could use paddling in our court system too and for adults who do minor things instead of going to jail. It would be 5 swats per buttock, male or female. Or why not have a robo spanker, which lasts up to 15 minutes and spanks you until your 15 minutes are up.? That is a great idea. I would rather have a sting to my butt for a few days than be in jail. The economy is hurting. The Robo spanker locks your wrists in place you are bent down on a table, and whatever the judge decides on how hard/fast he wants the paddle to swat you would be his choice. In 15 minutes, you will think twice on committing another crime.

You need to cite facts before attributing corporal punishment to gangs and terrorism. Also, try seeing how you’d react if you did something bad and were spanked by the person you admire and love- the one person you try to impress and one of the few you respect. Not only would you cry because of brief pain, but you would cry from shock and shame. You, who thought you were above reprimand or reproof had to be corrected by your honored love one. If that does not prevent you from repeating the unmentionable act then at least you know that when you’re rotting in jail you had your chance to straighten up- either that or you’re a sociopath.

No because…

Why would we use that in court instead of jail? What type of mature person is afraid of spanks? Jail is more effective anyways (mostly because of the fear factor). But what does that have to do with school? The point is that some principles and teachers do go way overboard and hurt the children. Then they develop fear and hate. And that’s what made terrorism and caused so many hurt and angry teens to join gangs. When that happens we know that corporal punishment is not right and causes more damage than it stops.

The administration of corporal punishment made us grow up to become responsible citizen.

Yes because…

Breaking a rule at school resulted in corporal punishment being administered. We were caned, and that was that. No offence was either intended or taken. So, we learned to respect the rules, customs and norms of our society.

Kids are not going to go up against their parents after being subjugated to corporal punishment. Also, it is perfectly natural for kids to become rebellious when they reach a certain age. The buck stops when that kid has reached that age and has learned nothing. When that adolescent gets big enough to try and go up against his/her parents- then that child is no longer a child and needs to leave the protection and shelter of his parents and make his own.

No because…

When Corporal punishment is administered it doesn’t just blow over. kids develop grudges and plot and plan. Some join gangs too. Also its not effective. kids do get rebellious.

It depends on how the actual punishement is administered

Yes because…

Assuming the person punishing knows exactly what they are doing and knows how to control themself, there should be no problem with Corporal Punishment at all, the rules of Corporal Punishment would need to be altered, obviously.

Because as they are they could hurt the child,
But if altered it would be perfectly reasonable to administer corporal punishment

I would say speak for yourself, or at least what you know. If the majority of administered corporal punishment was done incorrectly then the history of child protective services would be a whole lot more radical. Corporal punishment has been used by a majority of households and education centers for thousands of years until very recently. There will always be those who abuse the system, but that does not mean the system does not work. Now that society- at least Western society is claiming to be so much better, or wiser than previous societies then at least it can come up with a more regulated and consistent implementation of such a practice.

No because…

I agree. But most of the time the “punisher” does not know how to control himself so we have to keep the law in place. Majority rules. Also if corporal punishment were to be altered to not hurt a child, it would not be called corporal punishmen. It has no relation to why you should have corporal punishment the debate topic that we are discussing

it makes a direct link between a behavior and its bad consequences

Yes because…

today boys and girls ignore the consequences of their behavior . They underestimate their responsabilties.Especially when they are teens. A lot of bad accident ,alcoolism, unexpected pregnancy , etc… would be avoid if a strict sentence (i.e. cp) for misbehavior had been far earlier decided and operated . Anticipation, a kind of humiliation and pain are ingredients easy to undrestand….

No because…

Corporal punishment does not actually administer a direct cause-and-effect link between a behaviour and its bad consequences. It is just as likely that it will create an unwanted association with the presence of the one administering the punishment (e.g. the parents) as the bad consequence itself or its cause, contributing to further rebellious or sneaky behaviour, making its effect temporary. Education and nonaggressive, impersonal deterrents (such as educating them about the financial and psychological consequences of teen pregnancy) are far more effective if you want to show them a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

It has been made illegal in so many countries for a reason.

No because…

Corporal Punishment has now been completely banned in 24 countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Latvia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Ukraine, Uruguay and Venezuela. Furthermore, there are numerous countries which are on their way to banning it such as Italy and Nepal, who have forbidden it by the courts but not by law as of yet. Corporal punishment is becoming widely discussed all over the world and the consideration to completely ban it is becoming a frequent query. Therefore, corporal punishment should not be reintroduced as evidently the fact that so many countries are against it portrays the negativity it brings and the banning of it in so many countries must be for a good reason. If there were any doubts all these countries would not have banned it and the UK would not have banned it in schools in the first place! To reinstate something which has already been thoroughly discussed years ago and of which the outcome was negative, would be absurd!

Yes because…

Many countries out-lawed homosexuality, female workers and abortions, but this does not mean that all of those countries were correct to do so. It only means that these countries were in agreement against something, it does not mean that what they were all advocating was logical or reasonable.

The amount of countries that do or do not have corporal punishment out lawed has no bearing on this debate.

Yet have any of these countries provided effective supports to parents in helping them discipline and punish out-of-control children? They tell parents that corporal punishment in wrong, but when their child acts out or gets in trouble with the law, they blame the parents. Is that fair? If they want to outlaw corporal punishment then they need to provide supports that are just as effective in deterrence as corporal punishment for parents and teachers to use. Since they have not (other than waging a war on kids with zero-tolerance laws and imprisonment) then what right do they have over how a parent disciplines his/her child or wants his/her child to be disciplined by teachers? The only thing I can agree on is providing regulatory law like Section 59 of New Zealand’s Crimes Amendment Act of 2007, that allows only corporal punishment used for reasonable disciplinary action to legislate against other forms of child hitting or California’s right to discipline laws, to protect against potential abuse. Of course, as it applies to parents it should apply to teachers as well.

It increases the rate of crime and violence.

No because…

Corporal punishment can be associated with higher rates of aggression, more substance abuse and an increased risk of crime and violence as many victims of corporal punishment tend to lash out and repeat this abuse as they don’t know any better. In other words, it teaches children to use physical violence. The fact that corporal punishment increases crime and violence has been supported by the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) which has stated that “the more children are spanked, the more anger they report as adults, the more likely they are to spank their own children, the more likely they are to approve of hitting a spouse and the more marital conflict they experience as adults.” Hence, corporal punishment not only starts a vicious circle of violence but also affects the childs life and wellbeing once they become an adult. The government needs to work towards a less violent society, not increasing the amount of violence in society by reintroducing one of its founders.

Yes because…

This argument lacks statistical backing. There is a reason for this. Because the statistics systematically show that after corporal punishment was made illegal, crime increased, by 67%. The statistics are firmly in favour of the reintroduction of corporal punishment.

In late 2009, American psychology professor Marjorie Gunnoe published a report that found that corporal punishment is good for kids- although since she was going against the grain of popular psychology most journals would not publish it. Nonetheless, her research was not meant to serve as a green light for parents to spank their children, but rather a red light for those groups who want corporal punishment banned.

Here are some articles describing her findings:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/blogs/nurture-shock/2009/12/30/some-kids-are-never-spanked-do-they-turn-out-better.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6926823/Smacked-children-more-successful-later-in-life-study-finds.html

It has negative psychological effects.

No because…

A low self-esteem is one of the principle problems brought on by corporal punishment and can result in anxiety difficulties, alcohol dependency, delinquency and insecurity. Victims of this physical violence also tend to be more shy and resentful than those who are not subject to physical harm. Furthermore, corporal punishment sees the deterioration of the relationship between the victim and the person exercising the violence, whether that be a parent or guardian or a teacher. Nevertheless, this means that corporal punishment can ruin the lives of children through its negative psychological effects. Additionally, undoubtedly it destroys the rapport of the child with whoever conducts the corporal punishment due to a lack of trust.

Yes because…

If you speak to people who have been subjected to corporal punishment, they state that it was good for them and taught them discipline. If you are going to talk of alcohol dependency then you will have to quantify how many, and also show the link between the corporal punishment and these problems.

Please provide sources. I have never heard of this from anyone who has been spanked. Most times they regret they did what they did in the first place to get spanked. I have witnessed adults talk about their youth and go up to their parents and thank them for correcting them when they were foolish. I’ve also heard of some people who were locked up who wished someone had been tougher on them or gave them some more spankings. Some of these same inmates have ended up forming closer relationships with their parents, mainly their mothers, because they now realize what their mothers were trying to prevent and feel sorry to have become such a burden.

It is wrong and inappropriate.

No because…

To discipline or punish a child through physical violence is clearly a violation of the most basic of human rights. Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child declares that “Children and young people have the right to physical and personal integrity. All services should ensure that child protection is based on this right and that definitions of abuse do not condone any level of violence to children.” As well as being lawfully wrong, corporal punishment is morally wrong. There are plenty of other alternative methods to discipline a child other than beating the child! For example, a person can take away the privileges of the child or prevent them from carrying out their hobbies or even insist that they do some other form of work to make up for their bad behaviour. Nonetheless, physically harming the child is completely inappropriate and unnecessary. Would the conductor of the corporal punishment like it if it were the other way round and it were him/her getting beaten? I think not.

Yes because…

So by having this atricle you are stating that parents can not punish their children or teachers can not punish their pupils for misbehaving and causing a disruptance in class rooms and at home? If we all were to follow this article and not punish our children by “striking the fear of God into them” as some say how are we supposed to punish the children? Children are already violent already, by not ceasing this to happen and using corporal punishment it will be come a “living hell” as my father says. I know for a fact cause I was a child at first that slaping a kids hand or grounding them does nothing to cease the problem but makes them more defiant towards rules. By doing this how are we supposed to prepare them for the real world because after you make a big mistake the cops are not going to smack you on the hand and put you in the corner. NO there will be much bigger concequences. So do you want a diciplined next generation or a misbehaving unlawful generation? You tell me…

You do realize that most people who beat their children are doing it because it worked for them when their parents used to beat them as children? Also, what makes the U.N. transcendant and all-knowing. I agree with its sentiment, but it is largely mistaken if it thinks that corporal punishment is abuse. Abuse kills, corporal punishment does not.

harms children with genuine behavioural disorders or other disabilities

No because…

As a child with Asperger’s I did a lot of things that were defined as bad behaviour because of panic attacks, repeated bullying or desperation to remove something from the classroom that was against my personal rules/routine. there was no way physical punishment would have worked, i just wouldn’t have relented, i would have ended up seriously injured, and i would have been fine if i had been left to work in a room on my own. this would be OK if teachers could actually tell the difference between badly behaved children and children with conditions that can be dealt with, but in my experience they can’t, and often aren’t sympathetic anyway.

Yes because…

I think it obvious that a child would not be introduced into a school without the parents being aware of any behavioural disorders or diabilities. What must be taken into account, is a vast majority of cases are attention seeking attempts; in this case, we are to isolate them. Of course, this is used today as a way of dealing with behaviour, but it seems unsuccesful in dealing with behaviour, as people think its cool to go against the system, such as gaining unnecessary ASBOs, or trying to impress friends or admirers. I find the most efficient way of dettering bad behaviour, is embarrasment. In Islamic counties, they use punishments, such as fingers amputated for stealing, public flogging for being abusive to higher authority or stoning for adultry. This is used as a detterance, not only to the person themselves, but to the general public also. It also makes an awareness on how foolish those individuals are, for trying to make themselves cooler, or more impressive.

I am currently a sixth form student at a secondary school( high school in some cases), and i can see that younger years are getting “cockier” towards tutors. This is a observation of only a few years, whereas the scale we are talking is much longer. It is this point, where the point i made earlier on being abusive to authority, where corperal punishment should be reintroduced.

Sure, children need to learn how to be independant without guidence, and need to learn from their mistakes, but isnt that what corperal punishment was for? Did it not show what will happen, if the individuals did make the wrong decisions?

Like i said, corperal punishment showed the consequences of going against higher authority, children need to learn of these consequences, and experience them if they do attempt to go against that authority.

As of the cases which include genuine behavioural disorders or disabilities, the school should know of these conditions; thus the right amount of discipline would be administrated.

Currently legal in 21 states. Where is the betterment?

No because…

People that are considering this topic should listen too the TED talk by Sam Harris: Can science answer Moral Questions

Here is a a part of the talk that is relevant to this debate: .”… there are 21 states in our country ( the U.S.A. )where corporal punishment in the classroom is legal: where it is legal for a teacher to beat a child with a wooden board, hard, and raising large bruises and blisters and even breaking the skin. And hundreds of thousands of children, incidentally, are subjected to this every year. The locations of these enlightened districts, I think, will fail to surprise you. We’re not talking about Connecticut.

And the rationale for this behavior is explicitly religious. The Creator of the universe Himself has told us not to spare the rod, lest we spoil the child: This is in Proverbs 13 and 20, and I believe, 23. But we can ask the obvious question: Is it a good idea, generally speaking, to subject children to pain and violence and public humiliation as a way of encouraging healthy emotional development and good behavior? (Laughter) Is there any doubt that this question has an answer, and that it matters?”

So, the point to “re-introduce” is mute. The question becomes: are we seeing measurable difference in behavior in this states to justify reintroducing it in states that have banned it?

Yes because…

I cannot comment on the way the sytem works in the USA, as i live in the UK, but what we must remember, is corperal punishment is for the individuals that are misbehaving. Corporal punishment was not directed to every single child under education, so you cannot raise that point.

It is true, that corporal punishment has religious origins, but it must be noted that in the eyes of religion, it is to make them a better christian, muslim ect. What i feel is important, is every ( if not, most) country is based upon religious origins. South America was colonized by spain in 1492, and North America’s Eastern seaboard was colonized by the English; at those times, both were devout Christian Countries ( please keep in mind, i am not attacking North and South America. Im just using them as examples).

As for the question, “are we seeing measurable difference in behavior in this states to justify reintroducing it in states that have banned it?”, once again, i cannot comment. But i do understand that American States have the independance to choose their own laws, and agree that they should. If you were to look for a measurable difference, look at the difference of age and behaviour. In the case of the UK, bad behaviour in younger years are always increasing, and i feel that is because UK has made corporal pubnishment illegal. I cannot comment on USA’s younger generation, but im sure someone can.

old corp

No because…

Old Corp

frustrated and afraid i grow
our society in decline discipline,

personal responsibility only few adhere to
how far must the pendulum swing
is this when, enough is enough!

learn we must from past misfortunes
our elders abused and taken for,
those locked rooms, monsters behind unchecked
horrors lived, compassion grow-ed, forced upon;
Justly! the Corporal dishonourably discharged

now! today—————————— legacy apparent
our youth growing without the Corporals
watchful eye- time outs,
detention stars to earn… all to worry bout! ! !
much we have learnt evidence mounting…

remember or imagine for those who never felt,
the Corporals hovering hand on watch;
lol…one weighed up quick smart
if sacrifice was worth, old Corps loving touch-
and we did, at that young age
decide to take ‘one’ for a noble course
consequence learned,
schooled was i

steered by our negligence/wisdom!
our impressionable youth out of balance-
drowning em in compassion
we’ve got it ass bout before grow-ed, before ‘it’ earned

see our youth-lost
initiated wanting
self inflicted search, a cry for help
mans hammerer of fate hovering?
too late, when crashes

short life lost knowing no consequences
short life lost…when schooled on streets
long life…serving, consequence learned

the Pendulum out of control
risking destruction

come!!!
let us stand up!
let us unite-
rein list the Corporal…
reinvent the old bastard… our future begs!
learn we must, modern twist for age old teach

Utopia do we live?
Jails still exist, war still wages
are we so arrogrant…

stop preaching, they have to make their own mistakes
we must show wisdom to aid in this!
give them the tools for this journey..

RPL our children/invest in the future
when coming of age, when the chemicals hit, natural or manmade
Old Corp’s training just might save that youth from the daily horrors/ challenges of our modern society

civilised or uncivilised please define!

at a loss i am…

Yes because…

????????????

I think corpral punishment should be eleagle in every country.

No because…

Corpral punishment is tereible. The only thing it does is ruin children and make them grow snappy,rude,mean,lonely,and depressed.

If you think corpral punishment should be leagle again, than you are either insensitive, mean, or you are just plain stupid.

Yes because…

Honestly, It depends on how the punishment is administered.

You can’t just go on about how bad it is by using uninteresting adjectives.

-You spelt Illegal wrong, You also spelt Legal wrong -Thats cause there was no discipline at that school. Speaks volumes.

It brings fear in the person

No because…

this brings fear becuase if the person inflicting the pain on the person keeps on doing it any time the individual who as being suffering from it sees the inflicter he or she turns to be afriad

Yes because…

This presumes that it is used both often and by the same person. If used in school and only rarely it is quite possible that any one individual getting a reputation for giving a caning could be avoided.

Moreover this is not always a bad thing if the person is afraid of being punished then the answer is to make sure that they know what they are doing wrong and they will avoid it.

it makes the victim hardend

No because…

cos if u keep on imflictin da pain he or she will be used to it and will know dat u will do the same thing so he she keeps on being bad
and wen u keep on beating him or her they wont care so will keep on duin naughty things

Yes because…

So does prison, but you don’t see anyone arguing for getting rid of that.

it can lead to death

No because…

Yes, I agree now.

Yes because…

Causing death by beating is illegal regardless of whether it is ‘punishment’.

Technically, anything can lead to death if used in excession.

This isnt much of a valid point.

If someone ate too much yoghurt they would die,

If someone were to run and run for ages without sleep or eating or stopping they would die.
Id someone were to sit there doing nothing, absolutely nothing, they would die.

This isn’t much or an argument.

Corporal punishment is not abuse and will not lead to death. Abuse, however will lead to death. If you have crossed the line you will definitely know because there is a brief time limit to all corporal punishment, and there is really one sort of instrument that can be used (which can not kill), and is applied to a limited amount of areas. Neither of these things can kill a child when used together. These things also won’t leave bruises or broken ribs. Of course, marks may be left but they usually fade with no bruising in a day or so.

For children, actions speak louder than words.

No because…

Children usually learn by observing role models and imitating them. Especially younger ones who do not fully understand the abstract moral concepts (empty words) behind the punishments, making them reliant to whoever the nearest role model is. Thus when you hit children very often they’re at risk of thinking that morality only exists if you get caught/punished and if you’re all grown up it’s fine to hit smaller and powerless people. And corporal punishment does not work especially to those children who are too predisposed to violence and alienation, such as sociopaths. If anything you’re just encouraging them on how to take their own personal grudges onto other people and justify them with empty words. I personally do not see a beneficial relation corporal punishment has with constructive parental modeling.

Yes because…

Many students who misbehave in school come from unstable families

No because…

Many students who misbehave in school come from unstable families. Some of them may already be abused at home by their parents. Their bad behaviour may be a cry for help. The teacher is one of the few adults that they can reach out to for support and comfort. If the teacher will also hit them, they will mistrust them and be left without anyone to talk to that can help them.

Yes because…

Teachers can be trusted to use corporal punishment as an option. They will think about what to do on a case-by-case basis and try to understand why a child is behaving a certain way. Then, if they think it is appropriate and it would help, they may choose to physically punish the student. Sometimes students who misbehave come from families who are too soft on them and do not discipline them enough, so their teachers need to take the task of setting boundaries. For this type of students, corporal punishment may be very helpful.

Allowing children to be hit sends the message that it is OK to treat children in this way.

No because…

Allowing children to be hit when adults cannot be hit sends the message to society that it is OK to treat children in this way. Especially if this happens in state institutions, like schools. A culture that says it is fine to hit children can hide more serious abuse.

Yes because…

There is a clear difference between punishment and abuse; responsible adults can be trusted to know that difference. Allowing teachers and parents to punish children is no excuse for abusing them, and that is perfectly clear for everyone.

If teachers and parents weren’t allowed to hit children, they would discipline them in better ways.

No because…

If teachers and parents weren’t allowed to hit children, they would discipline them in better ways. Hitting them is just used as the easy way out. In Germany, where it is illegal for both parents and teachers to hit a child, surveys of 12-18 year-olds show a steep decline in abuse. In 1992, 3 out of 10 children reported being beaten to the point of bruising; ten years later, the proportion was 3 in 100. Children reported a rise in other disciplining measures, like television bans and cutting their pocket money.

Yes because…

The general standard of student behaviour and test results in many schools has declined since the state banned corporal punishments. Many teachers (in Britain) believe that is because corporal punishment was an efficient way of dealing with misbehaving students. Corporal punishment should be an option available to teachers – but not the only option and not one to be used all the time. A ban on corporal punishment would simply takes away from teachers a very effective disciplining method.

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Name
3 years ago

I am 14, corp punishment since i was 4, i have adhd and asd. lets just say i have been fucked up.

Jake
2 years ago
Reply to  Name

Well who say it is the corporal punishment that f**ked you up? I was hit with a thick belt on a weekly basis by my mother and still learned to respect my mother even today that I am 40. Never hit anyone, not a woman not anything. I learned how to behave. The problem starts when someone tells you that the ADHD is because of punishment, now you feel victimized, but there was never proof that the ADHD is a result of it. Most guys my age was whipped and not get ADHD and many boys today are not whipped and have ADHD on an unprecedented scale so I dont know how you can prove the link. You just look for someone to blame for an issue you struggle with.

In most societies where only women do the whipping and only boys gets whipped there is no abuse, girls already struggle and are more obedient and dont need more punishment while boys challenge authority in their own pursuit of power and a whipping sets important boundaries for them, Fathers easily get aggressive and express violence while mothers are often taken less seriously by boys for their soft nature, The balance of authority can be restored by empowering the mother or female teachers to carry out the whipping. Boys today walk all over their mothers because they know they can and women still are not taken seriously and is still not given proper authority to set boundaries for boys.

Bringing back corporal punishment but only for boys and limited to women to carry out will help bring back old values of respect in boys. Corporal punishment got a bad name for one reason, the misconception that boys who are whipped will become violent…there are many men today who grew up in a no corporal punishment society who has no respect for women and who commit violence… corporal punishment is clearly not the cause. Take every man or boy who disrespect women or commit violence against women to police station and let a female officer administer some powerful cuts on is butt. He will quickly change his behavior. Talking nice and sensitivity training does not work for those kind of guys.

Andrew James
4 years ago

I think that corporal punishment should be re – introduced as it provides severe consequence should a standard i.e. work, behaviour, focus etc. not be achieved. It has worked in the past and will work again.

Ren
6 years ago

They need to reintroduce it because as they said, the lack of father figure affects their behavior. You say the children that misbehave come from unstable families? Well, they need help. They probably don’t have a father living with them and a mother cannot be twice at the same time. No matter what, it isn’t possible. You have to be yourself, and not a father if you aren’t, because children need a mother, too.

sue
6 years ago
Reply to  Ren

They shouldn’t reintroduce it because the children can be afraid of getting hit, not learning why they should be afraid of doing the dangerous thing. Corporal punishment should be illegal, permanently.You have to be responsible and be careful not to get hit and also learn why they shouldn’t do it. I hope you could agree with my reasons.

Rwby is life
7 years ago

We should, the students these days are unaffected by any punishments that the teachers give and apart from a strain on their record they get Scott free. But if we hit them instead of detention then it leaves a better impression

Trenton
6 years ago
Reply to  Rwby is life

Detention just shows them that they can get right back out and do it again!

someone who has been corped up
3 years ago
Reply to  Trenton

so does hitting them you moronic spazmoid

Gurleen Kaur
7 years ago

I think Corporal punishment shouldn’t be introduced this is because if someone had punched someone or committed any other violence you basically using corporal punishment by hitting them and saying that violence is not the answer even though you are using violence to teach them that. In addition, if you are doing this to them you are teaching them that violence is okay and in the future they could do it to their kids because you taught them that it was okay all because of you. Also this can lead them to having them commit crimes because of their troubled past as a kid, because of you. 70% of these kids are known to have a troubled future because they have experienced some kind of corporal punishment in the past. Some kids today would show attitude causing the cane or any corporal punishment to work. Some teachers can also have favourites and if they did something wrong they wouldn’t get punished and the non-favourites, who the teacher dislikes, even if they didn’t do anything wrong they would get the cane or nay other corporal punishment, therefore this wouldn’t be fair and it would be classed as favouritism.

In conclusion, I think that corporal punishment shouldn’t be reintroduced due to all of these points and many statistics.

arima
7 years ago

Corporal punishment should not be reintroduced…as mentioned in the argument 21 countries are until now in favour of corporal punishments and yet what are the changes that we see? Is there less violence? No. Then what is the use? Instead of beating the child that helps in growing hatred which in turn gives birth to violence the child should be handled with love and care. She or he should be made to understand. After all the child is an innocent mind and if we instead of nourishing the mind inject fear in it. How on earth can the mind feel the freedom to learn?

Bryan
7 years ago
Reply to  arima

I have been a teacher for 30 years and have witnessed both sides of the argument the cold hard facts are that school with cp is structured, and disciplined. Without it its chaous. Inner city schools that were high functioning now are failing. When there was an authority figure walking those halls with backbone students conformed and acted responsibly most of them never recieving any kind of punishment.Just the threat of cp kept students from making bad choices.Without immediate response to bad behavior the cycle of behavior continues detention is a worthless tool that happens next week.Cp is an act of love that builds character, and discipline, and good citizens.

jpnwrt
10 years ago

“Also, this theory was tested in America, where it’s flipped around and the states in the US that had corporal punishment were the states with the highest murder rates.”
BS.
Corporal Punishment in Maine was banned in 1975. Within the fluctuations window there is no marked change in murder rate, neither positive, nor negative, in Maine since 1975. Source: http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/mecrime.htm
The problem with pseudo-scientists, as usual, is confusing the reason, with the effects. Of course alcohol abuse rate is higher among those, who were (justly) punished as children. Because there is obviously a bigger possibility, that if I can’t behave in the kindergarden, I won’t suddenly learn it at school. And I am more likely not to have the necessary social skills later in life. Would other methods work better? May be yes, may be not, but there is absolutely no reason to believe, that a parent made unable by law to reasonably punish his child in a corporal way, will try other methods instead. Quite the opposite, a parent who considers light corporal punishment is more likely to try other methods first. Just don’t try to twist what I’m saying – I am not talking about resorting to corporal, because I’m having a bad day myself. And don’t try to make it a “what’s reasonable” discussion. If you’re sober, you’ll know when you are making it out of a habit, and when it’s a rare, and well thought of exception. And if you love that child, you’ll also know if you crossed the line.
And before anyone, instead of arguments, accuses me of being a home abuser myself and trying to find an excuse – my daughter is 6 years old and so far I’ve never found necessary to use corporal. Yes, I’ve used it a few times as a remote threat. Despite the laws introduced by mindless substitutes of statesmen in my country, I was a few times considering it, but not before trying other methods. And they worked. Which made me very happy, because nothing would hurt _me_ more than having to spank my own beloved child. But her happy future is for me so important, that if I have to some day, I will. And I’m sure she’d be grateful for it some day, just like I am to my parents, for those two or three times when I got a spanking, which did not hurt me physically, but made me realize that what I did is completely unacceptable. And more than that hurting physically, made me hurting emotionally – because made me realize, that if I keep acting the way which brought it on me, I might lose my parents’ love.
Sorry for probably too many words, and for probable plenty of proves, that English is not my native tongue.
And thanks to the author(s?) of the page for this interesting discussion.
ps.
Recently in my country a parent slapped (with open hand) his child once. It has been reported, a parent had to undergo a visit at psychologist, who asked him to … draw a tree. A psychologist sent his conclusions from that picture of a tree to court. Based on psychologist’s opinion about the picture a judge ordered children of that parent to be taken away from him. Children were pulled by force out of school by law officers and taken to custody. Happy now, corporal punishment ban advocates?

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