Schoolkids and discipline
Posted by Moonage on 20 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Political Correctness, Polls
CNN is running a survey that means something:
Should corporal punishment be banned in schools?
Yes, 44%, 61725
No, 56%, 80104
Total Votes: 141829
Now, I’m with the No’s on this one. I come from the pre-ban days when teachers just whipped the fire out of kids. However, it wasn’t really like a scene from The Wall. My first introduction to whippins came in third grade. I was about nine years old. My teacher was a lady named Mrs. Smth. She was big. She always looked mad. And, when you entered her class, hanging on the blackboard for all to see, was something like this:
We did what we were told in Mrs. Smith’s class. Mainly because she had the firepower, and it was obvious from looking at her she was more than willing to use it.
Through the years the presence of the infamous three hole wooden paddle lost it’s intimidation. We just became acclimated to its presence. So, around 8th grade or so, a couple of teachers made it a point to use it, in full view for all to see. The sound of striking a buttock just right with the perfectest paddle of all time is unforgettable and distinct. If it was just a glancing blow, it didn’t make the full thwack. Although the spankings didn’t happen that often, you were judged by your thwack level and flinch level. By the time we got to high school, teachers used them all the time. If a particular teacher was opposed to using one, they had designated thwackers. And, they always picked the best. I got my fair share. I was definitely in the top five for my class. I just could never top Mel. Mel was a pro. An obviously experienced pro. No matter my thwack count, Mel probably doubled me. When it became obvvious that paddlings had lost their effectiveness, you were given detention hall. I much preferred paddling. It was over quick and you didn’t have anything to explain to your parents.
Now, in my day as well, if you got paddled at school, you might very well get even worse at home. Parents always sided with the teacher. You also didn’t have kids shooting up schools and generally disrupting the learning environment for everyone else back then either. Both the neutered teacher and the Jeremy’s shooting up schools are both phenomena that occurred after I was safely out of school.
Which leads me back to the CNN poll. If there is no fear of retribution for uncivilized behavior in school, on a level the student understands, then what’s to stop the kid? And, if the kid never learns what the limit to the uncivilized behavior is, in a way they understand, then what’s to stop them from pushing the limit higher and higher? For most kids, detention hall is just more of the same. The punishment is being in the school in the first place. Staying there longer is just more of the same. What all kids understand is pain. A proper spanking, with the proper tool, is a stinging sensation that is easily remembered the next time they attempt to do the same uncivilized behavior. I can still recall my but tingling when I got a notion to do something wrong. And, if done normally, causes no lasting harm. Not even terribly fleeting harm.
So yeah, I voted “No”. Even if your kid doesn’t need a spanking, just seeing that perfect disciplinary tool, the three holed wooden paddle hanging on the blackboard right above their assignment will have some impact. Knowing that teacher could use it on them would have a lot more. Knowing their parent will double the pain at home without even asking the teacher will have the most impact.
Kids will learn diplomacy later.
Sure, there are abuses. Sure, there are limitations. But, to completely remove a teacher’s ability to control their class is what’s causing these recurring serious problems with students never learning to respect others. If their parents won’t enforce some discipline and respect ( fear ), at least let the schools do it.
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