NPR and School Spankings

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/13/148521155/spanking-lives-on-in-rural-florida-schools

Did anyone else hear this story on NPR a few days ago? I was under the impression that school spankings were a thing of the past (and our stories) but apparently it's not uncommon in certain areas of the U.S.

-LK

I went to school in upstate NY. I saw two corporal punishments in my time. One was a ruler to a kids hand in the 5th grade. The other was by the principal in the 6th grade to a kid bent over her desk in front of the class.

I was truly surprised to learn that CP was banned in NY State in 1987. I graduated in 67.

The kid was 5 years old and it left welts, but there's two sides to every coin. Why did he slap the other kid? I think for a 5 year old I would have done the otk in her office. I believe kids today need a whack or two on the bottom, but some just go a bit to far. Most principals and teachers who paddle have what's known as Qualified Immunity when it comes to lawsuits, just like in the Jones case here.

It's a rough call in today's society.

B

As the article says, most of the southern part of Florida has opted out of school spanking, but it's still allowable under state law. School spanking was once protected by the Florida state Constitution!

The public records show that in the last year that statistics are available 223.190 students in the US got paddled in the 19 states that allow corporal punishment in public schools. That does not include corporal punishment that occurred in the 48 states that allow it in private schools as that is not a matter of public record.

If you want to see a video of a cute 17 year old girl getting paddled (off camera but you can hear it) for being late to school too many times go to http://wn.com/The_Principal's_Office__Nancy's_Punishment
That was part of a documentary series on TruTv called "The Principal's Office". There are several other versions of that video available as well as other paddling videos from "The Principal's Office".

tiptopper,

I remember that one. Did you ever see the one where the kid started crying in the office? The principal told him he had to make a phone call home and the kid lost it. He tells the boy, "It's only a phone call." However, the kid says that his parents are going to flip out. I saw that as a red flag. Is the kid abused at home? Beaten for bad behavior? The principal should have questioned that instead of telling the boy he should carry kleenex in his office for crying students from now on.