New Orleans Catholic Private School uses Corporal Punishment

[Atria35]

Being spanked as a kid made me more resentful towards my parents. When others gave punishment (such as my aunt who babysat us), I would get the idea that what I did was wrong, but if it was my parents, I hated them more.

[ich1990]

I was going to post my opinion in this thread, but then I realized that I was going to do so because I had an emotional response to some of the statements already made.

Perhaps I will respond later.

[Jingo Jaden]

Eh, I got punished at times with more of a silent treatment/real bad parental relationship kind of way. I would not say it is perfect, in a way, it kind of messed me up at times as I had a hard time as a youth getting the general idea of what was going on. Then again, my father got spanked regularly and he became like a mini-legendary punk protegee in Norway. Taking a 180 degree turn from the JW's standpoints.

Different effects for different people I guess.

[Ally-Ann]

I think spanking a child or not is the parents' decision. If the parents give the teacher or principal permission to spank their child, then by all means let it be so. But if the parents don't give the teacher or principal permission, then they better not lay a finger on the child.
Whenever I misbehaved at home when I was little, my parents would give me an old-fashoined tune-up, if you know what I mean. And am I in juvenile hall? Nope. Do I keep complaining and complaining if I don't have my way? Hardly. Do I get expelled from school? I'm homeschooled, but I'll be going to a public school next year and I can assure you I won't be expelled.
However, it was my parents that spanked me. I can tell you right now that if anyone except for my parents, of course, were to touch me in an offensive way, such as spanking, then my parents would file the biggest lawsuit against whoever spanked me.
Different strokes for different folks, I guess, but many kids that I've met who weren't physically disciplined were often overly rambunctious and would throw the biggest fits when they didn't have their way, even kids who were close to my age. I know it's not like that for all kids, but for many of them, it apparently is.
I guess some say that corporal punishment is mean and wrong, but if it keeps a teenager from going to jail one day, I say there's nothing wrong with it in the least. Better to pay a small price when you're little than to pay a huge price when you're older.

[TheMewster]

Ally-ann I fully agree with you.

[Atria35]

I have a sneaking suspicion that a good number of the kids that need a spanking are the ones who's parents wouldn't let the school do it- if parents won't discipline their own kids, when why would they allow anyone else to spank their precious darling?

But I do think that, at least when they're younger and don't come from abusive homes, an occasional spank for misbehaviour wouldn't necessarily be amiss. 5-year-olds don't have the logic and reasoning that 13-year-olds do. I was taught not to touch a hot stove by my mom putting my hand on it while it was still uncomfortably warm. Did I learn not to touch the hot stove? Yes, I did.

[KougaHane]

I was spanked as a child and am very thankful that I was. I know there are alternatives, such as grounding the child, but all grounding taught me was how to not get caught doing the the thing I was grounded from. Positive reinforcement is also very good, but there can be too much of a good thing, If you use only positive reinforcement the kid learns that they get rewards for doing good but nothing happens if they do bad, they just don't get a reward. I know myself as a child would've willingly sacrificed the reward to be able to do whatever the heck I wanted.

[Rusty Claymore]

5-year-olds don't have the logic and reasoning that 13-year-olds do

You're right. A 5 year old's logic is far more sound. XD
I really wish I was spanked more as a child. My parents did it in Love, and I knew I got spanked because I did something wrong. Justice was swift, and in my head I knew I was in the wrong. I don't think grounding was very effective for me, because as I sat in the corner staring at the wall I just stewed and got mad at my parents. Confiscation is effective too when it's swift and doesn't end prematurely.

I was taught not to touch a hot stove by my mom putting my hand on it while it was still uncomfortably warm.

*Gasp* Ah! You're mom burns her children as corporal punishment!!! That's cruel and unusal!
Gomen, gomen, I just had to. XD

[MomentOfInertia]

You're right. A 5 year old's logic is far more sound. XD

In that it is more direct, you're correct. Which is why spanking works the way it does, it's sort of a brute-force psychology.

[Fish and Chips]

Corporal punishment seems to be the norm here in Korea. Hands together, stick across the palm.

I don't believe as a foreigner I have the authority to do that, though my director insists I differ to her should the need arise (it hasn't - even when it has). I'll occasionally bop a student on the head with a marker if they're very loudly and obviously talking in class, but that's about the extent of my reign of terror as an educator on misbehaving students. There may ultimately be a place for light (emphasis on "Light") discipline in institutions outside the home, but thus far it hasn't appeared very effective.

More often than not, I'm actually keeping kids from hurting one another.

You're right. A 5 year old's logic is far more sound. XD

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"A bear!"

[Rusty Claymore]

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"A bear!"

That's more logical than the 13 year olds answer:
"Miley Sirus!"
or
"Justin Beiber!"
XD

[TGJesusfreak]

I was personally spanked as a kid... but not like ALL the time. if youre doing it in hate or anger then that is wrong. But if yure doing as disipline and hug the kid afterwords and all that then I think that's ok. Heck, if spanking was what "scarred" kids then why arent more of us hurt? It's the MOOD and ATTITUDE of which things are delt with, not the action itself.

so to this I would say; it depends.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

For what it's worth, the American Psychological Association does not condone corporal punishment for a variety of reason. Plenty of research suggests that children are more likely to model the similar behavior.

http://www.apa.org/about/governance/council/policy/corporal-punishment.aspx

Similarly, I accept this position. I also don't think parents should spank their children either. And I definitely do not believe that schools should have the authority to do so either.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

I'm going to be an elephant.

[Nate]

many kids that I've met who weren't physically disciplined were often overly rambunctious and would throw the biggest fits when they didn't have their way

And my dad spanked me and my brothers constantly and my middle brother still shoplifted and started drinking and smoking at 15 years old.

Since this is proof that violence is not always an effective method of correction, I cannot condone it.

[Yamamaya]

.

I don't believe as a foreigner I have the authority to do that, though my director insists I differ to her should the need arise (it hasn't - even when it has). I'll occasionally bop a student on the head with a marker if they're very loudly and obviously talking in class, but that's about the extent of my reign of terror as an educator on misbehaving students. There may ultimately be a place for light (emphasis on "Light") discipline in institutions outside the home, but thus far it hasn't appeared very effective.

Imagines Fish hitting a student with a marker. Mind explodes.

I prefer the method of throwing down gauntlets and challenging misbehaving children to honorable combat.

[ABlipinTime]

Punishment of any sort either makes us more stubborn or it humbles us.

We are (or should be) a lot more aware of child abuse in the home. It doesn't help that most abused children are victims of neglect, so if the parent was to have say in the kid's punishment at school', they'd probably just give a "Yeah, sure, just hit'em."

I was spanked as a kid and though I turned out "okay," I made a habit of being sneaky and emotionally manipulative in order to get out of it. If y'all think that's healthy, well.

I think spanking a child or not is the parents' decision. If the parents give the teacher or principal permission to spank their child, then by all means let it be so. But if the parents don't give the teacher or principal permission, then they better not lay a finger on the child.
...
Different strokes for different folks, I guess, but many kids that I've met who weren't physically disciplined were often overly rambunctious and would throw the biggest fits when they didn't have their way,
...
I guess some say that corporal punishment is mean and wrong, but if it keeps a teenager from going to jail one day, I say there's nothing wrong with it in the least. Better to pay a small price when you're little than to pay a huge price when you're older.

...
I agree.

New International Version (©1984)
Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

New Living Translation (©2007)
So don't bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you.


Ultimately, the person being disciplined is going to determine HOW they react to that discipline, whether it be a desirable reaction or not.

Personally, I was spanked as a kid, and I when I grew up, I stayed out of trouble. But for me today, I don't have a guardian or someone to spank (discipline) me. Why do I stay out of trouble then? - I love God. I think that's what it has to be ultimately anyways: having a love for God being the reason that we don't sin. If we instill that kind of love in our children, that love will direct them away from trouble. Once you give your children a love for God, you can inform them of what makes God disappointed or sad or unhappy with you (and such things (sins) are usually physically harmful personally anyways), and they'll naturally want to stay away from that. Which goes back to what Topaz was saying earlier.

Hence, spanking in and of itself isn't bad given the proper context (and I'm not going to debate on what that is), but I don't think it's the best method for keeping a child out of trouble. The best method, as I've said above, is instilling love for God in the child.

[Atria35]

The best method, as I've said above, is instilling love for God in the child.

Someone has obviously never read Carrie

[Nanao]

Personally, I think that spanking is the exclusive right of the parent. If they have chosen that form of punishment as best for their child, then that is their prerogative as a parent. As such a personal thing, no one else is really in the position to make that decision. I know I would be extremely upset if someone ever laid a hand on my child, particularly at high school age.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Hence, spanking in and of itself isn't bad given the proper context (and I'm not going to debate on what that is), but I don't think it's the best method for keeping a child out of trouble. The best method, as I've said above, is instilling love for God in the child.

Pretty much this. Mom taught me early on that disobedience to her was also disobedience to God himself. All the spanking (or discipline of any kind) in the world won't be nearly as effective without proper teaching. If a parent lovingly corrects with the rod and the Word and you resent or unreasonably fear them, the issues are yours. (No matter what your parents ever did or didn't do, your sins are your own problem.) Even if your parent's ever over did it, they're human and make mistakes. Don't turn it into bitterness and forgive them, you know?

[Lynna]

Well, you're probably correct about the first part, the last statement doesn't sit well with me.

Obviously you did not have my parents because they were very loving.
Being spanked did not just let me know that they were my parents and they deserved respect, but it showed me they cared enough to show me where I was wrong and how wrong I was. Then they would be loving after.

An example is me talking back to my mom. At that moment I could not tell how wrong I was until dad got home and spanked me. I learned from that moment you never talk back to your mom, unless later in life they are completely wrong about something (But that's a different story.). However even then, you should be careful about how you come into rebuttal with your mom.

Honestly I was a mischievous kid. If they hadn't spanked me, I doubt I would be the same. I had time-outs too, but they were not as effective. Now if you had time-outs and detentions that had a greater impact than just spanking, then wonderful! I say that each form of discipline works better with different types of children.

Am I saying spanking is the only real form of punishment? Definitely not, but it is a form of discipline and we should not discredit it.

Also, on a side note, we all received this kind of punishment differently so I am open to the fact that it probably was very traumatic for some of you and that for you it would be best not to spank.
However, for me, of course I never liked to be spanked, but in the end I can look back and see that it was good.



I guess this whole issue is really subjective.
To keep things simple, I say do whatever works.

My parents were extreamly loving. That didn't make me feel any better when they spanked me though. I'm just glad they only really did when I was s little I only remmember 1 or 2 times.

[rocklobster]

Someone has obviously never read Carrie

Well, Carrie's mom wasn't exactly a nice person. I actually think all those people kind of had it coming. Yes, including the guy who was nice to her at first.
Oh, I neglected to mention: From what I heard, the paddling is done right in front of everyone, during class. And they do use it when all other methods have failed.

[ADXC]

@ Lynna- People interpret things differently I guess. XD

I've stated my stance, I'm not going to state it again.

[Shao Feng-Li]

From what I heard, the paddling is done right in front of everyone, during class.

Heh, bummer.

[Midori]

You know, I might have a ghost of a chance of being alright with paddling in the Principal's office, but in front of class? Humiliation is a much crueler punishment than pain.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Good incentive to behave yourself though, eh?

[Yamamaya]

Good incentive to behave yourself though, eh?

Ends do not justify the means. It's only a short term solution to behavior at best. The lesson is don't make a turd of yourself in class, just do it when the teachers aren't looking.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Good incentive to behave yourself though, eh?

Positive Reinforcement is better than punishment. So in the long run, it doesn't do as much good.

And I'm kind of on the same boat as Yamamaya. Ends do not (usually, maybe) justify the means.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Depends on the kid. But I was mostly kidding. Paddled in front of the class would be too much, I think.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Depends on the kid. But I was mostly kidding. Paddled in front of the class would be too much, I think.

There are always exceptions to norms to almost every case which exists. But if you want to talk widespread significant differences which could very well reflect the population as a whole, corporal punishment does more harm than good.

I'd take it even further. I think things like spanking is opposite to Christian morality. I don't think it's appropriate nor Christ-like.