Corporal Punishment?!

[Jana814]

Very rural Louisiana. And she taught kindergarten, so the schools are punishing little kids like that :-( When she taught in a big city in Louisiana, the school didn't use corporal punishment, so it seems like it depends on the school and the area.

That's insane that they did it to young children. I guess it would depend of where u are. I live in a weathy area of New Jersery. Something like hitting a kid, would get a teacher fired faster then the speed of light.

[paganhomeschooler]

Isn't there a real potential for bias/misuse of that punishment? I'm likely to end up living in OH with partner and sending kids to school there. And if it's not illegal by then, wouldn't it be possible for a homophobic teacher to pounce on my kid(s) and punish/otherwise "discipline" them for any wrongdoing just because they don't like his/her parents? Similarly, is there a racial bias? Are black and Hispanic kids singled out more? What about kids with ADHD or a learning disability? Is there potential for them to be punished for something they can't "help" on their own?

All of the school districts we have been in have not used corporal punishment. I've lived in OH my whole life. I went to a Catholic grade school in the 80s, and they never used it. I went to public high school. Our gov't. teacher had a paddle in his class. He would just whack it on his desk or his hand to try to be macho, but he NEVER hit a kid. My kids have attended 2 different districts, and neither of them or any of my friends' kids have corporal punishment. I really don't think it would fly around here, even as redneck as most of the state seems to be. I've got same-sex couple friends, and their children have never had any issues, though they are in more metropolitan areas. I think the only place you may have problems would be rural districts. Honestly, though, they are more racist than homophobic. Not that they aren't homophobic, but racism is much worse. When we were moving, I checked my kids' new district out, and there are 0.9% African-Americans. To put that in perspective, there are 9% of kids of Asian descent.

My mom did go to a Catholic school in the late 50s/early 60s, and they did use corporal punishment until my grandma went in and said if they beat my uncle again, they'd have to face her. lol They beat the snot out of him because he was not a very good kid.

[mags]

I'm in Jefferson County and have signed the form stating the school is not allowed to hit my child. Luckily, he is well behaved for the most part and doesn't get in that kind of trouble.

I went to private school as a child and the headmaster had the "big green spanking machine". The pastor of my church had the "board of education". Spanking is still very ingrained in the culture down here. It seems those of us who want to avoid hitting our kids are in the minority. People get really upset when I call it "hitting" instead of "spanking"....but it is what it is. No one has a good response when I ask why it's considered assault to hit another adult with a belt but it's not when a child is hit.

I'm in Jefferson Co too and my child starts kindergarden next year. Is this form something I have to ask for or is it something every parent has to fill out?

[lawlifelgbt]

Thanks, nothing2C, paganhomeschooler. We're going to be in Columbus or thereabouts. Aiming for the Short North "gayborhood," ideally. I've grown up here in MN, which is a really blue state, so I just don't know how other states, outside metro areas, would be for us. We'll also be living by my in-laws. Think they'd have to deal with a pissed-off grandma, too, if a school hit my kids! :P

[August]

Isn't there a real potential for bias/misuse of that punishment? I'm likely to end up living in OH with partner and sending kids to school there. And if it's not illegal by then, wouldn't it be possible for a homophobic teacher to pounce on my kid(s) and punish/otherwise "discipline" them for any wrongdoing just because they don't like his/her parents? Similarly, is there a racial bias? Are black and Hispanic kids singled out more? What about kids with ADHD or a learning disability? Is there potential for them to be punished for something they can't "help" on their own?

My older sibling was in high school when it was still legal and the way they told it it was very strict and formulaic. Off to the hitting guy's office for however many whacks, delivered on the hand with a particular stick.

I think no matter what form of discipline is used there would be bias.

[Nothing2CHere]

Thanks, nothing2C, paganhomeschooler. We're going to be in Columbus or thereabouts. Aiming for the Short North "gayborhood," ideally. I've grown up here in MN, which is a really blue state, so I just don't know how other states, outside metro areas, would be for us. We'll also be living by my in-laws. Think they'd have to deal with a pissed-off grandma, too, if a school hit my kids! :P

Short North is an awesome neighborhood. I have an old friend who lives in Columbus, and when I visit, that's the area where we usually go to hang out or eat.

[dairyfreelife]

Thanks, nothing2C, paganhomeschooler. We're going to be in Columbus or thereabouts. Aiming for the Short North "gayborhood," ideally. I've grown up here in MN, which is a really blue state, so I just don't know how other states, outside metro areas, would be for us. We'll also be living by my in-laws. Think they'd have to deal with a pissed-off grandma, too, if a school hit my kids! :P

I've not lived in OH, but as your next door neighbor, I can say that I've known many people from OH and never once have I heard of such punishment occurring there, even if it's not outright banned in the state as of yet. However, it's good fodder for when Ohioans mock us about how backwards we WVians are. :lol:

[lawlifelgbt]

Minnesotans used to (and most still mock) Iowans in the same vein. But I stopped after they legalized same-sex marriage before we did! Joke is, Iowa stands for Idiots Out Walking Around. My brother and sister-in-law live in WV a few hours from Columbus with their three-year old. And partner's grandparents are from there. That's why she still says "y'all." :) I tease her for that, and she ribs me for my MN accent.

"No, honey, bagel. Short A."

Me: "Baaagel!"

Her: "Boat."

Me: "Boooat?"

Good times.

[dairyfreelife]

Minnesotans used to (and most still mock) Iowans in the same vein. But I stopped after they legalized same-sex marriage before we did! Joke is, Iowa stands for Idiots Out Walking Around. My brother and sister-in-law live in WV a few hours from Columbus with their three-year old. And partner's grandparents are from there. That's why she still says "y'all." :) I tease her for that, and she ribs me for my MN accent.

"No, honey, bagel. Short A."

Me: "Baaagel!"

Her: "Boat."

Me: "Boooat?"

Good times.

It's fun. you'uns is the Ohio saying of y'all. Ohioans mock WVians for being backward and WVians mock Ohioans for being terrible drivers, which they are, at least when they are in WV. ;) All in good nature though. I'm about an 45 minutes to an hour's drive to Ohio and Columbus is about 2.5-3 hours from where I live. The creation "museum" in Kentucky is about 3.5-4 hours from me. I joke I'll visit one day, but I always have better things to spend the travel and ticket money on like bills and school and taxes and I feel it would do a world more good to hand the money over to an organization like scientific research and women's clinics instead.

[RosyDaisy]

I'm in Jefferson Co too and my child starts kindergarden next year. Is this form something I have to ask for or is it something every parent has to fill out?

Here's what the 2012-2013 Jefferson County Schools Code of Conduct says about corporal punishment:

Corporal Punishment

: Corporal punishment is defined as bodily punishment by use of

a paddle on the buttocks and may be used as a

disciplinary option as prescribed herein. It

shall not be administered as punishment for fa

iling grades, nor in the presence or sight of

students engaged in instructional activities.

Corporal punishment shall be administered

by the principal or his/her designee.

A certificated person other than the one

administering the punishment shall be a witness

to all such incidents. Parental approval

of corporal punishment shall not be require

d prior to its administration; however, a

parent’s written request to restrict the use

of corporal punishment shall be respected.

The last statement is contradictory. :?

Definitely ask the principal at your kid's school for that form. My niece and nephew live here in Alabama, and that signed formed is in their permanent record. They are not allowed to be paddled, but the school will call my sister and BIL and let them know if they misbehave to the point that punishment is necessary. If they are unable to reach my sister or BIL the kids can't be paddled, some other form of non-physical punishment is administered. I'm not sure what that is since my sister's kids have never needed to be disciplined at school.