Preface:
I wrote this as my second essay for this class. I used this topic because it is one that is very important to me. I strongly believe that all forms of corporal punishment is wrong, and in this essay I explain why, using various sources to support my claims throughout the paper.
To Hit or Not to Hit
Results from a study designed to determine a possible correlation between physical punishment being used in schools, and large scale social consequences, state that, “Of the states with the ten highest murder rates in the United States, educators paddle children in eight of them.” (Guthrow) This is only one example of the effects of physical, also known as corporal, punishment. There are many other results from this study that indicate many negativities in states that practice paddling of students, including higher incarceration rates, lower average proficiencies in math, lower high school completion rates, and higher percentages of poverty. The practice of corporal punishment has been around since ancient times, and has not always been limited to children.
The word “corporal” means ‘of the body’, which is why this is also called physical punishment. Some definitions of the term Corporal Punishment from the Merriam-Webster dictionary include, “1: punishment applied to the body of an offender including the death penalty, whipping, and imprisonment; 2: punishment administered by an adult (as a parent or a teacher) to the body of a child ranging in severity from a slap to a spanking”. There is also a brief encyclopedia description, which states that corporal punishment is:
Infliction of physical pain upon a person's body as punishment for a crime or infraction. Such penalties include beating, branding, mutilation, blinding, and the use of the stock and pillory. The term also denotes the physical disciplining of children in the schools and at home. From ancient times through the 18th century, corporal punishment was commonly used in instances that did not call for capital punishment, ostracism, or exile. But the growth of humanitarian ideals during the Enlightenment and afterward led to its gradual abandonment, and today it has been almost entirely replaced in the West by imprisonment or other nonviolent penalties. Several international conventions on human rights prohibit it. Beatings and other corporeal punishments continue to be administered in the prison systems of many countries. Whipping and even amputation remain prescribed punishments in some Middle Eastern and Asian societies. Corporal punishment of schoolchildren is still sanctioned in many states. (Corporal Punishment)
This description mostly focuses on the uses of corporal punishment as used by government, but there have been many types of physical punishment used in schools and in home environments as a means to “correct” children for centuries. A common form of corporal punishment, which was banned for use on civilians in Britain in 1948, is birching. Birching is described as the beating of a person across the buttocks with birch twigs. Many teachers until the late 1900s would even beat the children as punishment. Some other methods commonly used in schools until the 21st century include, hitting with a bamboo cane, hitting the hand with a wooden ruler, spanking with a shoe, and using a leather straps as a whip to the hands or buttocks. (Lambert) Today the most common method is spanking, which is mostly used by parents. However, there are some states in the U.S. which still allow spanking in schools.
Since these methods are still used today, that brings up the question of why they are. Many people argue that it works and that it is necessary. Indeed, it is generally effective for immediate compliance that is often needed of a child. Adults who were raised with corporal punishment themselves often state that they were spanked or whipped with a belt and they still “turned out okay”. This statement is commonly used as a justification for the use of corporal punishment. There are some advocates who may even argue that those who are raised with physical punishment tend to respect their parents more than those who are raised without it.
There are many influences to the use of these punishments. In more ancient times, there was much more pressure from society in general to use such punishments because it was something that almost everyone was doing. Even today, many people believe that our youth are lazy and disrespectful due to the lack of physical punishment. Family members are likely to pressure parents into using these methods because they believe it is simply a part of being an effective parent.
Besides possible injury and other physical health problems that may result from corporal punishments, there are a variety of other side effects. Increased aggression, poor moral development, poor cognitive functioning, and increased antisocial behaviors are among these side effects. Some research also suggests that spanking poses sexual dangers to the child since it is inflicted on the buttocks, which are a sexual zone. The child may easily develop sadomasochistic tendencies, in which they confuse pain with pleasure, and could even take pleasure in causing pain to others. These side effects are not always noticeable during the time when these punishments are being inflicted, which makes it easy for advocates to deny them.
Rebecca, a blogger on positive-parents.org, wrote an article about four alternatives to spanking. Rebecca’s list consists of having a calm-down area, helping them learn how to problem solve, allowing them time in instead of time out, and allowing them to learn from natural consequences. The purpose of the calm down area is to allow the child to reach a state of mind in which they will be able to effectively receive your message. By helping them learn how to solve problems on their own, you are providing them with the tools they will need as an adult. Time in is similar to the calm down area, except that you stay with the child and help them through the issue by empathizing before getting to your lesson for them. Of course we need to be a bit selective about which natural consequences we allow to happen, but in general they are the best teachers. (Rebecca)
Corporal punishment has long been a common form of discipline, especially for children, with a wide variety of ways to inflict pain for the purpose of teaching. This practice is still used today because of its popularity, especially with older generations, and it is assumed to be necessary to raise decent children. Since there are side effects associated with corporal punishment, we should not run the risk of causing a child to have them. There are alternative methods to spanking and other corporal punishments, which are effective in teaching children the life skills they need to know. Parents, and future parents, need to be educated about these methods rather than simply deterred from corporal punishment, because if the alternatives are not presented, parents will either keep doing what they know, or do nothing.
Guthrow, John. "CORRELATION BETWEEN HIGH RATES OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SOCIAL PATHOLOGIES." December 2002. nospank.net. 22 October 2013 <http://www.nospank.net/correlationstudy.htm>.
I wrote this as my second essay for this class. I used this topic because it is one that is very important to me. I strongly believe that all forms of corporal punishment is wrong, and in this essay I explain why, using various sources to support my claims throughout the paper.
To Hit or Not to Hit
Results from a study designed to determine a possible correlation between physical punishment being used in schools, and large scale social consequences, state that, “Of the states with the ten highest murder rates in the United States, educators paddle children in eight of them.” (Guthrow) This is only one example of the effects of physical, also known as corporal, punishment. There are many other results from this study that indicate many negativities in states that practice paddling of students, including higher incarceration rates, lower average proficiencies in math, lower high school completion rates, and higher percentages of poverty. The practice of corporal punishment has been around since ancient times, and has not always been limited to children.
The word “corporal” means ‘of the body’, which is why this is also called physical punishment. Some definitions of the term Corporal Punishment from the Merriam-Webster dictionary include, “1: punishment applied to the body of an offender including the death penalty, whipping, and imprisonment; 2: punishment administered by an adult (as a parent or a teacher) to the body of a child ranging in severity from a slap to a spanking”. There is also a brief encyclopedia description, which states that corporal punishment is:
Infliction of physical pain upon a person's body as punishment for a crime or infraction. Such penalties include beating, branding, mutilation, blinding, and the use of the stock and pillory. The term also denotes the physical disciplining of children in the schools and at home. From ancient times through the 18th century, corporal punishment was commonly used in instances that did not call for capital punishment, ostracism, or exile. But the growth of humanitarian ideals during the Enlightenment and afterward led to its gradual abandonment, and today it has been almost entirely replaced in the West by imprisonment or other nonviolent penalties. Several international conventions on human rights prohibit it. Beatings and other corporeal punishments continue to be administered in the prison systems of many countries. Whipping and even amputation remain prescribed punishments in some Middle Eastern and Asian societies. Corporal punishment of schoolchildren is still sanctioned in many states. (Corporal Punishment)
This description mostly focuses on the uses of corporal punishment as used by government, but there have been many types of physical punishment used in schools and in home environments as a means to “correct” children for centuries. A common form of corporal punishment, which was banned for use on civilians in Britain in 1948, is birching. Birching is described as the beating of a person across the buttocks with birch twigs. Many teachers until the late 1900s would even beat the children as punishment. Some other methods commonly used in schools until the 21st century include, hitting with a bamboo cane, hitting the hand with a wooden ruler, spanking with a shoe, and using a leather straps as a whip to the hands or buttocks. (Lambert) Today the most common method is spanking, which is mostly used by parents. However, there are some states in the U.S. which still allow spanking in schools.
Since these methods are still used today, that brings up the question of why they are. Many people argue that it works and that it is necessary. Indeed, it is generally effective for immediate compliance that is often needed of a child. Adults who were raised with corporal punishment themselves often state that they were spanked or whipped with a belt and they still “turned out okay”. This statement is commonly used as a justification for the use of corporal punishment. There are some advocates who may even argue that those who are raised with physical punishment tend to respect their parents more than those who are raised without it.
There are many influences to the use of these punishments. In more ancient times, there was much more pressure from society in general to use such punishments because it was something that almost everyone was doing. Even today, many people believe that our youth are lazy and disrespectful due to the lack of physical punishment. Family members are likely to pressure parents into using these methods because they believe it is simply a part of being an effective parent.
Besides possible injury and other physical health problems that may result from corporal punishments, there are a variety of other side effects. Increased aggression, poor moral development, poor cognitive functioning, and increased antisocial behaviors are among these side effects. Some research also suggests that spanking poses sexual dangers to the child since it is inflicted on the buttocks, which are a sexual zone. The child may easily develop sadomasochistic tendencies, in which they confuse pain with pleasure, and could even take pleasure in causing pain to others. These side effects are not always noticeable during the time when these punishments are being inflicted, which makes it easy for advocates to deny them.
Rebecca, a blogger on positive-parents.org, wrote an article about four alternatives to spanking. Rebecca’s list consists of having a calm-down area, helping them learn how to problem solve, allowing them time in instead of time out, and allowing them to learn from natural consequences. The purpose of the calm down area is to allow the child to reach a state of mind in which they will be able to effectively receive your message. By helping them learn how to solve problems on their own, you are providing them with the tools they will need as an adult. Time in is similar to the calm down area, except that you stay with the child and help them through the issue by empathizing before getting to your lesson for them. Of course we need to be a bit selective about which natural consequences we allow to happen, but in general they are the best teachers. (Rebecca)
Corporal punishment has long been a common form of discipline, especially for children, with a wide variety of ways to inflict pain for the purpose of teaching. This practice is still used today because of its popularity, especially with older generations, and it is assumed to be necessary to raise decent children. Since there are side effects associated with corporal punishment, we should not run the risk of causing a child to have them. There are alternative methods to spanking and other corporal punishments, which are effective in teaching children the life skills they need to know. Parents, and future parents, need to be educated about these methods rather than simply deterred from corporal punishment, because if the alternatives are not presented, parents will either keep doing what they know, or do nothing.
Works Cited
"Corporal Punishment." n.d. merriam-webster. October 2013 <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corporal%20punishment>.Guthrow, John. "CORRELATION BETWEEN HIGH RATES OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SOCIAL PATHOLOGIES." December 2002. nospank.net. 22 October 2013 <http://www.nospank.net/correlationstudy.htm>.
Lambert, Tim. "Brief History of Corporal Punishment." 2012. Local Histories. October 2013 <http://www.localhistories.org/corporal.html>.
Rebecca. "Alternatives to Spanking." April 2012. positive-parents.org. October 2013 <http://www.positive-parents.org/2012/04/alternatives-to-spanking.html>.