U.S. Education Secretary John King addresses the educational facilities to refrain from violent measures such as hitting or paddling as means of tackling child problems or behaviors. The U.S. Education Secretary believes corporal punishment can do more harm than good.
In a "Dear Colleague" letter being issued, King asks educators to "eliminate this practice from your schools, and instead promote supportive, effective disciplinary measures," USA Today quotes. Students often exposed to violence may be urged to behave better and follow the rules but in the long run, the children may miss the essence of discipline, misinterpret them and worse, resort to violence as a way of getting what they want.
What King connotes is a more intellectual approach, making the youngsters comprehend what they've done wrong and talking to them about their mistakes. A timeout, for example, is a mode of punishment with no physical injury to the child yet yielding a clear understanding of how they've acted badly.
There's so much more that corporal punishment does to a student than what's skin deep. The bruises and the pain may hurt a lot but will eventually go away. What these kids won't forget is how they've been scared or shocked to have been penalized in such manner.
According to The Telegraph, smacking kids, instead of using non-physical punishments, reduces their emotional intelligence and "executive functioning ability," which allows people to think on the spot and modify one's behavior when necessary. The statistics on who receive the most blows of corporal punishment are heartbreaking and most of these occur in the south and the west.
Children of color are 51 percent more likely to be penalized this way despite that fact that they are on school districts that have more white children enrolled. What's worse, male students and students with disabilities are also substantially more likely to receive corporal punishment than their peers, notes Huffington Post.
Meanwhile, King strongly comments that these data and disparities, especially pertaining to the plight of students with disabilities, shock the conscience. What are your thoughts on corporal punishments? Share them below.
