Banning Corporal Punishment

When I was in the first grade back in the late 50's, I had a severe stuttering problem. I was held back a year because there was another 1st grade teacher who thought she could cure my problem. I would get a minimum of 2-3 spankings a day. She would do what she called round robin reading and each one of us would have to stand up and read. When it got to be my turn, I would start stuttering, the teach would stop me and grab my arm and haul me off to the bathroom where she would spank me with a wooden paddle. I cried for the first week, but after that I became immune to the spankings. But after about two weeks, the other children would start crying when it got to be my turn to read and each time I would get hauled off to the bathroom and spanked and then around the room it would go until it got to be my turn again. They had my parents convinced that it was for the best. But it didn't work, I eventually grew out of it by the time I was in the third grade.

So by what everyone who opposes a good old fashioned spanking believes is that I should have turned out to be a psychopath or some ridiculous crap as that. I only spanked my daughter about three times while she was growing up and it was because she did something that was worth a good spanking and like I told her, "it was going to hurt me worse than it would her" and it did. But teaching child right from wrong is a parents responsibility, unlike today where I go to a store or a movie theatre or some public event and there is a child(s) throwing a hissyfit because they couldn't get what they wanted. My daughter (as I did) knew that she had better not embarrass or bring shame to the family or it would be handled appropriately. Yes, spanking is a form of control, which is greatly lost in most schools today.

When I was in the first grade back in the late 50's, I had a severe stuttering problem. I was held back a year because there was another 1st grade teacher who thought she could cure my problem. I would get a minimum of 2-3 spankings a day. She would do what she called round robin reading and each one of us would have to stand up and read. When it got to be my turn, I would start stuttering, the teach would stop me and grab my arm and haul me off to the bathroom where she would spank me with a wooden paddle. I cried for the first week, but after that I became immune to the spankings. But after about two weeks, the other children would start crying when it got to be my turn to read and each time I would get hauled off to the bathroom and spanked and then around the room it would go until it got to be my turn again. They had my parents convinced that it was for the best. But it didn't work, I eventually grew out of it by the time I was in the third grade.

So by what everyone who opposes a good old fashioned spanking believes is that I should have turned out to be a psychopath or some ridiculous crap as that. I only spanked my daughter about three times while she was growing up and it was because she did something that was worth a good spanking and like I told her, "it was going to hurt me worse than it would her" and it did. But teaching child right from wrong is a parents responsibility, unlike today where I go to a store or a movie theatre or some public event and there is a child(s) throwing a hissyfit because they couldn't get what they wanted. My daughter (as I did) knew that she had better not embarrass or bring shame to the family or it would be handled appropriately. Yes, spanking is a form of control, which is greatly lost in most schools today.

No one here is claiming spanking turns kids into psychopaths?

It's wrong to hit. Period. It is wrong to be physically violent. Period. I don't need a psychiatric analysis of children here to support those two statements, but I can tell you that the majority of them do not support corporal punishment.

The "I was spanked, and I'm fine!" argument always comes out in these discussions. That doesn't make it okay. It means that person was able to overcome the trauma of being beaten by a parent or teacher - like you did for your stuttering. It was still traumatic, and it shouldn't have happened.

As Yearasta said - times have changed. And that's not a "liberal" statement - that's a human statement. It's time to be better.

Mike --

Again, I am not talking about a good old-fashioned Spanking. I was spanked as a child (in a calm fashion, for a serious indiscretion, in an environment where my parents were otherwise loving and caring positive role models). In truth, I spank my own children at times.

I wholeheartedly agree with you on it being a parent's responsibility to teach their children right from wrong, and neither do I find it amusing when parents tolerate misbehavior in public. DISCIPLINE is good, VIOLENCE is bad.

Good teachers have a bottomless toolbox of strategies to elicit behavioral compliance, and physical violence is the least effective of them.

Let's focus on building POSITIVE behavior support!!!!!

Happiness breeds happiness. Violence and ridicule are dead-ends.

Here's how the bill went first time around...some amendments have been made and it's going back before committee shortly.

http://judibuckley.com/index.php/committee-on-education-workforce-hears-testimony-on-banning-corporal-punishment

If one does a search on corporal punishment you will see it has been discussed many, many times.

https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/search.php?4,search=corporal+punishment++,author=,page=1,match_type=ALL,match_dates=0,match_forum=ALL,match_threads=

I am not surprised that corporal punishment is more abusive here than those of us... of a "certain age"... remember it from stateside schools.
Agree whole heartedly that a teacher should not hit a child in the face, etc, etc,...

But one of the most shocking things I witness all too often here is this: The terrible treatment of children some parents...cursing at their children, slapping them in the face. I was so shocked at Plaza West one afternoon as 3 generations of women shopped for groceries...the grandmother got angry about something as the daughter and granddaughter stood by the cart. Grandma let loose with more "F-you's" than a fleet of sailors! I was dumbfounded...how does a person do this in public and humiliate their family members? and just a few months ago I briefly witnessed a father punching three small children in the back seat of his car as they waited for their mother to pick up food at a fast food restaurant. It happened as I was backing out of the parking lot...and it happened so quickly. I was frightened by the look on the fathers face and horrified at the thought of these small children being punched for whatever reason...and I knew if the man would hit the children he likely hits the pets, the wife, et al...mom returned to the car...they peeled out of the parking lot before I could even safely turn into the street.

I honestly feel that the biggest problem lies at home with parents...and unfortunately if these same children experience similar from teachers...then its clear to see why the problem of abuse is so pervasive in our islands.

A good caring teacher is the best hope for children coming from dire situations in the home. Where will children learn basic respect and civility if not at home? It should come from school teachers and staff. Then again...the teaching of civic responsibility is CRITICAL for communities if we wish to have order, justice, respect for our neighbors...

we aren't the only ones...still legal in 19 states...the red ones

Yes, is legal in some states but regulated with specific policies in place. For instance, in South Carolina, only the principal is allowed, as a last resort and with parenatal permission. And is rearly used.
Other states is legal on the books but still not used, a very outdated law.
If a teacher ever hit a child in the states, they would likely go to jail and/or be fired.

Is there a law on the books in VI law that specifically allows corporal punishment?

Is there is not, then why do we need a law to ban it?

Assault is already illegal. Striking a child is assault.

Adults are not allowed to hit other adults and some think it's ok to hit kids. I hope we can see that this is a very short sighted method of discipline

@CruzanIron

TITLE SEVENTEEN Education
Chapter 11. Teachers and Other Personnel

17 V.I.C. § 130 (2013)

§ 130. Authority to discipline children

All principals and teachers in the public schools shall have the right to exercise the same authority, as to conduct, and behavior, over pupils attending their schools during the time they are in attendance, including the time required in going to and from their homes, as parents, guardians or persons in parental relations to such pupils.

TITLE FOURTEEN Crimes
Chapter 24. Child Protection

14 V.I.C. § 507 (2013)

§ 507. Reasonable and moderate physical discipline excepted; unreasonable acts

Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted to prevent a parent, guardian, or person acting at the direction of a child's parent or guardian, from using reasonable and moderate physical discipline to correct, restrain or discipline a child. The following actions are examples of unreasonable conduct when used by any person to correct, restrain or discipline a child:

(1) throwing, kicking, burning, or cutting a child;

(2) striking a child with a closed fist;

(3) willful and violent shaking of a child in such a way as to cause physical injury to the child;

(4) interfering with a child's breathing;

(5) threatening a child with a deadly weapon; or

(6) doing any other act that is likely to cause and that does cause bodily harm greater than transient pain or minor temporary marks.

The age, size, and condition of the child and the location of the injury shall be considered when determining whether the physical discipline is reasonable and moderate. The list of unreasonable actions is illustrative and is not intended to be exclusive.

HISTORY: --Added Oct. 20, 1992, No. 5818, § 1, Sess. L. 1992, p. 157.

Thank you.