DEL.ICIO.USAssociated Press
Published on: 07/21/08
Jeffersonville, Ga. — Twiggs County principals will be pulling out their dusty paddles when school resumes and using them when students act up.
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At least that's the school system's aim.
The Twiggs County school board reinstated its corporal punishment policy this summer to allow students to be spanked to curb misbehavior.
Some board members felt that in many cases, detention for students or a scolding wasn't working.
"We had a policy but we weren't using it," said Ethel Stanley, one of the board's five members. "Sometimes smaller kids will obey better if they have a paddling. The more you give them rope, the more they try.
"It's something to deter them," she said.
Last year, Twiggs County schools reported more than 300 student misconduct incidents and 62 fights, according to a state report. The system has about 1,100 students.
At least two board members said student discipline problems are also a factor in higher-than-normal teacher turnover this past school year, and officials are trying ways to improve student achievement.
Most of the system's source of misbehavior comes from middle-schoolers, said Levi Rozier, Twiggs County's campus police chief.
"That's when they're finding themselves," Rozier said.
But for the deterrent to work, teachers and principals will need to be consistent when correcting students' behavior, and parents will have to accept the change, he said.
"It has to be bought in by parents," he said.
Twiggs parents will have to sign a permission slip for their child to be paddled by an administrator, and witnesses will have to be in the room, Stanley and board member Johnnie Moore said. There also will be a meeting to inform parents of the changes, Stanley said.
Experts and education officials — even those in the midstate — are divided on whether paddling actually deters misbehavior.
Murray Straus, co-director of the Family Research Laboratory and a professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire, said children who are spanked are more likely to be physically aggressive or become juvenile delinquents.
Others in the field claim that spanking a child can be effective in some cases for those who repeatedly misbehave and for whom nothing else works.
Twenty-eight states have banned corporal punishment in schools, although Georgia allows school systems to decide whether to use it.
"It's a hotly debated issue," said Sharon Patterson, superintendent of the Bibb County school system. "We do use corporal punishment, but it can't be used as a first line of discipline."
It's also up to the discretion of principals, and parents can opt out if they choose.
In Bibb County, principals at Hutchings Career Center, Central High, Union Elementary and Taylor Elementary schools say they prefer not to spank students.
Principals at Westside High, Howard Middle and Skyview Elementary, however, say they use corporal punishment when they need to.
Lynne Donahoo, Burghard Elementary School's principal, says she paddles students sparingly - and never on special education students or those younger than first grade.
Last school year, she used corporal punishment just a handful of times, including on a second-grader for throwing pencils and for others with chronic misbehavior for whom time out and counseling did not work.
"Sometimes these little ones are hard headed and you have to show them you mean business," Donahoo said. "I haven't used it often, but I have used it."
The Houston County school system does not allow its faculty members to paddle students.
"Corporal punishment is not an appropriate means of discipline in Houston County schools," said Robin Hines, assistant superintendent for school operations.
"We have a great deal of confidence in our progressive discipline procedures that utilize classroom strategies as well as schoolwide procedures that include detention, in-school suspension and home suspension."
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Comments
By Ernest
Sep 24, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this
Its not children that should be spanked, but their butts! Too many people seem to ignore this obvious difference! A child is a person made in the image of God. The child also has a vegetative "soul" which includes his or her butt. The Nature has provided a butt for learning what the reason is not wanting or unable to learn! A child's person can only benefit from a sound spanking! And this is what too many forget!
By Ernest
Sep 24, 2008 5:45 PM | Link to this
Its not children that should be spanked, but their butts! Too many people seem to ignore this obvious difference! A child is a person made in the image of God. The child also has a vegetative "soul" which includes his or her butt. The Nature has provided a butt for learning what the reason is not wanting of unable to learn! A child's person can only benefit from a sound spanking! And this is what too many forget!
By Taarax
Sep 17, 2008 3:45 AM | Link to this
I'm all for it...when I was in school...I knew better than to step out of line at school...I'd get two ass-whoopings if I messed up - one at school and one at home. I never had to get paddled...at school at least!
For all of you people out there that thinks that think that corporal punishment teaches kids to use violence...get your heads out of your asses and take a look around you - a large part of the reason you see so much violence in school these days is because we've taken these measures out! I agree...parents need to be better parents to their kids...which guess what...includes spankings!
I got my butt beat when I needed it as a child and you don't find me going around and trying to solve all of my problems with violence...so the theory that it promotes violence is b.s. - like I said take a look around you...corporal punishment's absence is what's advocating our youth to be violent and IS the reason why kids are out of control these days...instead of making them take medications what they don't need in order to control them...do what you're supposed to do...give 'em a little kick in the *** to correct them when it's needed!
By Beth
Sep 12, 2008 10:16 AM | Link to this
I can not believe that any parent would allow someone else to hit their child. Be a parent and stop letting everyone else raise your children. I have never laid a hand on my child and would never lay my hand on any one elses child. You're just teaching them to solve things with violence. There are other alternatives to this than hitting!!!!!!
By BP
Aug 11, 2008 7:52 PM | Link to this
Hey James, don't be too tough on Teresa. She had to come down to 'hillbilly hell' to get a job--likely as a cashier at QT. She shows all the signs. But as far as hitting a child, I have to say it is wrong, and I wouldn't do it. My mother used to beat the pulp out of me with belts, shoes, hair brushes (she broke one once on me), vacuum cleaner accessories, switches from her favorite bush outside, virtually anything handy. I even got paddled once by our principal, who was built like Paul Bunyan--left a red board mark across my butt for a week! It is nothing but assault. My mom beat me out of anger and frustration. There was nothing instructional about it. We can't go around assaulting adults who make us mad; should be the same for children.
By James
Aug 11, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this
Theresa Edwards,
It's idiots like you that have contributed to the delinquency of minors. When I was in school we were subjected to a paddling when we misbehaved and when I got home my dad was waiting to give me another. Children need disciplining. You probably sued for the money! It's all about the money! You should have to teach school without the benefit of discipline and then you can spout your big mouth off!
By edtjenkins
Aug 9, 2008 10:48 PM | Link to this
Has anyone contacted the staff health insurance people? When some consider it as an assault on a minor (yes the law does not stop at the school door) and defend themselves, some are capable of shoving the paddle where he sun doesn't shine.
Where I teach, we've been told not to even pat one on the back for a good job. It is not worth the risk and the risk is REAL!
By luckygagal
Jul 31, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this
I think it all goes back to what are these kids eating?? Artificial colors & artificial flavors are petroleum & that shouldn't be in our bodies. Petroleum messes up brains & can greatly affect behavior. Clean up our food & behavior will improve. Look at a 5 year study in Appleton, WI. Studies show it - look at www.feingold.org
By Theresa Edwards
Jul 29, 2008 10:14 PM | Link to this
I AM THE PARENT. I ALONE DECIDE THE DISCIPLINE METHOD. I HAVE ALSO SUED A SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR COMMITTING ACTS OF ASSUALT AND BATTERY. If you want respect you give respect. Remember this is a two way street. We teach our children to not let anyone touch them yet here in HILLBILLY HELL you will allow a school administrater to hit your child. The Medical professionals DO NOT CONDONE NOR ENFORCE THIS. It is a proven fact that violence begets violence, by allowing your child to be struck you are teaching them to use violent measures to get so-called results. I was hit in school and out of school and I refused as a parent to repeat this. Hitting children only enforces and instills one thing FEAR. You would not be for this if you saw first hand the damage that can happen to a child, torn muscles, soft tissue damage, ruptured blood vessels, and on and on. Your so-called administrators have NO TRAINING in something so barbaric as this. You are not allowed to hit a dog in this fashion why would you do this to a child?????
By You are Kidding Me
Jul 29, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this
So much for Forward Progress in Georgia Public Schools. Come on down y'all to Georgia, we really move things forward here. I was spanked by Catholic Nuns in Grammar school, also locked in a closet becaue of being left handed. Then when I couldn't answer questions (you know being locked in a closet during lecture time kind of prevented my learning) What did it get me,....no where. I failed my classes and absolutely despised school those years. I did everything I could to avoid school.
The American Medical Association and Pediatric Associations have a position on spanking, do these school boards ever consider what professionals outside of the Education World have to say? Nope, probably not. If any educator lays a hand on my kid in any way shape or form, they will be in court. My job as a parent is discipline and I have never ever had to spank my kids over the age of 2 ....why? Because I give meangingful consequences to them on a regular basis. And they particulary hate it when I remove privileges, and worse yet make them write a discertation about what they are going to do tommorrow to behave better. They have learned respect because I took the hard long way of giving them consequences and discipline, not the EASY LAZY WAY OF PARENTING WITH PADDLING.
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