Corporal punishment in school

[veganbaby]

Hi mamas
I live in the state of Texas where corporal punishment is still allowed. Any mamas want to work together to stop this either statewide or nationwide?

[veganbaby]

I started talking with a woman from stopthehitting.com. We plan on working together to start a grassroots organization in Texas. If anyone is interested let me know.

I am also working with a gentleman from Mississippi. There is a rally there in March. If anyone can come, I can give you more information.

[micah_mae_]

Ah, I used to go to school in Christoval, Tx. We always got a choice between a swat or detention. We always chose swats.
Personally I would never let someone else spank my child, but as a teenager I like having the choice because the swat was over real quick whereas detention sucked.

Sorry that really had nothing to do with your post, just my thoughts.

[momofmine]

Wow. I am shocked. I had no idea. It is 2010, right? When I saw this thread title all I could think was, what year is it???

How can we possibly be debating the things we are debating on a national level when this is still allowed in our schools??? Do you mean, children are actually still hit in these schools as punishment for bad behavior? I am truly, just speechless. I'm sorry for the ramble, I am just, really in shock.

[LVale]

I live in Houston Tx. I do know that spanking is allowed but at the beginning of each school year, a release form is sent home asking the parents if corporal punishment is ok with you or not. I always checked the no box, and made sure the form was on file with everybody possible. So if my sons ever disobeyed or whatever they had to call us, and we would go to the school and settle whatever they did. So no your child cannot be spanked unless you say so. You would really be surprised that the majority of parents do not allow it, considering this is the south, where everyone, who live elsewhere thinks spanking is so common, when it really is not.

[momofmine]

Does it really happen like that, that before a physical violence is inflicted on a child, that they check and see if they have a consent form? That is absolutely nauseating to me. And do they do this in front of other students? So, say if I don't sign the consent form, but my child has to witness these acts of violence on other children? I am utterly appalled. It should not happen EVER. Not even ONCE. It is absolutely unacceptable. I have no respect for any campaigns against "violence in schools" anymore if we are allowing this to continue as a nation. It should be a federal law that this is illegal. I feel like it is 1865 or something.

[veganbaby]

I believe that it happens privately and I am unsure how they ensure that consent is always given. I believe that I have read an article where consent was not given and a child was still spanked.

Even though consent is still given, I still disagree that it belongs in our school system. Texas is one of 21 states that still allow it. School officials should not have the authority to strike a student. There are much better forms of discipline as we all know.

I would like to write a letter to my state representative, but I do not know what I would say. Does anyone have any suggestions? Remember that we have a right to all school board meetings even though our children do not attend the public school systems. We pay our taxes, and therefore have a right to be there and voice an opinion. If your district allows spanking, it would be wonderful if you could get the issue on their docket.

[momofmine]

Here's a site that may help you get started on taking steps with your legislature:


http://www.stophitting.com/index.php?page=atschool-main

[2lilsweetfoxes]

Originally Posted by LVale

I live in Houston Tx. I do know that spanking is allowed but at the beginning of each school year, a release form is sent home asking the parents if corporal punishment is ok with you or not. I always checked the no box, and made sure the form was on file with everybody possible. So if my sons ever disobeyed or whatever they had to call us, and we would go to the school and settle whatever they did. So no your child cannot be spanked unless you say so. You would really be surprised that the majority of parents do not allow it, considering this is the south, where everyone, who live elsewhere thinks spanking is so common, when it really is not.

My experience when my daughter went to school in Oklahoma was the opposite--unless you signed an opt-out form (and they look at you as if you have 2 heads when you ask for it--and if you are an interdistrict transfer student, you will be rejected and told to go back to your "home" school--and try to talk you out of it or pretend they can't find them or something) they will presume that spanking the child is okay.

Not excusing corporal punishment at school, but looking at it from another angle: Mom and Dad both work. Their expenses to income ratio mean there is no wiggle room in the budget. No nearby relatives or friends that can watch the child for a few days. They are paid hourly, so no work, no pay...maybe no sick days or vacation days...if the child is spanked, it is over in less than 5 minutes. If the child is suspended, then mom and dad have to lose income either by not working or by hiring someone to watch the child for a couple days. Or, if they can take time off, the kids are probably just laying around watching TV.

And In School Suspension is a joke. That is when you find out how little work the students actually do in a day because they are finished with their classwork by 10 am and spend the rest of the day coloring or something.

There needs to be something other than removing them from school or spanking, but what?

[veganbaby]

http://www.pbis.org/

This site has other effective discipline techniques that have been used in public schools.

[anj_rn]

I live in Texas and both my husband and I graduated HS in Texas. At the beginning of each school year, we were sent home with a card that our parent had to sign, the options for corporal punishment were:
1. No corporal punishment by the school
2. Corporal punishment by the school only after a parent is contacted and agrees
3. Corporal punishment OK.

I never knew anyone in high school who got swats, but a couple of guys in Jr high who did after they swatted a girl in the hallway on the rear. Both of them were more worried about what their dads were going to do (since the principal had called their dads).

I was a school nurse for a year at a high school with 3000 students. One child got swats that entire year. It was done in the principal's office with another principal as a witness. All were male. It was the parent's request that corporal punishment be used, most principals prefer not to use it.