Texas School Wants to Make it Easier To Spank

multiple posts...I don't know why

multiple posts, I don't know why....

I'm old...my kids are grown...they are wonderful human beings....19 and 24 years old. One is married to a cop and the other is engaged to a soldier. they are both attending college on scholarships because they excelled in academics. Despite how I might sound, I am a compassionate and involved father...but I allowed them to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes...my girls are strong human beings....they know right from wrong and they know what happens when you don't try.

As a "boy" growing up, I know exactly how I behaved and why I did the things I did....most of the time it was because I knew I could get away with it. In the social world I grew up in though...there was stll someone to make you pay the piper if you got caught. I remember once when I was like 2nd grade...I was doing something really-really bad and a total stranger caught me doing it....He made me walk home under his watch and he told my mom what he saw me doing...i was seriously in trouble.

THIS is what is wrong with our society. We USED to behave like a tribe...like we all looked out for each other and made each other accountable...In a tribal situation...we all need each other to be our best....not promoting that is promoting failure.

Originally posted by syrinx high priest
someone spanks my child, and they get a visit from me at home in their living room. I don't care if I go to court, get arrested, do not put your hands on my child

ever

OK. So what did you just teach your child? If you don't like the rules, come tell me and I'll beat their ass! Will you put your hands on your child, or discipline them, or just take 'em out for an ice cream cone? Will you run to the school and shout about how your precious would never disobey and the teacher just doesn't like your child? When parents let their kids go wild at home, school, or in public, you have infringed on the rights of those who are trying to learn, or just even have a nice dinner.

I got as many, if not more, spankings from neighbors than school. Did I learn anything? Duh...no matter where I was, I better act right, because you never know who was around. Heck, I even got slapped upside the head by a barber for not sitting still. My grandaddy laughed, talked nine kinds of trash to me as we walked home, then had me laughing with him about how stupid it was not to do what I should have. But, you go ahead and teach the lesson your way. At 25, your child will still be looking for you to defend them, if you're not in prison.

reply to post by retiredTxn


Well Tex....I'm going to guess us old guys are the last of our breed. We work hard, we play hard....and when we were young, we got our asses tanned for doing wrong...and it left an impression on us....to not do bad things, especially to other people.

I guess some folks out there are so media brain washed that their kids are the next "boo-boo" that they cannot accept the possibility that they can be horrible little monsters. I know I was...I generally got exactly what i had coming. But thank God my kids are grown now...I no longer have to deal with the brats of others. I can now sit back...and instead of doing like the wise old gentlemen that escorted me home after a barrage of window breaking....I can just watch the brats rampage and make mental notes of which ones will see jail time....

Here is my perspective as a 26 year old male.

Growing up, if I screwed up, I would get a form of physical correct. Be it a spank, a slap or what have you. Nothing ever 'abusive' as far as I can recall. (and yes, switches were used, as were belts, hands and wood paddles)

As I have grown up over the last, say 10 years, I have noticed that as more and more laws are placed on the parent/child relationship, the more rebellious and out of control the children are. To me, it seems to be a direct correlation.

If a child gets out of line, physical correction shouldn't necessarily be the FIRST option, but it should be AN option.

How many times have you been in line at the till, only to see behind you, a mother scolding her child to "stop that and stop this" and the child just reciprocating with more misbehavior. I am a firm believer that a quick slap would stop this behaviour, and I wouldn't call it abuse.

REMEMBER: THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ABUSE, AND DISCIPLINE!!!!!

More on topic:

Because the parents themselves are having more and more 'roadblocks' placed in their way, they sometimes will hope that the teachers will 'cover' for them. (like, I am sure, some parents are uncomfortable with discussing sexual education with their kids, they rely on the teachers to fill this role)

I am torn as to whether I would support corporal punishment. I know from my main stance, it would appear as if I had to be in favour of it, but I am hesitant on making that commitment just yet. For I know, if someone else placed their hands on MY child, I would have a problem with it.

I would say, yes I am in support of it mainly, but it being used by someone other than a guardian should only be used as a last resort.

I know this sounds contradictory to my last post, hence my 'Walking Contradiction" subtitle under my username.

reply to post by Cytra


Big whoop. Honesty I believe parents and schools (with permission from parents) should be able to spank kids. It works. It worked for me anyway. Personally, now that I'm an adult I'm glad I was spanked for certain things. Granted it shouldn't be used on whim for anything but sometimes the reward system shouldn't be used as certain acts aren't rewarded simply for what should be somewhat standard behavior. For instance, I had an issue with lying growing up....not just a little bit but a lot at one point. My father spanked the hell out of me a few times and I started lying only when I thought it was absolutely necessary. I don't lie terribly much and I don't see why lying is necessary for the most part. That isn't to say I can't lay, in fact quite the contrary. I'm very good at it. However, I don't see it as necessary the majority of the time. Being honest and forward generally warrants positive results compared to rampant lying. I'm glad I got spanked and that it taught me a lesson. Some children need discipline. Let them have it. I might put a cap on the age in which it is used but aside from that I think as long as it's ok with the parents, it should be ok in school.

reply to post by Daemonicon


Thanks for a younger perspective. You are correct....the 'Nanny" nation is controlling all this stuff.

When I was in school....a trip to the principle and a "cracking" was just the order of the day...it's not abuse, it is just discipline. It was more embarrassing than painful...but as I noted, there was a couple guys you DID NOT want to have to go before. I got my ass sat on fire a couple of times....the embarrassment was the sound carried through the whole school....a solid ringing 'crack" could be heard through the whole place and everyone knew you got that ass tanned. What was worse was when the fire was called down and those eyes seriously teared up....my shop teacher could make the biggest "he-man" get water eyed....no one wanted to stare down "white lightning"...the fear of it was enough to make most guys walk the line! But no one "gets" that now.

I'll quote his name...hell for all I know, someone on here might have faced the lightning....his name was Fred Chavanac...he was the Industrial arts teacher at Moundsville Junior High before becoming the shop teacher at John Marshall High School. He was a brilliant woodworker...I learned more from that guy than I did in years of higher studies....he taught me how to add and subtract feet-inches and sixteenths in my head faster than most people can do it on a calculator...to this day when I am in the field and the problem arises...I still get dumbfounded looks from colleagues "How can you do that so fast in your head?" I always say "My 9th grade shop teacher"....

Just watched the news, CBS11 here in DFW area. Springtown ISD school board met and decided only principal or asst. principal can mete out corporal punishment to students whose parents have given the school permission. There must be at least one other teacher present, preferably of the same sex.

CBSDFW Local Story

Originally posted by Jeremiah65
reply to post by skalla

 

How old are you skalla? No seriously. I think you are living in an illusion of hope. Kids can be the worst animals on the planet.

as stated earlier, i am pushing 40, and i can hardly be living in an illusion of hope when i work in the education system, have done for a long time, and get excellent results with highly challenging young folk including those excluded from school and young offenders (largely 15-18) without any threat of corporal punishment.

Your theory of "they will do what is right" is a f'ing fantasy....they will do whatever they can get away with

i have no such theory, if kids think they can get away with stuff, some will try, sure.. but the key is to not let them get away with it, and that does not need to mean a slap etc

If you never felt compelled to whoop some butt...you were not paying attention and were probably like my 9th grade biology teacher that was too busy being stoned to pay attention to what the class was actually doing

i would hardly be stoned at work involving sharp tools, falling trees, fires and tractors - i would have appeared in the news by now due to horrifically injured students and resultant court cases

as kids we knew who the "hard core" teachers were and who the "softies" were and we played that shiz constantly....kudos for thinking you made a great difference...but it was only in your own mind....if they did not learn to fear and revere you...they did not learn anything from you....period

my reputation is well known amongst my students and you have no idea what they think, but my results are not in question and i keep in touch with many of my ex students including the so called hardest cases (who have gone on to be productive adults) and i am glad they didnt feel it neccessary to fear physical retribution, but they would certainly fear my ire and a loss of respect and opportunity to learn from me. it's a real shame that in your POV nothing else would work but an ass whupping, i guess you would make a poor teacher.

one of the reasons in the uk that teachers have had to find new methods to deal with disruptive incidents is due to incidents of abuse by teachers, as obviously working with kids sadly attracts those who look for opportunities to abuse. we have a duty to safeguard the young people in our care, and if we have to avoid physical punishment to protect the few vulnerable students from exploitation by a few bad apples then i dont think that is too high a price to pay, it just requires different methods and approaches. it's no fantasy and i am sorry that you cant see there is another way, but my extensive experience shows it works - many teachers just need better training and more support.

Apparently Texas is not the only state where this issue is being considered. Here is a story from Florida dealing with a new superintendent wanting to bring paddling back to schools.

Marion County Florida