Tag Archives: corporal punishment

Bill To Make Spanking A Crime Dropped

Here’s an update on a blog I did about California Assemblywoman Sally Lieber’s proposed bill banning spanking. On Thursday, the effort was dropped after Lieber conceded that the bill had little chance of passing. If the bill had passed, California would have become the first state to make spanking of a child under the age of 3 a crime. Lieber ran into opposition from lawmakers, many of who felt a law banning a parent’s right to spank their own child would not only be intrusive but unenforceable. Lieber said that allowing parents to continue to spank their kids was a … Continue reading →

Corporal Punishment in Schools

How many incidents of corporal punishment were there in your school district in 2003? If you would like to find out how many and what schools, take a look at what the Office for Civil Rights at Ed.gov has to offer you for statistics. In the 22 states where some form of corporal punishment is legal in schools in the United States, black students are disproportionately on the receiving end of the stick. They comprise 17% of all students in the United States, but receive 38% of all paddlings. Some states have limited bans, others allow a policy to be … Continue reading →

Spanking or Hitting?

Spanking, slapping, swatting, hitting, beating. Is one better than another? Aren’t they all just the same variation on a theme? I’ve heard the arguments; I’ve listened to the justifications. I understand it is open to interpretation. Some parents think those words represent a huge spectrum of actions against the child ranging from the necessary to the abusive. Some parents see them all as the same. I’ve heard parents threaten their child with a “beating” or suggest “If you don’t stop right now, I’m gonna beat your butt,” or other even less pleasant threats. Whether they follow through or even intend … Continue reading →