Physical Effects Of Corporal Punishment example essay topic

Corporal punishment is the use of physical punishment as a form of discipline for school children. Corporal punishment is generally associated with spanking, paddling, or whipping, it can also refer to any physical act that causes discomfort to the student. For example, slapping, striking, grabbing, pulling to the ground or out of the classroom, and requiring the student to stay in a physically difficult position are all forms of corporal punishment. Corporal punishment could also include the continuance of strenuous physical activity, for example, running laps around a field. Corporal punishment is used mush more often on poor children, minorities, children with disabilities, and boys. For instance, during the 1998-1999 school year a national anti spanking group called for a civil rights audit of students in Alabama and found that 73 percent of the paddling was administered on black students who made up only 41 percent of its total population (Hinchey 4).

Schools are the only institutions in America in which corporal punishment is legally sanctioned. Corporal punishment is not allowed in prisons, in the military or in mental hospitals. Although students and parents have filed many legal actions they rarely win because of how the Courts view corporal punishment and school children. For example, in the Supreme Court case Ingraham vs. Wright (1977), which is known as the foundation for corporal punishment policies, focused on two Amendments the Eighth (cruel and unusual punishment) and Fourteenth (guarantee of due process).

The Court rejected both claims, because they argued that corporal punishment has been common Rogers 2 among parents and school officials and could not be classified as cruel and unusual. Also the Court argued that the Eighth Amendment is intended to protect criminals, not school children and students who suffer severe punishment, always have the option of filing criminal charges against those in questioned. Corporal punishment in schools is not an effective method of punishment. There are many people who support corporal punishment in schools. First, those who support corporal punishment state that physical, or the treat of it, keeps kids in line. Also many proponents believe that corporal punishment can be a great motivating force.

Robert Surge nor, a former detective in Berea, Ohio, and author of No Fear, a book on corporal punishment states", Our culture has given us permission under certain circumstances to inflict pain on a person if he or she fails to comply with authority" (3). Next, proponents of corporal punishment believe that if more physical force were used in the classroom there would be a decrease in suspensions, expulsions, and probation, which keeps students away from the learning environment but offers no corrective action. Those who support corporal punishment claim that it is necessary tool to maintain discipline among increasingly out-of-control children. They state that it works and that it produces an educational environment conductive to learning. Many cite Biblical verses, which seemingly encourage the physical punishment of children, and many declare that corporal punishment was used against them as children and they turned out well.

Proponents also point to states that have banned paddling as examples of places where teachers do not have control of classroom anymore and where the educational environment suffers accordingly. Finally, proponents of corporal punishment believe it can be administered quickly, be over quickly, and is clear, specific and obvious results. Contrary to what Rogers 3 proponents of corporal punishment believe, corporal punishment in schools is not an effective method of punishment because of the physical and psychological damage, negative behavior in the future, and other less physical alternative means of punishment. The first significant reason corporal punishment in schools is not an effective method of punishment is the physical and psychological damage it has on kids. Although some kids who are paddled at school suffer no lasting ill effects, others take it extremely hard. For instance, "When you hit a child, you are putting at risk his or her physical and psychological health and teaching him or her that violence is O.K".

(Block 7-8). First physically, a small percentage of children suffer severe bruising and internal injuries. Also there have been a number of deaths that have resulted from the physical effects of corporal punishment. Although physical injuries usually require little medical attention, the use of corporal punishment has the potential of causing injuries such as hematoma, ruptured blood vessels, muscle damage, brain hemorrhage, massive fat emboli, and sciatic nerve damage.

Such injuries may result in permanent structure damage and disability. Most of the time children are injured during even the mildest punishment when they jerk away and the blow lands off target, or when they fall against the sharp edge of some object. The eyes, ears, and brain may be permanently damaged as a result of paddling. Whiplash injuries may result from shaking. Injuries from blows to the chest or abdomen are life threatening. Bones are easily fractured and even the slightest smack may produce a jolt to the brain through the bony column and spinal cord, resulting in significant swelling or bleeding.

Secondly, the psychological effects of corporal punishment on children can be just as devastating as any physical effects. Some of the psychological effects of corporal punishment includes the loss of self-esteem, increased Rogers 4 anxiety and fear, feeling of helplessness, humiliation, stifled relationships with others, aggressive and self-destructive behavior, limited attention span all of which may lead to poor academic achievement, an increase in vandalism, truancy, pupil violence, and a higher drop out rate. One of the most common mental health problems associated with corporal punishment is depression. Depression is considered a mood disorder and affects ones thinking, behaving, feeling, and functioning.

Depression is often a delayed response to the suppression of childhood anger from being physically hit and hurt by adults who the child respects and looks to for guidance. Lastly, when children are physically punished by adults, they are shown that one need not consider they well being of others and this may be the most damaging effect of all. The next reason corporal punishment in schools is not an effective method of punishment is it tends to promote negative behavior in the future. It might be argued that teachers chastise their students by means of corporal punishment, conceivably making massive changes in their students' personality in the future. As a result, these students are more likely to grow up to become extremely aggressive and very abusive toward others. One of the most common behavior problems that stems from corporal punishment is domestic violence, which emerges directly out of the experiences of childhood.

Corporal punishment trains children to accept and to tolerate aggression and violence, since adults use physical assaults to obedience and submission. The feelings associated with such punishment are anger, rage, anxiety, fear, terror, hatred, hostility, and love, which are carried into personal relationships of adults who were spanked, whipped, and beaten as children. The pattern of aggression and assault directed against children become the models of aggression and assault the direct against their on family members, such as Rogers 5 siblings, spouses, and children. Corporal punishment may also lead to criminal activity outside the family, such as delinquency, robbery, assault, and homicide. It has been also shown that 90% of death row inmates were victims of serious abuse during their childhood. Corporal punishment in schools promotes a very precarious message that violence is an acceptable thing in our society.

It encourages children to resort to violence because they see authority figures using it. Corporal punishment teaches children that violence is acceptable, especially against the weak, the defenseless, the subordinate, and a message, which will negatively effect future generations. According to Green, "Violence is not acceptable and we must not support it by sanctioning its use by such authority figures as school officials" (3-7). We must develop and maintain a nonviolent temperament and orientation toward our children.

Finally, corporal punishment in schools is not an effective method of punishment is that there are other less physical alternative means of punishment. The first alternative to corporal punishment is maintaining classroom control by utilizing effective communication, in which the teacher displays an attitude of respect for the students. School officials must exhibit an attitude that they generally enjoy working with children in an academic setting. Students must be taught in an environment that clearly states they are valued. The emphasis is on positive educational exchanges between teachers and students, not useless, contentions, win or lose contents. Secondly, it is critical to present educational material that is stimulation to the student and is aimed at their ability levels.

Some students may benefit from alternative academic courses. Students as well as parents, should be carefully involved in the decision making process about school issues, affecting them, including educational goals and disciplinary rules. Schools should have Rogers 6 peer support programs that utilize techniques to encourage acceptable behavior. Also, some evidence suggests that a student self-governance offers a means for constructive management of selected problem behaviors in the classroom (Warne 4). The lack of parental involvement in the education of their children is cited by teachers as on of the main causes for so much classroom disciplinary difficulty. Other alternative nonviolent punishment includes extinction, distraction, and rewarding appropriate behavior.

Extinction is a technique that removes access to, or eliminates, the reinforces that maintain inappropriate action leading to classroom disruption, but so many teachers often don't support this technique because of the problems with tantrums or increases in appropriate behaviors that often occur during the extinction process. The use of school officials namely school psychologists and counselors are alternatives to corporal punishment that has proven to be effective. Such methods can be powerful, compelling tools, changing unacceptable behavior, and helping the locus of control to become placed within the student. Lastly, there must be an effective relationship developed between school officials, parents, and students to develop sensible rules that have appropriate consequences when infraction occur. Alternatives to corporal punishment teach children to be self-disciplined rather than cooperate because of fear. Undoubtedly, corporal punishment in schools is an ineffective, dangerous, and unacceptable method of punishment.

The use of corporal punishment in schools causes serious physical and psychological effects on children, which could lead to grave negative behavior in the future. In addition, the use of corporal punishment in schools should be banned and replaced with one of the many nonviolent alternatives in the school systems.