To spank or not - US schools in dilemma

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Wed, November 29, 2023 | 07:49

Briefs

To spank or not - US schools in dilemma

美 학교 체벌 양날의 검, 한국은?

Posted : 2012-03-30 17:56

Updated : 2012-03-30 17:56

By Jane Han

NEW YORK — Korean schools are moving away from corporal punishment, but what about schools in America? Turns out spanking is not a thing of the past.

In 19 states, it is still legally allowed for teachers and principals to paddle students and the issue is stirring up fresh controversy with one parent suing to stop the old-fashioned disciplinary practice.

Tenika Jones, a Florida mom, says the principal at the Joyce Bullock Elementary School paddled her five-year-old son so severely that it triggered an asthma attack.

“That’s child abuse to me,” Jones told reporters. “If they don’t want us to hit our kids, they shouldn’t either.” The news has grabbed attention nationwide as many people didn’t realize corporal punishment is still practiced in American schools.

According to the Center for Effective Discipline, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Florida and Texas are among the 19 states that allow spanking. The center’s most recent data show that 223,190 students in America received corporal punishment in 2006.

Every once in a while, lawmakers and parents object to young children getting paddled, but there is no federal law banning the practice.

“I cannot believe in this day and age that this is still an acceptable form of punishment,” wrote Autumn Berry, who signed a petition to stop corporal punishment in U.S. schools.

“These educators would be put in prison for the same practice if it were directed at another adult who is someone their own size.” Various other petitions and Facebook pages are active as opponents of school spankings try to get their voice heard.

In Korea, corporal punishment was traditionally widely used to discipline students. But a ban went into force in all schools in Seoul and other regions starting 2010 amid controversy that the change would take a toll on teachers’ authority.

Due to continued opposition, a revised law was passed that allows “indirect” corporal punishment, such as push-ups and laps.

In the United States, the first state to ban corporal punishment was New Jersey in 1867 and, most recently, New Mexico, which banned paddling last year.

“Spanking is not a very effective strategy. It does not teach children new behavior or what to do in place of the problem behavior,” says Alan Kazdin, director of Yale’s Parenting Center.

“The key issue is that moderate- to-severe physical punishment has all sorts of long-term negative consequences for the child including the areas of academic performance and mental and physical health,” he said.

美 학교 체벌 양날의 검, 한국은?
뉴욕 -- 한국 학교는 체벌을 없애고 있으나 미국에 있는 학교들은 과연 어떨까? 그런데 미국 학교에서 체벌이 있어온 것이 어제의 일이 아니다. 19개 주에서 교장과 선생님들의 학생들에 대한 매질이 아직 법적으로 허용 되고 있다. 이 문제는 한 학부모가 옛날 방식의 체벌을 중단 시키기 위해 소송을 제기하면서 새로운 논란을 불러일으키고 있다. . 플로리다에 사는 한 학생의 어머니 테니카 존스씨는 조이스블럭 초등학교 교장이 심하게 매질을 하여 그녀의 아들(5)이 천식발작을 일으켰다고 밝혔다. 언론과의 만난 존스씨는 “그것은 나에게는 아동학대에 해당한다”고 말했다. “그들이 우리가 아이들은 때리는 것을 원하지 않는다면 그들 또한 하지 말아야 한다.” 이 체벌 소식은 많은 사람들이 미국학교에 아직 체벌이 있다는 것을 알지 못하면서 전국적인 관심을 불렀다.

jhan@koreatimes.co.kr