Re: [Phys-L] Does anyone doubt that someone is Politicallybaiting...

["John Clement" <clement@hal-pc.org>]

In the 1950s corporal punishment was allowed in NY State, where I grew up.
And the 5th grade teacher used it.  She would turn you over in her lap and
spank the back of your lower leg, with as I recall a ruler.

In all of the Southern states corporal punishment is allowed and it may have
to be administered formally by the principal with the approved paddle.  I
think in TX that the parent may have to authorize it.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0934191.html
Gives a breakdown by state fr this practice.  Mississippi has the largest %
at 7.5 of students administered this punishment, while TX has the greatest
total and is exceeded by only 6 in percentage.  The states are all Southern,
some Western, and some Middle Western.  It was only outlawed in Mass in 1971
with most states outlawing it in the late 80s and early 90s with PA in 2005
being the last.  This correlates very strongly with **** and religious
affiliations.

But overall the prevalence of violence and barbaric punishments has been
going down.  From the high point when Vlad Tepes engaged in impaling (it was
done to live victims) and the Ottomans dunked people inch by inch in boiling
oil, the violence has been decreasing.  The S. States have always been much
more violent than the rest of the country.

Unfortunately the decrease in violence has also come with a bit of
twinkiness about touching.  The sense of touch is one of the most important
ones and can be used as part of the educational process.  It is also an
important means of communication.  There was a study where they found that
waiters who touched their patrons got bigger tips.  I assume this was done
"accidentally" and they didn't give the patrons shoulder rubs.  I wonder if
it works with students?

So the practice of corporal punishment is alive and well in 20% of the
country and is only banned in 1/3 of the country.  I suspect it is done in
the balance of the states, but infrequently and surrepticiously.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX


> At 00:05 -0500 2/7/12, John Clement wrote:
> > There is no need for corporal punishment in schools.  I 
> think you will find
> > that the states that allow it tend to be lower in educational
> accomplishment.
>
>
> So you are saying that teachers are still officially allowed to hit 
> children in some states as a deliberate act of punishment? And that 
> is sanctioned as part of educative process? As a school teacher I 
> would have been suspended, and probably sacked and unlikely to get 
> another job, if I had hit my students.