When you were a child, did your school principal sometimes paddle students who misbehaved? Or were youngsters slapped with an open hand or struck with a strap or ruler at school?
Physical punishment remains a part of the disciplinary policy of many schools, sanctioned by laws in twenty-three states. At least 470,000 students were subjected to corporal punishment during the 1993-94 school year, according to the most recent statistics available.
Nevertheless, studies consistently show that physical punishment of school-age children is not effective. The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that corporal punishment can actually have a negative influence upon a child's self-image and thus interfere with his academic achievement. Punishment does not teach more appropriate behavior or self-discipline and may even cause a youngster to behave more aggressively and violently. Antisocial behavior is lowest among children who have never been spanked.
In a very limited number of circumstances a principal or other school official may need to physically restrain a student to protect that child or other students from physical injury or to prevent property damage. The Academy is working to encourage school boards and legislatures to ban corporal punishment in the schools of all states and to adopt alternative approaches for managing student behavior.