August 20, 2008

Priorities

According to CNN, human rights organizations are reporting that more than 200,000 children were spanked or paddled in U.S. schools during the past year. My own state of Texas leads the pack, with 48,197 students. Well, of course it does.

Now, we can have the discussion about the morality and effectiveness of hitting kids if you like. I'm always ready for that topic, after all. I am very encouraged by the fact that the numbers are down, and that a number of states and school districts have outlawed corporal punishment altogether.

But one line in this report jumped out at me, hiding about halfway down.

In addition, special education students with mental or physical disabilities were more likely to receive corporal punishment, according to the ACLU and Human Rights Watch.

Even if you're one of the people who think that hitting a child is a good way to discipline and to educate, or perhaps especially if you believe that, I'd like you to stop for just a moment and think about that. I'd like for you to close your eyes and imagine how that scene might unfold.

Meanwhile, what's the topic of the most vocal outcry from disability advocates of late? The use of the word "retard" in a movie.

I don't know. To my thinking, those priorities seem sort of, well, you know. There's probably a word for it. I'm sure you can think of one.

38 comments:

Lauri said...

I had no idea that they still spanked in schools. Talk about eye opening

k2 said...

I'm with Lauri - I had no ideal spanking and the likes there of was allowed in schools, let alone in classrooms where children with special needs were being taught.

Thanks for informing us!
k2

kate said...

My husband and I were just discussing this - I can't even tell you how much of a fit I would throw if someone hit my child at school. I would try to press assault charges.

Lee Ann Thill said...

That's very discouraging - and especially troubling that it's happening to disabled kids. As someone who works with children providing mental health services, I just see no good ever coming from that.

Anonymous said...

I remember being taken to the principal's office in the third grade and being paddled with something akin to what is used to play cricket. I was wearing a jumper that didn't give me a lot of protection when I was asked to bend over the desk. I remember this incident because, to this day, no one could explain what it was I supposedly did wrong. I was and extremely articulate and capable child. If I couldn't make myself understood, how could someone with a challenging disability?

Robin said...

Wow I thought school spankings were a part of history. (I still talk of these times to my children to explain how much harder I had it as a child.) But hitting a disabled child, locking one into an "isolation" room? How can this be right?

Liz Brooks said...

Without condoning it, I might see why disabled kids are in a higher percentage bracket, there.

I don't believe in spankings, but twice in my daughter's five years, I have delivered a punitive smack on her behind. And the common ground between those two occasions? She was being stubborn the way only a toddler can be stubborn; I was already stressed out when she started acting up; and there were no other adults present who could take over her care while I cooled down.

Now, if you're a caregiver for a disabled kid, your baseline stress level is going to be significantly higher than it would be otherwise, and the amount of "time off" you can take to diffuse your frustration and work for perspective may well be lower. If you include the possibility that some mental disabilities may keep those kids in that hideously frustrating toddler-ish state of mental and social development for years longer than normal kids -- that's a hell of a lot of pent-up frustration.

So no, while I don't think spanking is the right answer, I can still see why it happens, and I can see, sadly, why it might happen to disabled kids a little more often.

Kelly said...

Meanwhile, what's the topic of the most vocal outcry from disability advocates of late? The use of the word "retard" in a movie.

I don't know. To my thinking, those priorities seem sort of, well, you know. There's probably a word for it. I'm sure you can think of one.


I'll say it... those priorities are retarded! ;)

As for corporal punishment being used on special needs kids, I recall some report last year about a facility in New York that was under fire for using corporal punishment on the special needs kids. In particular they "strapped down" the kids that couldn't be controlled and those that posed a physical threat to others. Many agree the binding was equal to torture.

I wonder if people would feel the same if they knew that my daughter's school used binders on her arms to keep her from biting herself and pulling out her hair. To me, the binders are necessary and acceptable given the self inflicted injuries they try to prevent. Could some one view that as corporal punishment in school? Yes, perhaps. I feel as long as it is done with my permission and with my daughter's best interest, then it should be acceptable.

I just wanted to throw that idea out there, because when you think "corporal punishment used on special needs kids", you think of kids getting paddled. When really, it could be the interpretation of what is being done to the child in that particular setting. And sometimes, it may not be true "corporal punishment", as is the case with my child.

theshe said...

Holy crap - schools in my area stopped paddling when I was five years old, and I'm now 26! I can't believe this is still done!

Jeanine said...

So....children with cognitive disabilities and children who use wheelchairs....may need a whuppin' from time to time?

oy vey.

WriterGrrl said...

And on a lighter note, that movie was really, really funny.

Anonymous said...

I don't know. To my thinking, those priorities seem sort of, well, you know. There's probably a word for it. I'm sure you can think of one.

How about "fucked up" priorities?
I thought of two words for it....

Anonymous said...

I don't know. To my thinking, those priorities seem sort of, well, you know. There's probably a word for it. I'm sure you can think of one.

How about "fucked up" priorities?
I thought of two words for it....

Anonymous said...

Sorry about that double posting. Apparently my computer has some priorities of its own...

Anonymous said...

Their priorities are also "whacked". Heh.

I'm a teacher in Washington and it floors me that corporal punishment is legal. My ass would get fired so fast I'd hardly know what hit me (puns intended).

I was spanked as a child and refuse to spank as a parent (or teacher, obviously!). I choose to be an example of the fact that violence is NEVER the way to address ANY problem.

~Leah
my pink toes

Galen said...

This is a sore point for me, as I will never forget my outrage when the principal at my son's school paddled him. My son (three years old at the time) had a tendency to out of control rages due to his traumatic brain injury...which was the result of horrific abuse. I was dumbfounded when the principal called me to report that he had paddled Marcus. I asked the principal if he was aware of Marcus' history. His answer, in a Gomer Pyle sort of accent, was, "Well, I didn't BEAT him...har-har." Later in his elementary career, the school threatened to "third party" him, ie, get the police involved. He was in second or third grade at the time. Is it any wonder that I eventually took Marcus out of public school to homeschool him...and his PTSD evaporated?

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the perspective. Here I was getting caught up in the anti-Stiller buzz. We've got bigger fish to fry.

Anonymous said...

I have a three year old that is as full of mischief as any little girl I know, but the idea of hitting her in any way, shape or form has never even crossed my mind. I can't imagine the fallout if I ever found out that a teacher spanked or paddled her. I would surely need for you to help in my bail money raising efforts. As for anyone using corporal punishment on those who need the most patience and understanding, that is just beyond reproach. There is no excuse for spanking a child. Ever. Period.

Anonymous said...

I live in Tennessee, where paddling is still allowed in public schools. My older daughter moved to private this year and I haven't seen mention of paddling in the handbook.
To paraphrase the handbook of the public school my 8 year old daughter attends: "Corporal punishment/paddling is only administered after less stringent measures have failed; parents will be contacted prior to paddling; paddling shall be reasonable;will be in proportion to the gravity of the offense & apparent disposition of the offender; consideration given to age, gender, size, physical & emotional condition of the child."
My children don't behave in a manner that would warrant paddling but if they did I wouldn't authorize it.
Thrity-odd years ago when I was in elementary school, teachers were not required to inform parents beforehand, and it wasn't until I was in junior high that a teacher was required to inform a parent after the fact. There were 2 3rd grade teachers in my school who would line up the entire class for a paddling. It was a good thing I didn't have either teacher because my mom wouldn't have enjoyed spending a night in jail for kicking that teacher's behind.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you. The protests are the best thing that could have happened to the movie in question. Without them, it would have been forgotten in a month. With the outcry over the terrible, terrible R word thousands of adolescent boys will be lining up to see it.
I saw video footage of some of the protesters and they looked more concerned with in waving their signs correctly than outraged over being called you-know-whats.
Instead of trying to eradicate a word it would be better to teach kids how to respond when they are called that word.
The lack of priorities is shocking. Children are being beaten. In school. And it's ignored while parents of "special" kids get their panties in a bunch over a word. I call that retarded.

Anonymous said...

Back when I was in junior high in Texas (like 20 years ago, gah), we used to go on a long distance run in athletics. There was this one place that if you cut through this field, you could probably cut off maybe 1/4 mile from the run. I didn't try it the first few times we ran but after a few times I finally tried it. Unfortunately that was the day the coach decided to drive by to make sure no one was cheating. Nine of us got caught.

We were given a choice, pops or running laps after school for a week. All of us wanted pops (get it over with quick), but we had to get a permission slip signed by your parents saying which option you would get. My mom was totally against me getting paddled. So the next day, one by one, all the other boys went into his office and came out rubbing their butts with that "yow that stings but I'm a tough guy and won't let it show" look on their faces. It was almost a rite of passage. When it was my turn, I gave the coach my slip. He looked at the paper, looked at me, shrugged, and said to meet him after school.

I got to spend the next week fending off "why didn't you get pops? Are you a wuss? Why didn't you just forge your mom's signature? Are you scared of pops?" After school I got to have people watch, point, and laugh as I ran around the track. Yeah, that was real fun.

I'm a parent now (7 mo. old daughter) and I would be absolutely furious if someone tried to spank her. I also can't think of any reason to spank disabled children. But thinking back to that time in 8th grade, I would have loved to get paddled.

Azul said...

I don't get it. I don't smack my husband when he annoys me, or doesn't do what I ask.

I don't grab my mom and shake her around when she's walking too slowly to suit me.

Why, oh why, would I do that to my child?

Guess I'll be asking about discipline methods when Chico goes back to Pre-K next week.

Jerry Critter said...

You hit upon one of my pet peeves. The important priorities are not discussed. Maybe they are too complex for the general public -- but I don't think so. Issues that stir up people rise to the top, like the word "retard" rather than the more general problem of how we treat the disabled, be it mental or physical. Protesting the use of "retard" gets press, but does it advance the cause or just get peoples names in the news? Me thinketh it is the latter.

Jenn said...

A family member of ours lives in Georgia and the teachers told her she needed to give them permission to paddle her 5 yr old or pull him from school. She gave them the permission. I can't even imagine a teacher here in NH attempting to spank a kid. They'd be in court so fast!

Annie B. said...

You've hit on one of my pet peeve areas as well. I think that every teacher and administrator should be required to read "The Out-of Sync Child" or at least sit through a teacher in-service on sensory integration issues. I used to watch this when my now 19 year old daughter was in elementary school. One boy in particular would get sent to the principals office on a daily basis because he could not settle down in class. I wish I had had the confidence back then to go to the special ed teacher and say. . ."Hey, can we try an experiment? When Aaron starts to get out of hand in class today, have an aide take him out to shoot some baskets or run with him around the playground. Help him to expend some energy. . .and lets see if he settles down." So many of these kids cannot self-regulate themselves and have no impulse control. . .NOT because they CHOOSE to be this way, but because of a myriad of reasons. . .and often it has to do with something in their sensory system that is askew . . .and there are proven methods to help the body regulate again. But simply telling them to sit down and pay attention is useless. And worse yet, is punishing them for a behavior that a majority of them cannot control. When I would try to bring up SI issues and evaluating my daughter for those, the schools never wanted to address that because they were not "educational issues" and suggested I take that up with our doctor. I think that is short-sighted, because if SI is interfering with Hannah's ability, or Aarons ability or any child's ability to focus and attend to the classwork on hand. . .then it becomes an educational issue.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I too had no idea that corporal punishment was still legal anywhere in the US. I'm a teacher, first in California and now in Arizona, and we're warned over and over about the lawsuits that await from ever laying a finger on a child. The idea of school meting out such punishments, especially to a special-needs child, is frightening. As good-intentioned as schools can be, bureaucracy is always going to make misjudgments and mistakes about individual children.

On the role of spanking by parents, though... I was spanked by my parents as a child and I'm very glad they did so (now, of course, not at the time :-) Their spanking was never in anger... I would be sent to my room, to await whenever my mom felt calm again, then she would go over with me exactly what the behavior was (always something that was disobedience, never an accident), that the spanking was to remind me not to disobey, and that she loved me. After the spanking, she would always be available for a hug whenever I wanted it. I was an argumentative, type-A kid, and saw all other forms of punishment pretty much as a joke (time out? bring it on. No toys? I'll go lay on the couch and just think). Spanking worked for me and never once did I feel threatened or abused. I also understood that it was a parent-child role and didn't think that this meant I could go hit other people. I'm now pregnant with my first and will consider using spanking in the same way, if their personality is such that other consequences are ineffective.

Karen said...

Well this just kinda hacks me off. We're a spanking family when we need to be, but we rarely if ever spank our disabled son. He just doesn't need it, or get it. It's cruel and harsh with him. And schools do it? For shame.

Anonymous said...

I'm in the same boat as a lot of the commenters - I had no idea corporal punishment in schools wasn't against the law everywhere. I'm pretty sure it is up here in Canada and I guess that's why I assumed it would also be that way in the U.S.

Niksmom said...

I totally get the points people are making but have to chime in on the issue of priorities. As long as our "broken" or "special" children continue to be perceived as retarded and people think corporal punishment is the only way to get through it's just a vicious cycle. My protest of using the word "retard" has less to do with hurt feelings than it does the tacit permission it gives others to assume my child (and others) is incapable of feeling, learning, developing talents and interests. And the bullying which generally follows such incongruous thinking —by both adults and children's peers.

Absolutely, I think we need to put an immediate end to corporal punishment in schools. Only then will we make headway in having our educators actually recognize that behaviors are communications; maybe they'll start to try to figure out what the message is and address *that.* Well, in a perfect world anyway...

helen-louise said...

Some of this may come from the fact that it's easy to protest the use of an "offensive" word in a movie. All you need to do is stand outside a few cinemas with signs, maybe write a quick letter to a newspaper, or a 5 minute blog post. Job done. Whereas protesting the use of corporal punishment in schools requires that you do actual research about whether it is used in your state/country, what is meant by "corporal punishment" in your state/country, and how much it's used. I'd expect the amount of effort to be even worse in the US where an apparently simple two-part question of "Is it okay to hit kids or not? Is it still okay if they're disabled?" will get bound up with religion, political affiliation, the constitution, and almost certainly, gun control laws. (To those of us outside the US, it seems that virtually every major internet flame war involving Americans digresses into the Second Amendment, as if it applied universally to the whole planet! While crazy ultra-conservative Qristians pop up with beliefs like beating the hell out of children to install the fear of God into them, which bears no relation to any branch of Christianity we know about. I do feel sorry for all the sane people in your country!).

Essentially, people-in-general are fundamentally lazy. And being an activist takes a lot of energy, doubly so if you are a person of limited energy due to disability. You pick battles that involve little effort, will get press attention, and are easy to win. Because the alternative is to go for something a lot more important, which will also require a lot more effort and arguing. At least by attempting small battles, you might get more people on your side to help spread the load of the bigger battles?

helen-louise said...

Oh yes, and just to give you a laugh - I'm on a medication sold here as Efexor XL (Effexor XR in North America). It's legal for pharmacies to buy their drugs from anywhere in the EU, so I get my prescription in different packaging every time, depending on which supplier was cheapest at the time. As a result I get normal UK Wyeth Efexor XL (boring), generic venlafaxine extended release (extra boring), branded FAXINE with braille on the box for the blind and a happy rainbow for the sighted (inspired), and strangely packaged Wyeth medication from other countries. This means that some months I take Vandral Retard, whereas other months I take Dobupal Retard.

I have retard pills!

Kathi said...

Dark Ages comes to mind.

Anonymous said...

According to human rights organizations, more than 200,000 US school children were spanked or paddled in school in the past year. And a disproportionately high number of these kids were students with physical or mental disabilities...
http://www.confoozled.com/archives/disabled_children_paddled_in_school.php

Anonymous said...

I have to say that while I do not believe in corporal punishment, I do agree with Liz:
"Now, if you're a caregiver for a disabled kid, your baseline stress level is going to be significantly higher than it would be otherwise... that's a hell of a lot of pent-up frustration."

When I began working in a daycare classroom of 3- and 4-year-olds, I was appalled at the way the daycare workers yelled at the kids and were generally mean to several of the 'trouble makers'. But as time wore on, so did the disobedient kids my nerves. I became increasingly quick to snap at a child and lose my temper - we were understaffed, and many of the children in our class had behavioral problems (no intentional PFL there...).

The day I decided to leave my job there was the day I was already waaaaaaay stressed and became so angry with a child throwing a tantrum (who was lashing out at me and other children with anything in her path) that I was shaking. I was genuinely afraid that if someone did not remove her from my room, I was going to hit her.

I am not that kind of person. I am not someone who believes in violence as a solution, nor someone who believes that physically disciplining your child is the way to get things done. But, as Liz said, I can unfortunately see how it can happen when a teacher becomes frustrated with a child, and especially in states where it is legally allowed.

Anonymous said...

If the general is even close to Louisianna law then it's pretty wimpy. In one ISD the school has to notify the parent. The parent signs a wavier and is allowed to administer three licks. This is done in a closed office with a paddle about 3/8" thick by maybe 2-1/2" x 8". No, even this is not apporient for children in special ed setting. However, if the child is in mainstream classes then it should be parents choice.

Heather said...

TOTALLY off-topic, but if you ever want to buy/create a monster for Schuyler... you should check out http://www.missingmonsters.com/site/?page_id=2 it's soo creative and interesting and I thought with your daughter's love of all things monster-ish, this might fit the bill well.

Anonymous said...

I think this is an important issue for advocacy but SO is respectful language. We're the world's largest minority...we don't have to only pick 1 battle at a time.

Robert Hudson said...

Perhaps. But we also make it harder on ourselves when we fight insignificant battles, and I'm sorry, but I believe that this is one of them.