The issue of an Principal spanking a child. Would you allow it or not?

I don't know what I would do. Things are so different today than when I was a child and in school. When I went to school the principal was allowed to give us a STRAP. It was a ruler that he/she slapped our hand with a couple times. It hurt like hell and so we listened to our teachers and were good in school because we didn't want to get sent to the office to get a strap. It happened to me once and never again was I bad. Then when my children were in school it was simular only the strap was a leather strap and that hurt even more, I'm sure, so my kids knew this and they were good and never had to have one. But now and for the last 10 years, maybe more, they aren't allowed to give the strap anymore. I am not sure if that is a good thing or not. I have a couple girlfriends that are teachers and the kids are so bad there is not a thing they can do about it. All they can do is suspend the child but in my opinion, that is just a holiday for the child to not have to go to school for a couple days or whatever. So I am undecided about this subject. All I know is I feel sorry for the teachers.

Absolutely not! And I've never heard of that question being asked when a child enrolls in school. Are you presenting a hypothetical situation or are you saying you've actually filled out one of these green cards before? I would never allow the school to spank my children - I don't even spank them. I believe in what I feel are more constructive ways of teaching children and disciplining them. I'm not criticizing people who do use spanking as a tool for discipline - I'm sure that when used properly, it can be effective. However, I would never agree with a school taking on that role.

I don't have children so maybe I shouldn't comment but I am anyway,.... I am in two minds as I was a good kid and never was spanked, a look and a word was enough for me but then I see what some kids are like and i can see they are out of control but does spanking do any good, is spanking a form of violence, I think maybe a bit of a tap maybe ok but I am not really sure which way I would go if i had kids, it is a hard one that.

Absolutely not. I don't believe kids should be hit so I wouldn't want anyone to hit my kid. Its a great question,and one that I hope will never be more then theoretical here in the states.

As far as anyone else but my family members, no. As far as the school, heck no! I'm my daughter's parent and I decide what punishments fit the crime. In some schools, being tardy to class results in a spanking. There are times when a child has to be late to class (a young woman getting her period for instance) and she has to run to the nurse's office to get some sort of pad or tampon. A child should not be spanked then. My DD isn't in school yet, but if the school offers us the chance to back out of spankings, I will. I was spanked as a child and even growing up and going to school, my parents always declined the option of spanking at school. I never got into that much trouble to warrant a spanking, but my brother did and let's just say, the punishment would have been easier on him to get the spanking rather than come home and face my parents.

If my children misbehave, the school knows that they are to call me. Of course, they made it illegal around here when I was in the 7th or so grade for the faculty to paddle the children. I graduated in 1996. Anyway, they made it illegal because a couple of special-ed teachers at one of the elementary schools (actually, it was the one I went to) were paddling the mentally handicapped children. And the principal was allowing it. They never told the parents of the children. I remember sitting in my 4th grade classroom listening to those poor kids across the hall getting literally yelled at and paddled VERY hard. Someone finally told the parents and the school board when one of the kids went home with marks on his backside. None of those people will ever teach again. Anyway, to answer your question, I don't allow ANYONE to punish my children but my parents (who help me with them) and myself. I am a single mom, so I don't have to worry about their father. He's too busy with his new family to care about mine, which is fine with me.

I really don't think that spanking could help discipline a child. I never spank my son at all. All are verbal reprimands. For a schools that does that I would not enroll my son more so my daughter because I think they are giving false impression to my children that spanking is the right way to discipline them. I really do not think that way at all.

I would not allow a principle to spank my child. That is not their job to discipline a child in that way. To many times also the spanking can get out of hand. I also believe that there is other ways to take care of disciplining a child than spanking. If the child has misbehaved that badly than the parent needs to be contacted and told to come in. I am a firm believer of using altenative ways of discipline. So I would not allow a principal to paddle my child. No Way.

This actually became an issue back in the '80s when I was in high school. The kids were given the choice of swats or suspension if they got in trouble. I got in trouble a few times...the first time I took suspension and got in more trouble at home b/c of it the second time I opted for the swats figuring it would be no big deal. Let's just say, never again. After that it was suspension only. When my younger brothers were in school years later some of the schools had a card that the parents had to sign saying whether or not the principal could give swats. My Mom always signed it no thankfully. I don't think it's the principals place to be giving swats...I think that if a kid gets in trouble then they need to be suspended or get detention...if it keeps up or is too serious then they need to be expelled. [b]**AT PEACE WITHIN** ~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~[/b]

Absolutely Not! I had very strict criteria for spanking my children and when a teacher almost spanked my son for sloppy handwriting I was livid! I must say I am surprised at all the states where it is illegal for the schools to spank or where they ask you up front. Here in my state of Arkansas you have to tell them you do not want them paddled, they sure do not tell you up front you have that option though.

I would NOT allow the school to physically touch my child at all. They are there to teach them not discipline them, except in extreme circumstances. Discipline is for the parents. I think it's crazy for them to even have a questionnaire like that.

Hello my friend cream97 Ji, In fact, personally I would allow as I think Principal would do, what I would have done. Children requires corrections at all stages. I would have to believe Principal at School. There have been lot many controversies. I would request you to read following from : http://www.microtech.com.au/balfour/Lectures/Issues/Spanking.htm [b]"Is Spanking A Form Of Child Abuse? by Ian Coker In particular, the disciplining of children is a work that must be done regardless of the dispensation in which we live. It does not matter if we live at a time when we worship God through the Mosaic sacrificial system or in the time when we worship God through Christ, children still come into the world the way they always have, and have to be equipped to face the trials of the world as they always have needed. Paul makes a specific application of an Old Testament principle in the area of child-rearing in Eph. 6:1-3. We may also notice such verses as James 3:6; 1 Pet. 1:15,16 which illustrate this principle, and what can we say of the Hebrew writer who illustrates faith in the memorable eleventh chapter by highlighting a series of Old Testament characters. You see, God’s nature doesn’t change and neither does the essential human nature. And so it is with profit that we read the practical wisdom of the book of Proverbs."[/b] May God bless you and have a great time.

Definitely not. It's against the law here anyway. I would hope I would raise a child that would not require spanking by a school principal or anyone else, but it is not anyone's place to strike a child that is not their own. It is questionable at best whether or not it is even appropriate to spank a child who is actually related to you.

I would not allow this. I believe in other forms of punishment. Like grounding and chores. This is my opinion. I think violence encourages violence. I think we can punish our children in better more effective ways.

Well, I'd definitely say NO. I always disagree with spanking the child, I don't think parents should do that to the kids too. First of all, I don't think spanking the kids will help them to learn and understand what they should or should not do. I guess most of us have been hit by our parents, but do we really accept it happily and learn from it? As for myself, I didn't. So, why should we spank our children? I think spanking is not an effective way to teach our children. And it may even bring some bad effects to them.

I am too old to have school age children.......I have grandchildren in school, but I would allow it. I spanked my own children and spank my grandchildren now. I also taught school for 30 years, and until they forbade us, I did use a paddle at work. I found that giving the students a spanking did work. It needs to be used correctly and it does eliminate certain behaviors. We had to have another teacher witness the paddling and there weren't too many cases that the child was paddled a second time. I think that one of the reasons that children are so unruly now is that parents feel that they aren't allowed to discipline them in a way that they should and the schools definitely have little power to discipline since the homes aren't. I am not saying that spanking is the answer to all the problems, but it does work for some of the misbehaviors that students show in school if it is done in the proper way.

No I would not as I never spank my children myself. I would never give anyone else permission to do it. Here in the UK teachers are not allowed to spank a child as it would be considered abuse and they would lose their job over it.

I wouldn't want anyone at school to hit my kids (if I had any or do have in the future). I wouldn't be able to trust anyone to use that sort of responsibility and there is no way that I would know that my child deserved to be spanked in the first place.

That is not legal where I live and if you come to my school and even attempt to spank your child they will call the authorities.

well now im dating myself..but when i was a child going to school in second session which was 2pm to 8pm ..in kentucky..first grade..iwas spanked several times by a teacher..and back then it was both a teacher or principal who could do the spanking they called it corpral punchment then...im the 4th of nine children so we were trouble :) but no i would not allow anyone to spank my son...all i know is i dont think i should have been subject to spankings daily...and no my mother or father werent called to say i was spanked.but i know our principal had a hickory board with wholes drilled in it and he had wrote ( board of education ) on it ...and he would walk the halls with it... but when i was married and we moved to elpaso texas the schools there had what they called the padded room ..for outta control student..and they would place them in it tl they calmed down...i didnt sign fo my son to be put in it either.