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From: linda@amdcad.UUCP (Linda Seltzer)
Newsgroups: net.kids,net.legal,net.politics
Subject: Re: corporal punishment in schools
Message-ID: <3836@amdcad.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 11-Sep-85 23:49:46 EDT
Article-I.D.: amdcad.3836
Posted: Wed Sep 11 23:49:46 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 12-Sep-85 11:30:56 EDT
References: <2149T3B@psuvm> <378@scirtp.UUCP>
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Summary: more effective then spanking ...

In article <378@scirtp.UUCP>, ned@scirtp.UUCP (Ned Robie) writes:
> Anyone that spanks or paddles my kid in school or anywhere without
> my permission is going to incur my wrath, I don't care what the reason.
> 
> One of my most difficult responsibilities as a parent is knowing when to
> inflict physical punishment upon my children.  It is certainly a
> responsibility that I would never entrust to strangers or even our closest
> friends.
> 
> -- Ned Robie

I agree with you completely.  Perhaps it may be effective to spank a
very young infant for doing something which might be physically dangerous,
like trying to chew on wires or touch a hot vent from a heater.
But when the children are older - I don't think spanking is the
most effective approach, and it is unnecessarily and gratuitously
violent.  Some of my friends have been quite effective in raising their
children using explanations:  if you behave in such and such manner,
then nobody will want to associate with you, nobody will listen to
you or take you seriously, etc.  Unless there is a serious problem,
one has to assume that children *want* to learn the best way to
relate to the people around them, and they are certainly not equipped to
know how to handle situations by themselves.  If there is a serious
problem, then professional help, and not spanking, is in order.