In Memphis, a Battle Won, the Paddle Lost (Banning Corporal Punishment)

ATLANTA — The Memphis City School Board has voted to ban corporal punishment in the public schools, forcing teachers to replace the traditional wood paddle with tools like mental health support, problem-solving teams and more recognition for students who perform well.

The 5-4 vote late Monday ends years of debate over paddling in Memphis, Tenn., one of the last big-city school systems in the nation to allow it.

Supt. Carol Johnson began reviewing the use of corporal punishment when she arrived in Memphis last year, and found that staff routinely were violating district policy, sometimes using paddling as punishment for untucked uniforms or athletic underperformance. Johnson has proposed a "blue ribbon behavior initiative" to fill the vacuum when the paddling stops.

"She wants to put things in place that will encourage students to make the right choices without someone standing over them with a paddle," said Vincent McCaskill, a spokesman for the Memphis schools. \
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=6&u=/latimests/20041124/ts_latimes/inmemphisabattlewonthepaddlelost

They've still had this going on?

The same ratio that voted to exclude evolutionary theory from the books in favor of creationism?

I live in Memphis, and my oldest is two years away from school. I'm very happy to hear about this.

And, yes, a lot of places still have corporal punishment in the public schools. Barbaric, isn't it?

It's in private schools too. Not paddling but other methods. Went to CBHS.

But I live in an area out in the suburbs that was annexed, and I'm not very close to the city proper. I've lived in the Memphis area for 6 years, so I didn't go to school here. I know where CBHS is, though. Was it a good school? We haven't decided where we're sending our kids, if we still live in this area when they start. We're thinking of going the Catholic school route.

route if I had it to do again. Unfortunately, they instituted a mandatory drug test policy for all kids going to enroll there. This happened a fews years I graduated which was in '98.

NOT how to treat American citizens.

but banned in the district where I teach - thank goodness.

Dolphin trainers are more humane than those 4 that voted to keep paddling.

Thats rude. We arent inbred. Many of us voted for kerry. And btw timeouts dont always work. We have an entire generation grown up with timeouts and never losing a contest. How well did that touchy feely crap work?

I would visit with teachers in beginning of year and let 'em know, you touch my child I'll be right in to teach you a similar lesson.

I don't hit my kids and I won't let some lazy-ass teacher do it either.

Julie

in Barlett, 1982, and they paddled us back then....AND Believe me I had my fair share..:)....many, many times..heheheheheh

Why paddle, when you can call the local Polizei to come in and slap the TAZER to the lil' darlin'.....<grumble>

That way, the ball's in the Police Commisioner's lap.

:kick:

I mean, this figures prominently into at least 10% of the sexual fantasies of men on the liberal left...

...or at least mine.