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That was Then, What now? Part Two of Two

© Deborah Jeter

When corporal punishment is allowed, help parents to protect children by informing them about exemptions to corporal punishment that may exist such as written notification or amending the IEP, as well as, what actions parents should take if a child is injured (seeing a physician, contacting child protection authorities and the police, taking color photos of the injury and contacting advocacy organizations).

The Role of School Psychologists School psychologists can take leadership roles in encouraging school districts to ban corporal punishment, if it is allowed, and in helping to develop effective discipline programs. They are trained in identifying learning and behavior problems which often lead to school discipline problems if undiagnosed and untreated. They are trained in developing appropriate programs and interventions for children with learning and behavior problems.

Education programs for parents and teachers which focus on appropriate ways to deal with misbehavior and ways to foster self-discipline can be provided by school psychologists. Other direct services which can be provided by school psychologists include counseling of students and consultation with parents and school staff.

School psychologists can bring to schools research about the development and evaluation of disciplinary codes, social skills training and the effectiveness of alternative discipline methods. School psychologists can bring to educators, the community, and policy makers information about the effects of corporal punishment and the need to eliminate its use.

Summary NASP reaffirms its opposition to the use of corporal punishment in schools because of its harmful physical, educational, psychological and social effects on students. Corporal punishment contributes to the cycle of child abuse and pro-violence attitudes of youth by teaching that it is an acceptable way of controlling the behavior of others.

Discipline is important and effective alternatives are available to help students develop self-discipline. These are primarily instructional in nature rather than punitive. School psychologists provide many direct services to improve discipline of individual children as well as services which improve classroom and schoolwide discipline.

NASP will continue to work actively with other organizations to educate the public and policy makers about the effects of corporal punishment and alternatives to its use and will seek its complete prohibition in schools. - Original Statement Adopted by NASP Delegate

Probably no issue has been such a continuing centre of controversy in education as the use of corporal punishment, and no classroom method has as long a history. For thousands of years the rod or its substitute was the emblem of the teacher, yet today few educational leaders support its use, and those but reluctantly.