Skip to main content

Does corporal punishment take place in schools in the US?

Corporal punishment in the U.S. is still legal in 19 states (as of 2014; it was banned in 2009 in Ohio and New Mexico in 2011), though that does not mean that the practice is widely employed in the states that allow it. A state like Texas employs corporal punishment more frequently than others. Most of the states that allow the practice are located in the South, with states like Idaho, Wyoming, Indiana, Arizona and others...

Corporal punishment in the U.S. is still legal in 19 states (as of 2014; it was banned in 2009 in Ohio and New Mexico in 2011), though that does not mean that the practice is widely employed in the states that allow it. A state like Texas employs corporal punishment more frequently than others. Most of the states that allow the practice are located in the South, with states like Idaho, Wyoming, Indiana, Arizona and others on the list as well.


Corporal punishment allows teachers and principals to hit students, often repeatedly, and often without the consent of parents. The punishment is often used as an alternative to detention, though corporal punishment can be used in addition to detention.


There is great controversy surrounding the practice of corporal punishment, with many behavioral professionals and those in the field of human psychology insisting that any physical punishment, whether in the home or at school, teaches the child that violence is an acceptable form of human interaction. Psychologists like the late Alice Miller and many others consider any physical punishment of children as abusive and ultimately damaging to the child's sense of safety and well-being, and claim the practice does not serve as an effective deterrent of bad behavior, but in fact leads to further unwanted behavioral issues.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...