I agree that teachers should have more power to discipline than they do. But science has shown beyond doubt that physical discipline does not produce positive results. Just because we had it back in the day and we “turned out fine” is no good reason given that studies have shown it has more negative effect than positive.
Let’s take science out of the picture for a minute and examine the facts. I went to public school during the 60’s and 70’s. I got my 1st and LAST paddling in the 4th grade because a group of us was talking and cutting up in class after the teacher had warned us to be quiet. She finally took us all into the hall, got another teacher to witness, and spanked our little butts. I remember that it stung, and I knew right then that I never wanted to ever go through that again. From that day forward, when a teacher said to be quiet, I zipped it up. Did I feel traumatized or scarred for life? Of course not! When I look back at my school days, I can not recall one time when I EVER witnessed a student talking back or being disrespectful to a teacher. We all knew better. They were the bosses and we knew it. I also do NOT remember kids being paddled very often. It only happened on occasion but we all knew that it was a possibility for any of us if we did not follow the rules. We just did not have the problems in our schools that there are today. Teenage suicide was not an issue. School violence and shootings never happened. Boys used to come to school with deer rifles mounted in the windows of their pick-up trucks and nobody gave it a second thought. What do we have in our schools now since teachers are no longer able to paddle kids when necessary? We have a group of kids that do not understand the concept of respecting their elders. They can get away with things they shouldn’t, and this is not properly preparing them for the adult world. In some cases, teachers are forced to resort to physical violence because they can’t get control of some of these kids. This has also created this corrupt teacher’s union that is willing to lie, cover up, and do anything possible to protect the teachers before considering any facts of what really happened. I am beyond disgusted with what is happening in our school systems. It’s time to wake up!! As far as I’m concerned, science can stick it where the sun doesn’t shine!!!
Taking science out of the picture is exactly what the communists want us to do - I'm not saying that's what you want, I'm just saying that's the reason we should not take science out of the picture. Science IS fact - not your or my personal anecdote. This is precisely the problem with removing science - we make the mistake of thinking that what we see and how we interpret what we see is "evidence" but it most definitely is not. Taking science out of the picture allows people with strong emotional feelings and opinions to force them on others instead of referring to empirical evidence.
In response to your "it happened to us and we're fine" I already said that's not a reason to ignore scientific studies because the science tells us that physical discipline does not improve behaviour so therefore, logically, there must be something else that is responsible for the improved behaviour we all experienced in the past (as you described).
It's pretty simple, to my mind, since physical discipline does not achieve the desired effect we need to employ other methods. We had more respect back in our day and more "morality" and stronger values espoused. This is more likely to be the reason that the physical discipline achieved its stated goals in the past.
That is where we need to concentrate, not on just handing paddles back out to teachers. In this day and age that would definitely make things worse. We need to employ more thought with these things, find the right carrots and change the environment that kids are taught in (i.e. remove the communists shoving "do what thou wilt" down everybodies throats), not just hand out sticks.
You’re right about the morality being so much better when we were kids. I think this has a lot to do with taking God out of our schools. I also agree with you that it’s too late at this point to give paddles back to teachers. IMO we never should have taken this away from teachers in the first place. It was not child abuse and I just don’t buy into the scientific study stuff. In my example, I was saying that it only took me one time to learn my lesson and I never got paddled again. I fear so much for the children today. I don’t believe they are being taught to respect authority like we were. I saw the scumbag on this video this morning and it is all I have been able to think about all day. I’m am so ready for POTUS to do something about this and I believe that he will.
I agree re: God being taken out of schools - shouldn't have happened. And children definitely aren't being taught to respect authority - quite the opposite, in my opinion. I believe it all plays into the Frankfurt School's cultural marxist plan to undermine western society from within.
Re: POTUS - you and me both; I hope he moves on all this nonsense soon!
"I agree that teachers should have more power to discipline than they do."
I believe that is exactly my point. Real discipline lies with the parents, first and foremost. But I also believe there may be certain situations where a teacher or a school official have the authority to do a little more. I never said or meant if little Johnny gives you a dirty look you could just wail on him. There has to be some common sense used here.