The Dimbulb's Duh-lemma

http://www.kansas.com/mld/eagle/livi...n/16397193.htm

Posted on Sat, Jan. 06, 2007

Proposal would give immunity to schools that spank

BY DION LEFLER
The Wichita Eagle

One Kansas senator thinks that a quarter-inch of pine might be part of
the solution to school disciplinary problems.

Sen. Phil Journey, R-Wichita, plans to introduce a bill on Monday that
would shield educators from legal liability for administering corporal
punishment to students.

"From what I've seen and what I've been told by teachers and parents,
we need to bring some order to schools, particularly middle schools,"
Journey said.

Kansas doesn't have a law forbidding corporal punishment, but many
schools have banned it because of concerns they could be sued, Journey
said.

Under his bill, "local school boards would still have the option of
allowing or not allowing corporal punishment," he said.

In addition, the bill would mandate that parents would have to
authorize the school to spank their child.

Journey said his own experience in school makes him think that a
credible threat of corporal punishment would have a moderating effect
on misbehavior, even if it is seldom used.

"I came close a couple times," he said. "Believe me, I straightened
up."

Journey can expect some opposition.

Rep. Geraldine Flaharty, D-Wichita, said she thinks Journey's proposal
is unnecessary because almost all Kansas school districts have moved
beyond spanking as a means of punishment.

Flaharty, a retired teacher with 36 years of classroom experience, said
once the spanking starts, it's hard to keep it under control.

"Discipline is very important, but there are better methods than
hitting kids," she said.

Nine states -- Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Maine,
Mississippi, Texas and Wyoming -- have laws similar to the one Journey
is proposing, according to the Center for Effective Discipline, a
national anti-spanking organization.

Twenty-eight states ban corporal punishment and seven states, Kansas
included, have no specific state law addressing the topic.

Diane Gjerstad, the lobbyist for the Wichita school district, said
district officials have not yet seen Journey's proposal.

But she said she thinks it might be a solution in search of a problem.

USD 259, the state's largest district, already bans corporal
punishment, and Gjerstad said she doesn't sense any groundswell of
interest in bringing it back.

"I think there are other options educators have now to keep kids on the
straight and narrow," she said.

At present, most school discipline focuses on revoking privileges from
kids who misbehave, she said.

In serious cases, punishments can escalate to suspensions or expulsion.

Gjerstad said the school district has gone to great lengths to teach
students that violence against teachers is unacceptable.

It would be "a bit of a mixed message" if the teachers were allowed to
hit the students, she said.

Journey, however, said he thinks there are enough safeguards in his
proposal to keep school spanking from getting out of hand.

"The parent has to proactively say 'yes' (to spanking). The default
position is 'no,' " Journey said. "I trust educators to use good
judgment; they do it every day. This would just give them another tool
in their toolbox."

Reach Dion Lefler at 316-268-6527.

© 2007 Wichita Eagle and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.kansas.com

Of course a proposal giving immunity to schools and educators that spank
children is appalling! However, I find it interesting that Journey
would honor parents' refusal to allow their child to be corporally
punished. If corporal punishment is such a fantastic idea with so many
proven long and short term benefits (grin), why given parents the right
to decide? After all, there is no other way to return to law and order
in our schools without some good and hard hitting. This is especially
effective with middle school students -- guess those kids will never
decide they deserve respect or retaliate against those enlightened
educators that preach no violence with the helpful tool of a
"quarter-inch of pine!"

Good grief!

LaVonne

0:- wrote:
http://www.kansas.com/mld/eagle/livi...n/16397193.htm

Posted on Sat, Jan. 06, 2007

Proposal would give immunity to schools that spank

BY DION LEFLER
The Wichita Eagle

One Kansas senator thinks that a quarter-inch of pine might be part of
the solution to school disciplinary problems.

Sen. Phil Journey, R-Wichita, plans to introduce a bill on Monday that
would shield educators from legal liability for administering corporal
punishment to students.

"From what I've seen and what I've been told by teachers and parents,
we need to bring some order to schools, particularly middle schools,"
Journey said.

Kansas doesn't have a law forbidding corporal punishment, but many
schools have banned it because of concerns they could be sued, Journey
said.

Under his bill, "local school boards would still have the option of
allowing or not allowing corporal punishment," he said.

In addition, the bill would mandate that parents would have to
authorize the school to spank their child.

Journey said his own experience in school makes him think that a
credible threat of corporal punishment would have a moderating effect
on misbehavior, even if it is seldom used.

"I came close a couple times," he said. "Believe me, I straightened
up."

Journey can expect some opposition.

Rep. Geraldine Flaharty, D-Wichita, said she thinks Journey's proposal
is unnecessary because almost all Kansas school districts have moved
beyond spanking as a means of punishment.

Flaharty, a retired teacher with 36 years of classroom experience, said
once the spanking starts, it's hard to keep it under control.

"Discipline is very important, but there are better methods than
hitting kids," she said.

Nine states -- Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Maine,
Mississippi, Texas and Wyoming -- have laws similar to the one Journey
is proposing, according to the Center for Effective Discipline, a
national anti-spanking organization.

Twenty-eight states ban corporal punishment and seven states, Kansas
included, have no specific state law addressing the topic.

Diane Gjerstad, the lobbyist for the Wichita school district, said
district officials have not yet seen Journey's proposal.

But she said she thinks it might be a solution in search of a problem.

USD 259, the state's largest district, already bans corporal
punishment, and Gjerstad said she doesn't sense any groundswell of
interest in bringing it back.

"I think there are other options educators have now to keep kids on the
straight and narrow," she said.

At present, most school discipline focuses on revoking privileges from
kids who misbehave, she said.

In serious cases, punishments can escalate to suspensions or expulsion.

Gjerstad said the school district has gone to great lengths to teach
students that violence against teachers is unacceptable.

It would be "a bit of a mixed message" if the teachers were allowed to
hit the students, she said.

Journey, however, said he thinks there are enough safeguards in his
proposal to keep school spanking from getting out of hand.

"The parent has to proactively say 'yes' (to spanking). The default
position is 'no,' " Journey said. "I trust educators to use good
judgment; they do it every day. This would just give them another tool
in their toolbox."

Reach Dion Lefler at 316-268-6527.

© 2007 Wichita Eagle and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.kansas.com