Why did spanking/corporal punishment fall out of favor in the West?

[victimofGM]

For those defending the abolition of corporal punishments, look at the state of school discipline today and as yourself if it’s working.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

Done in a controlled manner when a kid was really seriously out of line, it used to be an effective tool for teaching right from wrong.

Maybe it should be banned. After reading all these stories of abuse and actual beatings instead of a rare and controlled spanking, I can understand how easily it can be taken too far.

This. It depends on how it's done, and whether it's used sparingly or becomes chronic by parents with poor parenting skills or who have violent tendencies.

[Andrew in Minnesota]

Originally Posted by victimofGM

For those defending the abolition of corporal punishments, look at the state of school discipline today and as yourself if it’s working.

Whatever goes on in modern schools also correlates with the rise of rock and roll, video games, and malls. Are you sure you want to go with the idea that correlation equals causation?

On the other hand, feel free to examine the corpus of actual scientific studies on the issue, with control groups. Not one or two cherry-picked surveys, but the totality of the research.

Or, if you're really wedded to the supposed link between correlation and causation, you can examine the rates of disciplinary issues in states where corporal punishment in public schools is still legal as well as practiced compared to the situation in states where it is now banned or legal but not used.

I'm not going to do your work for you, but I'm familiar with the statistics. And they do not support your position.

[victimofGM]

Originally Posted by Andrew in Minnesota

Whatever goes on in modern schools also correlates with the rise of rock and roll, video games, and malls. Are you sure you want to go with the idea that correlation equals causation?

On the other hand, feel free to examine the corpus of actual scientific studies on the issue, with control groups. Not one or two cherry-picked surveys, but the totality of the research.

Or, if you're really wedded to the supposed link between correlation and causation, you can examine the rates of disciplinary issues in states where corporal punishment in public schools is still legal as well as practiced compared to the situation in states where it is now banned or legal but not used.

I'm not going to do your work for you, but I'm familiar with the statistics. And they do not support your position.

https://edspace.american.edu/ah4367a...ed-States-.pdf

This seems to be the most well balanced article on the subject. Some studies and articles appear to be written with the agenda that all corporal punishments should be banned and are entirely bad. I’m not an all or nothing person. One issue I always had with paddling in my youth is it shouldn’t be used for any and all infractions nor should it be the only method. I also don’t believe it should be used beyond elementary school. The article showed that suspension can also be detrimental to the student in different ways. Some ways it is detrimental, but not mentioned, is out of school suspension can lead to criminal behavior of the student being home alone and unsupervised. It would be interesting if other factors were considered in these studies such as socioeconomics, parental home life (drugs and alcohol addiction as well as a family culture of criminal activities), and hazardous environment (such as lead poisoning or other environmental exposures that could effect development). As a kid in a 2 parent household with a mom always home, an occasional infraction at school resulting in a ruler to the back of the hand or a few light swats on the bottom was enough to remind me to behave. If I was in serious trouble at school then I welcomed the paddle compared to the belt or tongue lashing I received at home. In those days, a misbehaving child was considered a poor reflection on the parents. Even though I support corporal punishment as an option, I was never for it to be to the point of injury the way some had endured.