States with Corporal Punishment in School

Is spanking a child for breaking school rules a useful or destructive practice? Parents and educators are sharply divided. Twenty-two states allow some form of corporal punishment while twenty-eight have banned the practice.

Would you support a policy allowing physical punishment in your school?

Thirty years ago, I was a student at Henry Clay Junior High School in Los Angeles, and I have vivid memories of being told to bend over and grab my ankles while a teacher administered three blows with a paddle. When I think back I can't remember why I was punished and the only thing it taught me was to loathe that teacher.

If you live in a state where the practice is allowed, how is it working? Do you want to see the practice continue? If you live in a state where such punishment is banned, would you support its re-introduction into the classroom?

Where the states stand on corporal punishment:

Alabama--Legal Alaska--Illegal Arizona--Legal Arkansas--Legal California--Illegal Colorado--Legal Connecticut--Illegal Delaware--Illegal District of Columbia--N/A Florida--Legal Georgia--Legal Hawaii--Illegal Idaho--Legal Illinois--Illegal Indiana--Legal Iowa--Illegal Kansas--Legal Kentucky--Legal Louisiana--Legal Maine--Illegal Maryland--Illegal Massachusetts--Illegal Michigan--Illegal Minnesota--Illegal Mississippi--Legal Missouri--Legal

Montana--Illegal Nebraska--Illegal Nevada--Illegal New Hampshire--Illegal New Jersey--Illegal New Mexico--Legal New York--Illegal North Carolina--Legal North Dakota--Illegal Ohio--Legal Oklahoma--Legal Oregon--Illegal Pennsylvania--Legal Rhode Island--Restricted* South Carolina--Legal South Dakota--Illegal Tennessee--Legal Texas--Legal Utah--Illegal Vermont--Illegal Virginia--Illegal Washington--Illegal West Virginia--Illegal Wisconsin--Illegal Wyoming--Legal

* banned by every school board in the state

For more information check out:
Center for Effective Discipline