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Stop Child Abuse In Public Schools
posted by: Jessica Pieklo 321 days ago
Despite the fact that the use of corporal punishment on students is a violation of international human rights law, a report issued jointly by Human Rights Watch and the ALCU found that corporal punishment is routine in public schools in many parts of the US, and that almost a quarter-of-a-million school children were paddled, thrown to the floor, struck with rulers or other instruments, pinched, and hit as a means of discipline. Of those students subjected to this abuse, a disproportionate amount were students with disabilities, often punished simply for displaying symptoms of that disability. Examples include students with Tourette syndrome physically punished for exhibiting involuntary tics and students with autism physically punished for repetitive behavior such as rocking.
Children are protected from the use of corporal punishment in most US juvenile detention centers and mental health facilities, yet twenty states currently permit the use of corporal punishment in public schools. In states where corporal punishment is allowed, hundreds of school districts make routine use of it. Under human rights law including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, physical force may only be used against students when it is absolutely necessary to protect a child or others, and even then the minimum amount of force for the shortest amount of time must be used.
Landon K., a six-year-old-boy with autism illustrates that many school districts ignore these mandates. He was paddled on the buttocks by his assistant principal, described by Landon's mother as a "large man--nearly 300 pounds" for simply shouting in class. Michelle R., whose son has Tourette syndrome, finally removed her child from school after he was placed in a closet and repeatedly hit for displaying involuntary tics. The more her son tried to explain that the physical behavior was connected to his disability, the more he was punished for it. In some cases the punishment was so severe the children were hospitalized, suffering injuries comparable to motorcycle accident victims.
The use of corporal punishment, especially on students with disabilities, can cause permanent physical and mental injury. Landon K. became terrified of returning to school and began suffering violent outbursts if approached from behind. Paddling can cause deep bruising, severe muscle injury, hematomas, and hemorrhaging, according to The Society for Adolescent Medicine. Students subjected to paddling and other physical violence also suffer mental stigma from being abused in front of their classmates. All this despite the fact that evidence is conclusive that corporal punishment is ineffective in dealing with even extreme behavioral problems in the classroom.
The findings by Human Rights Watch and the ACLU were based on over 200 interviews conducted between December 2007 and June 2009 with experts and individuals directly affected by corporal punishment, including parents, students, teachers, administrators and special education professionals. It calls for a complete prohibition on the use of corporal punishment against all students in US public schools and offers recommendations to Congress, the Department of Education and local governments, including best practices and a moratorium on corporal punishment against students with disabilities until a full prohibition is achieved. The United States did take one small step closer to rectifying the situation when it signed the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the most comprehensive international treaty on the rights of persons with disabilities in history.
US federal and state governments can uphold children's rights by banning corporal punishment and implementing positive behavioral supports. With appropriate funding, training, and support, educators can create and implement discipline systems that respond to the fundamental needs of even the most vulnerable students. In doing so they can create environments where every student thrives and reaches his or her academic potential--all without raising a single hand in violence.