1. Women’s Policy Action Summit April 24, 2004 Memphis Area Women’s Council

2. Educational Equity & Reform Corporal Punishment in our Schools

3. Corporal Punishment  Corporal  Punishment  Discipline  Violence  Abuse Robert Van Walling, MD, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics UT Health Science Center Director, Child Protection Team, Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center

4. Corporal Punishment  What does the research tell us?  How can we change public’s attitude?

5. Definitions  Corporal...indicates body  Punishment…the use of physical force with the intention of causing pain, but not bodily injury for the purpose of correction or control of one’s behavior.  Discipline…disciple…to learn or gain knowledge by following examples of mentors.

6. Definitions  Violence…an act carried out with the intention or perceived intention of causing pain or injury to another person.  Abuse…the recurrent use of inappropriate discipline to correct a child’s behavior resulting in marks on the child’s body or injuries to the skeletal system.

7. Physical discipline culturally accepted Questions used in surveys Do you ever spank your child?  90% state yes! Do you ever hit your child?  60% state no!

8. Culturally acceptable  Conflicting ideas about discipline and punishment.  Corporal punishment in America is considered culturally acceptable.

9. What is the effect of corporal punishment?  Instills fear in child  Gives conflicting messages  Robs child of self esteem  Robs creative spirit

10. What does the research tell us?  Does not change or prevent unacceptable behavior  Does not teach acceptable or correct behavior  School performance suffers  Robs child of creative spirit and self esteem  Increased truancy and dropout

11. Long term effects  Increase in depression  Increase in domestic violence and child abuse  Increase in general antisocial behavior  Increase in drug and alcohol abuse

12. Characteristics of Parental Punishment in America Surveys 1975 - 1985  Spanking/slapping/shoving – most common  Boys more frequently  Peaks about 3-4 years of age  25% teens are hit  Percentage of parents using corporal punishment did not change over 10 year period

13. Corporal Punishment  Culturally acceptable  Morally acceptable  Ethnically acceptable

14. Corporal punishment in schools  Over ½ of 50 states ban corporal punishment in schools  Tennessee allows districts to choose  Shelby County and Memphis City Schools allow use of corporal punishment  Banned in schools and in private homes in many European countries

15. Corporal punishment in local schools  Boys most common  Paddling most common  Most common in city schools 50% more common than county schools

16. Which local school district has greatest:  # truancy problems  # school dropouts  % poverty  % neighborhood violence  % minority students  # schools in jeopardy of state control

17. Is it effective in Memphis?  What Has Corporal Punishment in the City School District Taught Our Children?

18. Educational Equity & Reform: Corporal Punishment Policy Initiative  Memphis Area Women’s Council recommends that corporal punishment in Memphis and Shelby County Schools be abolished by policy and that alternative forms of behavior management be used.

19. Corporal Punishment: What’s happening now?  Memphis City Schools Policy Resolution to abolish corporal punishment in schools is currently under review by the School Board  Community Meetings are being planned by Memphis City Schools.  Recommend review of Shelby County Schools Policy to School Board Members

20. Corporal Punishment: Call to Action  Letters and phone calls to School Board members supporting MAWC recommendation (go to www.memphiswomen.org)www.memphiswomen.org  Attend Community Meetings and offer MAWC Policy Recommendation  Watch for Action Alerts on the School Board meeting with Corporal Punishment on the Agenda  Attend School Board meetings

21. Corporal Punishment: Questions and Discussion