Recently, our local news reported a story about my home state of Tennessee discussing a statewide study on corporal punishment being used in schools. The report stated they found evidence that in Tennessee children with disabilities are spanked at much higher rates than other children.

"Students with disabilities received corporal punishment at a higher statewide rate than students without disabilities....Of the students that used corporal punishment...about 80 percent used corporal punishment at a higher rate for students with disabilities." - quote from Tennessee Corporal Punishment Report

The one area the report didn't get into was listing which types of disabilities children who were spanked were diagnosed with.

Being Punished For Reasons Relating To A Disability

From what I know about students with disabilities is that certain conditions are correlated to behaviors that adults may see as punishable offenses. For example, children with Tourettes syndrome may have tics like struggling to control their voice or what they say. Children with autism may also have outbursts or repetitive behaviors they can't control. Teachers may punish students for tics they can't control thinking the kids are misbehaving or being disrespectful. Because of their disabilities, many children may be seen as misbehaving when they really aren't.

Corporal punishment can actually make some conditions worse and can emotionally/psychologically scar some children. To have a disability means a kid already has to struggle with day to day life. Being paddled or spanked at school can cause some kids to be afraid of their teachers or to go to school. The below quote indicates to me that students with disabilities may actually become victims of more severe forms of physical abuse by teachers or school officials that are inappropriate.

"ACLU and Human Rights Watch interviews found that students with disabilities also suffered many other forms of corporal punishment, including beatings, spanking, slapping, pinching, being dragged across the room, and being thrown to the floor." Quote US: Students With Disabilities Face Corporal Punishment at Higher Rates

From studies on corporal punishment and it's use on students with disabilities it sounds like it is an inappropriate way of dealing with issues that may arise in the classroom. To me physical punishments are wrong to use on all students and only cause more harm than good. Being spanked can be humiliating, can make some students feel more aggressive and angry, and can lead to psychological issues.

Compassion Instead of Violence

A long time ago I worked as a tutor for a disabled kid in high school. I don't know his exact disability name but he was in high school but couldn't comprehend high school level education. He had problems being able to use his hands, arms, and legs. He was still learning elementary level math and I taught him how to count money and do addition and subtraction. He had two teachers, specially trained to work with kids who had disabilities who could give him the attention he needed. Those two teachers were compassionate and patient with him. They never got irritated or bothered with his disability.

That is something I think all teachers need to realize is that students with disabilities aren't doing some behaviors on purpose. They can't help it if they can control their arms or if they get frustrated and have outbursts when they are struggling. There are many teachers who aren't trained to understand this and may react with anger and frustration thinking these students can be taught through spankings how to behave correctly.

Corporal punishment, to me, is a negative form of discipline. In the hands of teachers who misuse it, it can be a harmful tool that can cause both short and long-term impacts on children. When used on children with disabilities it can be even more harmful and can make their suffering or conditions harder to cope with.

How do you feel about corporal punishment? How does it make you feel to know children with disabilities are punished at higher rates?

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