March 2006 Study of corporal punishment policies in Catholic schools: In an on-going effort to chart prevalence of corporal punishment of children in the U.S., the Center for Effective Discipline (CED) collects and reviews corporal punishment regulations and policies of schools, child care, foster care, and residential care of children. The Center for Effective Discipline has completed a survey of corporal punishment policies of Catholic dioceses in the continental U.S. and Hawaii . Results indicate that corporal punishment is not used or is prohibited by specific bans in all U.S. Diocesan Catholic Schools. Method of Study: Surveys on corporal punishment policies were sent to education offices of 174 Catholic dioceses in April, 2005. The letters were addressed to diocesan school superintendents who were asked to check responses about policies on corporal punishment and to return the survey by May 15, 2005. Subsequently, there were attempts by CED staff to reach non-responders by email and then by telephone. Forty two non-responders were contacted by parents between August 2005 and March 2006. These 42 diocesan schools offices verified that corporal punishment is not being used or is specifically banned in those diocesan schools. Findings: Of the 174 dioceses surveyed, corporal punishment is not used or is banned by official policy. Note: While all Catholic Diocesan school have bans, there are several Catholic schools that are operated privately, by religious orders of nuns, priest or layman, that fall outside the diocesan system. We have surveyed many of these, and to our knowledge only one Catholic school in the country is still hitting students. St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, LA continues to use corporal punishment. Operated by the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart (The Josephite Fathers and Brothers) here is the school’s website: http://www.purpleknights.com/. Our information is current as of September, 2008. Any parents considering this school should be alert to this danger to their child. If you are aware of any Catholic schools where corporal punishment is currently being used, please contact the author of this study: Nadine Block at nblock@infinet.com From the US Conference of Catholic Bishops: "The Catholic Church teaches that violence against another person in any form fails to treat that person as someone worthy of love. Instead, it treats the person as an object to be used." From: "When I Call for Help" - statement by U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.