Raising Good Kids Without Hitting |
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Sample Letter to Federal Legislator
[date]
Honorable [name of your state representative or senator]
[U.S. House of Representatives, Washington DC 20515
or U.S. Senate, Washington DC 20510]
Dear [representative or senator name]:
Banning corporal punishment of children is a national trend in childcare settings, including foster care, day care, and institutions. Yet, in 22 states, school children can be hit by boards for misbehavior, a practice that has been outlawed in all developed countries except the United States, and parts of Canada and Australia.
Here are some of the problems with corporal punishment of school children:
- It results in physical and psychological harm to children including bruises, broken bones, alienation to school and post-traumatic stress syndrome.
- Children most often hit are poor children, boys, those with disabilities, and minorities (U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights).
- Litigation is frequently brought against school boards and educators by parents of school-injured children.
- Violence is taught and passed on to future generations by showing that hitting is an appropriate and sanctioned way of dealing with interpersonal problems.
School corporal punishment does not prevent violence or increase academic achievement. Proponents of school corporal punishment usually insist that it is necessary in order to keep control and maintain a learning environment. That is not true. Most states with corporal punishment have lower achievement and graduation rates than states that have banned it. More school shootings have taken place in states with school corporal punishment, and seven of ten states with the most paddling also have the highest incarceration rates.
A federal remedy exists. A federal remedy could protect children by denying funds to educational programs where corporal punishment is allowed. In March of 1991, Representative Major Owens introduced such a bill. Every federal education program imposes conditions on how schools can and cannot use federal money. This bill is consistent with that tradition. The federal government prohibits physical punishment to train animals under the Animal Welfare Act, the Horse Protection Act and other laws. Are not children deserving of this protection?
Please let me know where you stand on this issue, and if you are willing to help.
Sincerely,
[your name, address, phone, email]