In the 1980s, people were saying that it should stay back in the 1950s.
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Someone shoulda told my parents!
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My folks spanked me a bit – nothing that rose to the level of physical injury – but it was often I did something wrong during the day or at school and then got spanked by my Dad when he got home. I remember for a long time associating Dad getting home from work with getting punished, really not the best combination. I vowed never to repeat that.
I’m 32 1/2 child-years into raising my two kids and I’ve only swatted with any force one kid one time - and that’s when my four year old bit my arm so hard she broke the skin - I still feel terrible about it. Just instinct.
But to yield that power to the state? Not a fucking chance.
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Having always had a healthy disrespect for authority and being a troublemaking smartass like @FloridaManJefe I managed to get the strap (across the palms) several times in elementary school and the paddle and the shoe quite a few times in high school.
It didn’t leave me with emotional or mental scars, as near as I can tell, but neither did it prompt me to change my behaviour. I wore my punishments like a badge of honour.
There are better ways.
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Looking for details regarding the training teachers will get, teacher certification in paddling, how paddlings are tracked and monitored, retention of the mandatory videos of paddlings and teacher bodycams, and recordkeeping of how each student’s performance then relates to paddlings received. Or is “the little bitc* laughed at me so I beat her sweet ass until I was stiff as a board” the expected norm?
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Mental health?
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My parents picked up the family and moved from Texas in the early 80’s for this among issues with their educational system.
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I remember the last time either of my parents tried spanking me, and I was probably 8, and my mother broke one of those balsa wood paddles that came with the rubber band and ball attached.
It broke immediately, with the first swing, and we kinda just stared at each other and walked away in silence. Never attempted again, never mentioned again. It was a real Moment.
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I grew up in Texas in the 70s and 80s, and they still had paddling then. However, if I remember correctly, parents could opt out, and I think they even usually gave the student a choice between detention and paddling, but I could be wrong. I was such a goodie twoshoes back then I never had to deal with it. My parents did spank. However, they didn’t believe it was at all effective once we were old enough to be reasoned with, so while I’m sure I got spanked at some point, I actually have no recollection of ever being spanked. Plus…the whole goody twoshoes thing. All it took was for my mom to say, “We’re disappointed in you,” and I was an emotional wreck for a week.
Anyway, there is so much evidence that corporal punishment is completely ineffective, and almost no reputable evidence that it can be effective, that I’m amazed it’s still used so much. I suspect a lot of it is “Well my parents spanked me so I’m gonna spank you.” Same reason hazing never goes away.
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Those paddles were a little firmer than balsa wood. You must have buns of steel. 
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Disciplining kids (people) is hard, period. Most of the time they simply are unable to connect the punishment with the “crime” - they don’t understand what they did was wrong (or merely impolite or inappropriately stated or whatever) and when they’re angry / tired / feeling unheard / lonely / bored, etc. They are just looking for attention and they know bad behavior gets it.
Much more effective to just patiently explain why what they did was wrong, and if they’re being disruptive or uncooperative, simply isolate them from others and remind them of all the good things they’re missing out on.
Modeling the behavior you want to see is critical. Paddling, spanking, or even verbal abuse is just creating deep psychological scars and resentment, with only short term benefits of compliance.
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So a school is trying to traumatize kids into being prepared for a job in 1992. Awesome.
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fear != respect
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The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a paddle is a good guy with a paddle.
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Will also be used on teachers who stray from the approved curriculum.
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I think that will depend on the race and socioeconomic background of the child. But that might get taken care of in the “Who gets paddled?” part of the question.
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Assaulting children should be a crime taken seriously and punished severely.
Doesn’t matter who the assaulter is: copper, teacher, priest whatever. It’s still assaulting a vulnerable minor who, if you are in a position of authority it is your job to protect from harm. Very least you need to be sacked and removed from positions where you are in charge of children even if they decline to prosecute.
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Oh, Missouri…
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If there are actually people thanking Merlyn Johnson for beating children, I wonder: 1, if they have children currently enrolled in these schools; 2, If they do have children enrolled, are they expecting that only other people’s kids will be beaten.
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