Critical Thinking
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Critical Thinking
The main benefits of corporal punishment are that it imposes order in a society with no element. This is to say that corporal punishment is the most excellent method to deter misbehavior impose. My firm position in this issue is to argue that corporal punishment can restore our society to the right norm if adequately implemented. For example, if this method of retributive justice is used against students, they are likely to learn their mistakes since they feel pain for the transgressions they have committed (Finkelhor, Turner, Wormuth, Vanderminden & Hamby 2019, p 34). On top of that, this approach can be useful, mainly when used to correct children’s errant decisions and eventually structure their discipline. The basis of corporal punishment is to execute fear as it is a powerful motivator for behavior change.
One of the pros of corporal punishment sourced from ProCon.org is that it can be useful, especially in moderation. Using more serious correctional methods roto correct a child’s behavior may be appropriate because other less lenient ways may be unfruitful, especially when dealing with errant children. Besides, when corporal punishment is used as a disciplinary measure, children are likely to change their wrong decisions, have self-control and, in the end, be accountable for their mistakes. Above all, when a child is aware of the consequences that will befall him/her if he/she does an action that is debased, he/she is likely to avoid the move because he is afraid of the penalty that will be attracted from the deviant behavior. Harold Bennet, who is the president and dean of a theological seminary, argues that children need to acknowledge that there are boundaries that they should not trespass. However, when allowed to choose between various punishment options, they decided on corporal sentences because it is a quick method that most children find it easy to adopt. These arguments entailed in the ProCon website are well articulated, and that is why I have chosen to incorporate them in my study.
On the other hand, other premises tend to water down the relevance of corporal punishment. In a study conducted in December 2016, it was concluded that most of the physically punished children are likely to have attention and aggression challenges. The study also found that the use of corporal punishment often may result in high risks of depression, anxiety, stress, substance abuse, and other mental problems. Most children who experience this form of violence are prone to involvement in acts of violence and are likely to be abusive and bully. The American Academy of Pediatrics also proposes corporal punishment sets a bad precedence, encouraging children to result in power when settling their disputes. The research has also shown that students who go through corporal discipline in pre-primary grades tend to have lower vocabulary scores when they reach stage four and lower mathematic scores at level 5.
There are also some biases that I encountered when doing my research on this topic. One tendency is the belief that students who got through corporal punishment are prone to violent behaviors. This is not true because corporal discipline aims to correct errant behaviors and not impose any criminality (Klevens, Kollar, Rizzo, Shea, Nguyen, and Roby 2019, p 54). The other prejudice is that the children who are punished may have lower vocabulary and mathematics scores. This is not true because the statement is unsubstantiated and needs further research (Wang and Kim 2020, p 16). The many regulations that have been put in place to protect children’s rights may have influenced my conviction on the above stereotypes. After analyzing this topic, I have changed my perception of corporal punishment, and I had now shifted the previous beliefs that haunted me when I came across this topic.
In conclusion, the theme of corporal punishment should be given a second thought in our education system. If clearly implemented, it can help in shaping the behavioral patterns of our children. The main idea to note here is that moderation should be exercised when imposing this particular punishment. Further research should be done to bring this matter to light keenly.
References
Finkelhor, D., Turner, H., Wormuth, B.K., Vanderlinden, J., and Hamby, S., 2019. Corporal punishment: Current rates from a national survey. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28(7), pp.1991-1997.
Klevens, J., Kollar, L.M., Rizzo, G., O’Shea, G., Nguyen, J., and Roby, S., 2019. Commonalities and differences in social norms related to corporal punishment among Black, Latino, and White parents. Child and adolescent social work journal, 36(1), pp.19-28.
Wang, S., and Kim, K.J., 2020. Restrictive and Corrective Responses to Uncivil User Comments on News Websites: The Influence of Presumed Influence. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, pp.1-20.