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The Principal And The Paddle

One South Carolina educator used corporal punishment to turn around his struggling elementary school. Why he's so conflicted about it.

By Eric Adelson | NEWSWEEK
Published Apr 25, 2009
From the magazine issue dated May 4, 2009

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  • Posted By: krlundy @ 05/19/2009 12:14:08 PM

    The problem is with the definition of abuse. Discussing the offense in a non angry manner, spanking them and then hugging a child does not constitute abuse. And guess what beatkid, the results are in the pudding, this type of discipline works. Striking a child in anger is never ok and is abuse. Because the permissive parenting group cries foul on everything just like the race card it has led to chaos in society. Permissive parenting does not work and it leads to a lack of borders where children frequently lack compassion and self control.

    • Posted By: BeatKid @ 05/19/2009 10:59:35 PM

      I didn't say that spanking was child abuse. I said that spanking a previously battered child is abusive, which it most certainly is.

  • Posted By: sm1974 @ 05/14/2009 10:53:58 AM

    I canoot believe all of the comments that are posted to this sight. The controversy oft this school. This article was supposed to be about rural schools and how they improved when so much negativity has gone on about how poor the education system is. A reporter walks in and sees a paddle and he has lost all concept of what he was there for. I want to tell Newsweek that this is "backstabbing". Where is the report of the how the school has improved?
    You commentators that want to talk about how "poor" or "impoverished" the people are, where do you get off thinking that is the way the people are?
    I would like to see you stand in the presence of God and cast the stone at this man if you are so righteous. Attack this man if you have been a witness but not based on someone's report. All of us as parents have to make the decision what is the best way to discipline. Get to know your child and tell the people that spen more time with your children than you do what to do or how you would like to have them disciplined and will it be ok with the school system.
    SO, SHUT THE CRAP UP, GO LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND ASK YOURSELF WHAT RIGHT DO I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT ANYONE IF i DO NOT LET ANYONE KNOW HOW MY CHILDREN SHOULD BE HANDLED. iF YOU ARE SCARED OF YOU SPOUSE OR YOU HAVE BBEN BEATEN THEN YOUR CHILDREN (IF THEY HAVE WITNESSED IT) WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT DISCIPLINE IS ABOUT!

    • Posted By: BeatKid @ 05/15/2009 10:08:05 AM

      South Carolina ranks 47 out of 50 in protecting its kids from child abuse, and Calhoun FALLS has rates of domestic violence and confirmed physical abuse equal or greater to towns many times it's size. There is no doubt that John C. Elementary is the school home of numerous kids who experience abuse and domestic violence at home, and that these kids are most likely to wind up in the principals office for aggression, bullying, and disrespecting adults. That is how emotionally disturbed youngsters ask for help. And David Nixon answers their cries for help by beating them into silence with a paddle.

      What steps are taken at the school to prevent abused kids from being further traumatized by corporal punishment at school? The answer: Child abusers sign a permission slip authorizing Mr. Nixon to further abuse their children. No doubt that permission slip will hold up in court, but it carries absolutely no ethical or moral weight.

      Faced with the fact of their own moral degeneracy David Nixon and the parents of John C. elementary hide behind the state law, but the fact that something is legal hardly makes it ethical. Let's don't forget that partial birth abortion is legal too.

      You don't need to shout in all caps to get me to understand your point. Beating troubled children into silence no doubt improves the school environment for everyone else. It typifies the communities attitude towards its most vulnerable citizens, which is that unless the child is theirs, they do not care what happens to them.









  • Posted By: TurnedOutJustFine @ 05/14/2009 5:14:03 PM

    Calhoun FALLS is where my family was originally from and once we moved from there, I was brought up on the same principles and morals my mama and family were raised there with. If I acted up, I knew I would get a spanking if the behavior was bad enough for one. This is what DISCOURAGED me from misbehaving. I was spanked a total of two times as a child, and looking back I KNOW I deserved it.
    If you actually read the article, you see that Mr. Nixon discusses the infraction with the child. THEN CONTACTS THE PARENTS FOR PERMISSION TO SPANK THEM He does not get them out of class for just a random "beating" like y'all are making it out to be.
    Shame on everyone for tarnshing this school's reputation over something like this. The least you could do is get the town's name right, then get the facts right. Tell it like it is. This paddle has ben used for nearly fifty years, so no wonder the duct tape looks used. Jeez people. If you are going to go and do a report on a town, do a report, not slander the employees and citizens who were just peachy before you came there.
    My family turned out fine, including me, who is about to graduate college with honors and would not dare back talk my mother, abuse anyone, steal, do anything bad, etc. Why? I turned out as a reasonably good child because I accepted the fact that there is right and wrong, and the wrong comes with punishment. I would gladly take a spanking over again when little, than end up in jail twenty years later for doing something I was never brought to see as being wrong.
    For everyone that is judging this man, ask yourself who the heck you are! Get your facts straight first. He gets permission FROM THE PARENTS BEFORE!!! taking this action against the child!!! So if you point your finger at him, point it at every child's parents as well, because they suport that form of punishment. Then point your finger at the state for still allowing this form of punishment. Then, in the end, be sure your finger is clean that you have been pointing because no one likes a hypocrit!!!

  • Posted By: kitnkaboodle09 @ 05/04/2009 3:38:40 AM

    I am laughing so hard reading all these comments. He should go to PRISON....for SPANKING??? Good lord what Utopia were you raised in? I was spanked all of three times as a child, by my father. He always was calm with me, stern and WARNED me that my behavior would be rewarded with a spanking, giving me a chance to stop and think before continuing. When he did spank me it hurt but he never ever bruised me or used anything other than his hand. I adore my father and I know I was a royal brat as a child....my mother was sweet, complacent and would let me get away with things. I love my mother too but I know without my dad I would have turned out a LOT worse.

    To all you who have the gall to suggest that spanking is considered 'assult' please...GET a LIFE. There are worse offenses in the world than such things. Also, YOU parents who don't do anything to dicipline your child are the ones breeding the cruel selfish ADULT brats of the world who think nothing of doing what they like without regard for consequences. Bite the bullet and examine yourself and stop neglecting your child's needs because the idea of spanking makes you uncomfortable. HEAVEN FORBID you feel bad for making your child cry when they're misbehaving. Poor you. Get over it.

    Spanking is not always necissary but to try and shame US who think that a moderate amount is fine is just....enraging to me. How dare you think you know whats best for the world's families. No one here is saying beating a child is ok. NO ONE. No one is saying child abuse is okay. We're saying there is nothing wrong with us deciding to spank our child when they misbehave. Do what you like but don't you dare say we're abusing our child.

    As for the rest of you who think of children as tiny adults...are you the same moms letting your daughters wear slutty clothes, watch adult TV, go to rated R movies...do you make excuses for them, claim you're letting them make their own choices? CHILDREN are not adults, they do not think like adults, they do not operate like adults, they do not reason like adults. It's your responsibility to teach them. SO TEACH THEM instead of accusing others of abuse just for giving their kid a swat on their ass.

    Again, SPANKING A CHILD ONCE IS NOT THE SAME AS BEATING A CHILD BLUE, get it through your thick skulls and stop derailing the conversations with your howling, hair tearing, teeth gnashing rants.

    • Posted By: thinkTwice @ 05/14/2009 1:24:39 PM

      Rightly said.
      I would not be where I am without the rare but timely punishment I used to get.

    • Posted By: PlacidAir @ 05/12/2009 4:03:31 PM

      wow, what an extremeist irrational leap..... don't believe in hitting kids?.... you must dress your daughter like a hooker and expose your kids to porn...... are you SERIOUS? Okay, you didn't say "porn"... you said {cough} "adult TV" and "R-rated movies".... close enough. And since when is HITTING the same as "TEACHING"? You don't teach someone geography by bouncing a globe off their butt any more than you teach them manners by hitting them over the head with a book on ettiquette.... hitting simply is not "teaching" in any respect.... unless what you want to teach them is fear.

      • Posted By: KathyWright @ 05/13/2009 7:40:50 PM

        Fear is not evil. Examples....

        My son will do his homework and piano lesson before wathcing tv or playing after school because he fears the consequences.

        Fear keeps me from driving down to the Merceded dealership and driving off with one of their vehicles without paying for it......I fear jail and humiliation!

        Fear drives us all daily. It is a wonderful motivator.

  • Posted By: JayNice @ 05/04/2009 6:43:26 PM

    Ok be honest everybody!!! We have all been in a grocery store or some public setting where there has been an out of control obnoxious kid causing havoc. The parent???s attempts to reason and persuade the brat to behave have failed horribly. All the delusional people that believe that SPANKING creates INMATES...... WRONG. A lot of times, it???s these spoiled and wild kids that have never been checked that develop into nightmares for society. If they are out of control now... imagine them as teenagers and young adults.

    • Posted By: PlacidAir @ 05/12/2009 3:40:24 PM

      Funny, I've had a child do that to me EXACTLY ONCE.... I've done the nanny thing for a few families over the years, in this instance though, I had my oldest nephew with me at K-Mart.... he had just asked me to buy him a He-Man action figure, and to his great shock I'd said "no"...... He hurled himself on the floor screaming (he was 2 or 3 at the time) ..... I stood there and watched him throw his temper tantrum... when he slowed down for a second I very calmly asked "is it working"?.... he looked at me through his, thought about it and said "nooooo"... I asked "do you think it's GOING to work?".... again I got a "nooooooo".... I then said "so are you feeling pretty stupid right now?"..... his reply "yeesssss".... I asked "so what are you going to do about that?" He got up, brushed himself off, dried his eyes and NEVER threw another tantrum on me.... threw tantrums with his mother, his father, his grandparents (I was nearby when he tried it on my mother and told her to tell him "it's not going to work"... she tried it and low and behold, he stopped).... but he NEVER tried it again with me, and after he found it wouldn't work on his grandmother, he didn't pull that on HER again either..... he's an adult now with kids of his own.... guess what? It doesn't work for them either, so they don't do it. Kids throw temper tantrums when they have adults around who'll do anything they can to make them stop.... if tantrums don't get "results", there's no point in throwing them any more, and so they don't. Yup.... I got some really "special" looks in K-Mart that day... and didn't enjoy a one of them.... but never had a temper tantrum issue with him again. Last time a child tried to scream me into something.... it was MORE cheez-its before dinner... I responded by taking back the ones I'd already given him with a "if you're going to behave that way, you don't get any, and you'll just have to wait for dinner"..... he's not given me a hard time since then either...... when negative actions don't get the response sought, or backfire entirely.... they serve no purpose and the kid will stop doing it. Hitting them is one form of "backfire", but it's NOT the only form.... not by a long-shot. Misbehave, you lose your TV priviliges... misbehave, you lose your text messaging priviliges, misbehave and you're going to have food you don't like for dinner every night for a month while everyone else has their favorite foods rotated through the meal plan. Misbehave and you're grounded..... lots of ways to go.... most of them more work than hitting, but I think those other ways teach better lessons on consequences.

  • Posted By: clinecrowd5 @ 05/04/2009 3:55:28 PM

    To DrMom!!! You are killing me!! You keep talkling about Corporal Punishment.....since when is spanking Corporal Punishment? it is NOT!! It is a spanking! Nothing more! Isn't the point of a consequence to a negative disrespectful action suppose to hurt? Isnt it supposed to bother you? if not, then what is the point? if you dont beleive in spanking, and do something else for punishment, then what do you do? take away their Nano, or their Game Boy, or their expensive cell phone? pushaww!!! That doesnt do anything, that doesnt hurt, that doesnt prevent them from acting out again! Sapnking helps control it. I do agree that it should be last resort, the child should be given a chance to do what is right, show remorse for their action, and learn from it. Also, if they are from an abusive family, then the spanking should not happen, because that child would already have mental damage, and possibly not understand the reasoning. However, under normal circumstances (which is more common than not), a child should know that disobedience and disrespect can not go unpunished, and contrary to what the liberal "preofessionals" say, immediate punishment (including spanking) is always best!! You need to get a grip! I could almost bet you a million dollars that your kids are probably brats because you dont spank them! Most of the time, kids who need a good spanking, and dont get them, cause their mommies think they are just having a bad day, are the biggest brats ever!! Gee Whiz!!

    • Posted By: Dr. Mom @ 05/04/2009 4:30:31 PM

      My first response is that you need to look in a dictionary.
      Corporal punishment is:???the deliberate infliction of pain intended to discipline or reform a wrongdoer or change a person's behavior.

      No matter if you use euphemisms like ???spanking??? to soften the impact of understanding consciously what you are doing, in the end you are hitting and using ???corporal punishment??? on a child when you discipline them with physical violence. I can also assure you that my children are successful and well adjusted, unlike the numerous prisoners subjected to the corporal punishment you promote.

      I am guessing that you are quite young, and have perhaps not put a lot of thought into this, but I would like to challenge you to think. Although I have no doubt you would never intentionally abuse a child, if you are suggesting that corporal punishment is not abuse, than how do you define it. How does one know when he or she has crossed the line over into some arbitrary line of abuse you are suggesting? I can assure you that the majority of parents who end up in court for child abuse, felt they were simply ???spanking??? or ???appropriately disciplining??? their child. Parents or educators do not start out thinking; okay today I think I will ???abuse??? children. It is a progression that starts with the lie we tell ourselves in this society, that there may be a humane way to hit children. There is none.

      The minute we tell ourselves it is okay to use any form of corporal punishment on our children, we dehumanize them and convince ourselves that to do so is somehow nurturing and good for the child. It is a slippery slope. What if you thought three whacks with a ???paddle??? was ???spanking??? but I thought 100 whacks with a stick was a ???spanking.??? One way to remove all doubt about where the line of abuse lay, is to stop convincing ourselves that using any form of corporal punishment on our children is acceptable.

      For me, the line stops at any form of physical violence??? period. Assuming that you are young and may not be aware of this, I want to assure you that we can discipline and gain respect from our children without whacking them around. Being against corporal punishment, does NOT mean I don???t believe in firm boundaries, respect, and discipline for children. We can and should do much better by our children.

      • Posted By: clinecrowd5 @ 05/09/2009 5:29:37 PM

        Several of your comments back to people are always falling back to age!! Why are you so stuck on age? I am not a little girl, I am 35! And reguardless of what the public says, or what the professionals say, I am going to do what God tells me to do. He tells me how to raise my kids (among other things) in His book, the Bible! The following scriptures give clear direction on how to punish your children for disobedience......Proverbs 23:13, 22:15,13:24, 10:13, and 29:15-17....look those up and then pray about it. God is very clear about discipline. It should always be done in love, and a Christian parent should always pray with their child when they have finished spanking or punishing their child and teach them to ask the Lord for forgiveness as well as the person they wronged. With time, hopefully the child will quickly outgrow spankings, and learn to correct their behavior on their own! That is one of the ultimate goals!

        • Posted By: hereiamcmp @ 05/12/2009 2:32:42 PM

          Mr.Nixon, I was spanked in school, and I turned out good. I feel you are doing the right thing by the children, and you take in consideration whether or not the child's punishment should be the paddle. That is what's wrong with schools today you have so many people saying don't hit my child. Well take your misbehaving child home, and teach them yourself. It is not the schools place to teach your child respect, and the correct way to ack at school. That is why there are children being beat by other students, and killings and guns at school. When I was at school 20 years ago one did not hear of the terrible things going on today. Yeah take corporal puishment out of school and look what you all have came up with beatings and death way to go.

      • Posted By: The Omega @ 05/04/2009 6:11:07 PM

        3 swats properly done should be plenty to get your point across. It shouldn't be a love tap and it should never never be so hard that it leaves a mark or bruse. It shouldn't be done on a bare tuch. It sholdn't be before the age of five when they may not understand why. It should always be explained Usually before spanking as to why and if other punishments have been exausted with no effect. It should be done so that there is some discomfort. It shouldn't cause them to scream in pain. If you feel you can't do this properly you probably shouldn't do it. Some kids don't require spankings and learn from lessor punishments but the option should be there. Maybe perents should be required to take a class on disiplanning when they first become parents to teach them how to deal with unruly children. Spanking should be a last resort when all else fails. It should never be done in anger. If your angry go chill, Then talk to them about what they did wrong and skip the spanking completely. If spanking isn't done at the time it needs to be done it becomes much less effective as a behavior deterent. They may miss the association witch is the primary intent. I see spanking as a way to get there attention when all else fails and should be done only as a last resort. I grew up with kids who were beat and I really felt bad for them. One imparticular friend got beat every time his dad came home drunk even if he had done nothing wrong. Kids who experiance this usually ether do the same to their kids or the do a 180 and don't punish at all. One is as bad as the other in the end. There are kids out there that no matter what technique of disiplan you use they will laugh in your face and then spit in your face. I experianced this personally when watching a nephew.He bit my kids drawing blood, pulled a tack out of some upholstery and was poking people with it again drawing blood. Time outs and sitting in a corner didn't work at all and I finally spanked him. I told his parents who didn't appreciate it at the time, but they brought him back for us to watch many times after that. He was always behaved after that 1 time. They said he even behaved much better at home after that. He's all grown up now and he remembers me spanking him. He says it didn't really hurt, It just shocked him. I believe he was about 9 at the time. He said thinking back if it were him he would have spanked harder, that he was way out of hand. I told him it wasn't necessary. It got the job done. All I needed to do was get his attention. That bad behavior has a consequence. His personal opinion is nothing else worked before that. I didn't appreciate the fact that his parents threatend to have me spank him again when he got out of line, But it did help them enforce other punishment such as time outs and soforth. So in the long run I guess it worked out for the best. Just feels like they past on their responsibilities to me.

  • Posted By: RO in Reno @ 05/11/2009 10:07:32 PM

    It is time the fact disciplinary authority is returned to the teachers.
    I was struck by the recent event where a music teacher was disciplined for moving a students finger on a flute.
    The fact is; if the student didn't realize HE had the disciplinary authority he certainly learned he did quite quickly..
    In the learning environment discipline is essentiall,with out it chaos is likely to be the end result, to the detriment of all.
    Mr. Nixon seems to have the skills to use it well. But the lack of discipline is one of the most significant reasons for the failure of the educational system today and it can't be bought with more money.

  • Posted By: meriem @ 05/10/2009 12:34:17 PM

    As a West Indian I totally understand Mr. Nixon's methodology because it's what I grew up with. You were spoken to about why the particular behaviour or act was undesirable and warned about the consequences should you choose to commit the offense again. In other words you learned that your actions have CONSEQUENCES. Too many Americans are unable to distinguish between simple discipline and outright abuse. American children have been allowed to be way too indisciplined and adult from my own observations.

    When adults are ambivalent and weak with discipline children play the dozens. No parent should have to speak to a child more than once or twice concerning undesirable behaviour nor should they pander to every whim expressed by a child. A child must know that whatever punishment has been outlined for an infraction, IT WILL BE ENFORCED. Children don't know what is good for them. That's why they have parents.

    According to this article, Mr. Nixon discusses the infraction with the children and does not resort to corporal punishment EACH TIME. That is in fact the correct approach. A child who marks another child's book should not necessarily get the same punishment as a child who willfully punches, bites, kicks or curses a teacher or pupil for example. I say press on Mr. Nixon. The fact that he thinks about what he does is important too; it shows that he really cares about the impact of his actions and is open to changing his approach to such situations should the need arise. Of equal importance is that he tries to ascertain the reason for the infraction being committed in the first place. If more people took this approach, things would be better the world over. Less stereotyping would be likely to happen.

    Go on Mr. Nixon. Have no doubt that the children under your watch will be better for your steady hand and consistency of standards.!!!

  • Posted By: te0928 @ 05/07/2009 12:09:11 PM

    This quote from the article disturbed me the most:

    "Parents are given the option of spanking their child themselves; on rare occasions, they come to the school and use their own belts."

    Just the other day the Prevent Child Abuse America Organization Crafted a response to this article. They eloquently stated that this article was a missed opportunity to educate parents and teachers on how to discipline without using physical means -- I am paraphrasing but that was the gist.

    The idea that 'it worked for me' is generally thrown around by those who believe in physical punishment. In reality, parents and teachers should learn everything they can about discipline without physical measures. There are so many resources available to anyone who wants it. Take a parenting class in your community, better yet...get involved in the movement to prevent child abuse. For an industrialized and modern nation such as the U.S., we, in general take care of the children poorly. Our child abuse stats are through the roof and one of the main ways to lessen the problem is to outlaw this practice in all schools. Call congress and tell them it is time to outlaw this practice. Send them a note and tell them the U.S. needs to come into the 21 st centruy, just like all the other nations who are far surpassing us in education and who have outlawed this.

    • Posted By: EngineerDad @ 05/07/2009 1:00:55 PM

      The most disturbing thing about these threads is the willingness by so many to hit someone else's child. Many that have identified themselves as educators are chomping at the bit to be able to pick up the paddle and start smacking. there are years of frustration waiting to bubble out to the surface, and be taken out on the first kid to talk out of turn. This is what I have been warning against. Anyone who thinks this punishment will be a few swats "administered by a caring adult" needs to read down through these messages. Anger, name calling, and flat out vengeance is rife throughout these responses. If these are the types of people you are going to give the power to physically punish your child, then you are a fool. Go after the parents, remove the child from the class until the parent corrects the behavior, force them to confron the issue. Ultimately if the parents don't care, then nothing will change, and I'll be damned if someone's going to be allowed to hit my kid because some other parent is asleep at the switch.

      • Posted By: ss_olympic @ 05/07/2009 2:55:37 PM

        Whoa there. You're drawing some pretty big conclusions for somebody that doesn't deal with a variety of kids on a daily basis. You seem to think that the idea is just to spank for every little offense when this is way off. There would obviously be some sort of protocol and sequence of actions taken before using a spanking as a last resort. Do you know that teachers and administratiors go to trainings for all the "latest and greatest" things that come out? This applies to all currently used physical forms of restraint and would surely be done for spanking as well. If you're raising your child properly you wouldn't even have to worry about getting a phone call from a school administrator. Instead we have "sue happy" parents who have paralyzed the system, have out of control kids themselves that they think can do no wrong, and then pout "ain't nobody gonna touch my kid!!!"

        Instead of being mad that many teachers believe this is necessary to restore order, perhaps you should be upset with the all too many unfit parents in our country that couldnt' care less about their kids. If they did, all a teacher would have to do is call home, the situation would be taken care of there, and you wouldn't even have this discussion to be upset about.

        • Posted By: EngineerDad @ 05/07/2009 3:46:44 PM

          I am upset there are so many unfit parents, and I've stated that repeatedly in prior posts. I don't care what training or percieved restraint you thik there will be, emotion and human nature will creep into the equation, and that's when you will have a problem. I'm not worried about my kids, as we have spent many frustrating hours correcting their behavior before getting into a classroom, I'm worried about the adult who is happy about the license to strike my child "if need be". Again reference my earlier post about my shy quiet never-bothered-anyone friend who got punched by a bully of a gym teacher (legal at the time), because he didn't line up quick enough. People are people, and the anger you see in these messages will spill over into the classroom. Why don't you take YOUR anger to the people who are the problem, and leave me, and the other parents who invest huge time and effort on our kids discipline, and our kids out of this. Smack your own kids around as much as you want, but leave your hands the hell off of mine.

          • Posted By: ss_olympic @ 05/08/2009 12:43:15 AM

            Of you you "don't care what training or restraint will be" or how carefully exercised it will be. You're way too biased based on a personal experience with someone during a different era who has long since retired I'm sure. No matter how its spelled out for you, you still just don't get it. No one is talking about giving a gym teacher power to do anything. We're talking about an administrator who not only has to have parent consent, but also has to notify them before any action is taken. No one is saying it should be like it was when we were in school either. Of course you shouldn't spank someone for something stupid like not finishing an assignment or getting in line fast enough. Again, we're talking about a last resort option when all other methods arent working. You obviously don't know what a good percentage of schools are like so I don't understand where you're qualified to be preaching about how horrible people are that believe this should be an option.

  • Posted By: mshuds @ 05/04/2009 9:33:47 PM

    Doctor Mom I have to say that you just keep repeating yourself over and over. What do you not get in this picture. Teachers are telling you how it is in the classroom. Children don't get enough attention much less disipline from parents of this day and age. The point that is trying to be made that you skirt around is that for some kids the paddle or the threat of the paddle is the only thing that works.

    It is not fair to the children that are not causing trouble to be unable to learn lessons because some little brat does not think anything will happen to him no matter how far he goes.

    You sound like you have perfect children and live in a perfect world. You need to wake up to reality, open your eyes and see where this no corporal punishment has sent our schools into chaos. Try subbing for a week and then get back to us.

    • Posted By: EngineerDad @ 05/04/2009 10:29:30 PM

      I was paddled while I was in school. It didn't matter that I was a straight A student, actively participated in school activities, was well liked by my teachers, and never got into trouble. When I failed to complete one assignment, I got paddled by a teacher. A teacher I had no respect for after that incident. The truth is as an A student, punishing me with a reduced grade would have cut deeper than any paddle. All I was left with was resentment, and I basically checked out of the class after that. I handed in any piece of garbage, as long as it was on time, so I didn't get hit again. Basically I was a child who was allowed to be hit by an adult. And so we're clear, it left a mark, and was more than a "swat on the bottom" so many of you think this is restricted to, and your fooling yourselves if you think just because someone wears the moniker "teacher" they will show restraint in every situation. But, that was the norm, so it was OK. I'll be damned if I'm going to leave my child's physical well-being in the hands of a middle aged adult, who has only show the willingness to administer physical punishment to children, and leave the degree up to how angry said individual is that day. And, by the way having a child turn around, grab the back of chair, and position themselves for the "swat" is teaching them submission. Specifically, what are we teaching our little girls with this? My kids have not been hit, and I am proud to say they are kind, courteous, and top students. Smacking children around is not going to get their parents engaged, which is the real root problem. This is just a lazy quick fix.

      • Posted By: peop9653 @ 05/05/2009 12:33:07 AM

        Then let the police handle everything and they can spend there time in jail. This is happening around the country. It's your choice people. infowars.com

        • Posted By: 1Devon @ 05/05/2009 3:07:34 PM

          Amen, engineering Dad. I agree completely. This guy is a creep and pervert. Sadly, trying to convince people, ESPECIALLY southerners that a child doesn't need to be routinely whipped is a lost cause. Children can be taught respect without pain, but lazy abusive parenting is so much easier.

          • Posted By: poni @ 05/07/2009 4:37:36 PM

            As someone from the CALHOUN FALLS area (yes, this reporter even spelled the name of the town wrong), I can tell you Mr. Nixon is not a creep or a pervert. He is someone who honestly cares about the education and future of these kids. I would be very interested in having a dialogue with anyone criticizing this story based on this article alone because it is full of errors. People were misquoted, information is inaccurate and the reporter visited the school under false pretences. People were told he was interested in doing a positive story on how a struggling, poor school is suceeding through hard work of students, parents and staff. That this is what came out of it is a joke.

          • Posted By: poni @ 05/07/2009 4:34:15 PM

            As someone from the Calhoun FALLS area (yes, this reporter got even the name of TOWN wrong), I can tell you Mr. Nixon is not a creep or a pervert. He is someone who truly cares about the sucess and education of the children in his school. Most discipline -- I would say at LEAST 98 percent of it -- is handled without paddling. Paddling is used as a last resort for children who have not responded to other forms of discipline.

            This article did very little to show all the programs Mr. Nixon has put in place to improve the education at that school. If it was still online, I would give you the link to the story the local newspaper did recently on the school's academic success. This is a school that turned its report card rating around from Needs Improvement -- borderline shutdown -- to good in three years. The same three years Mr. Nixon has been principal. The principal himself cites POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT as the NO. 1 reason the school has improved. Students are rewarded for good behavior, good grades and good attitudes almost constantly, and that's what's made the difference, not paddling.

            As a side note for any of you criticizing the school based on this article... numerous people claim to have been misquoted, the reporter came to the school under false pretences (he said he wanted to do a positive story on how a school with a high poverty rate has improved so much) and had numerous factual errors throughout. This story is sloppy journalism at best.

            That being said, this reporter had an agenda before he visited the area.

    • Posted By: EngineerDad @ 05/04/2009 10:26:40 PM

      I was paddled while I was in school. It didn't matter that I was a straight A student, actively participated in school activities, was well liked by my teachers, and never got into trouble. When I failed to complete one assignment, I got paddled by a teacher. A teacher I had no respect for after that incident. The truth is as an A student, punishing me with a reduced grade would have cut deeper than any paddle. All I was left with was resentment, and I basically checked out of the class after that. I handed in any piece of garbage, as long as it was on time, so I didn't get hit again. Basically I was a child who was allowed to be hit by an adult. And so we're clear, it left a mark, and was more than a "swat on the bottom" so many of you think this is restricted to, and your fooling yourselves if you think just because someone wears the moniker "teacher" they will show restraint in every situation. But, that was the norm, so it was OK. I'll be damned if I'm going to leave my child's physical well-being in the hands of a middle aged adult, who has only show the willingness to administer physical punishment to children, and leave the degree up to how angry said individual is that day. And, by the way having a child turn around, grab the back of chair, and position themselves for the "swat" is teaching them submission. Specifically, what are we teaching our little girls with this? My kids have not been hit, and I am proud to say they are kind, courteous, and top students. Smacking children around is not going to get their parents engaged, which is the real root problem. This is just a lazy quick fix.

  • Posted By: jab1351 @ 05/07/2009 11:14:42 AM

    Being a teacher in the public school system, I know first-hand the struggles that teachers go through in trying to teach a class over students/parents who just don't care. I say students and parents together because it's usually behavior that's reinforced at home because no meaningful punishment is given for a misbehavior. Even worse, some parents and grandparents think that their children can do NO wrong! Sadly mistaken, these children will bring them to tears one day because they are out doing drugs/stuck in jail because "mommy said that I didn't do it, so I didn't do it." Most of the comments I have from parents when I tell them of a discipline problem in my classroom is: "Did you see my child do this? If you didn't see it, then it didn't happen." Whoa! Let's just nominate your child for the "Perfect Child EVER Award!" Parents don't seem to care that their child is disruptive and holds the rest of the class hostage while the teacher has to put up with the crap that they do. I say bring corporal punishment back into all public schools! A good paddling never hurt anyone! Definitely "Spare the rod and spoil the child!"

  • Posted By: againstviolence @ 05/05/2009 7:35:49 PM

    On a Positive Note: The incident was reported to the police but it fell on deaf ears as Corporal punishment is legal in this state. You are right that parents can opt out if they are made aware of it, which my sister was not. My nephew was only in this school for a few months time. The damage it has done to him emotionally and physically makes me sick to my stomach and since this has happened I have educated myself on this practice and the number of children who have been paddled who go on to be abusers themselves. The fire needs to be put out at home, not in the hands of people who for one reason or another choose to use this barbaric means of punishment. Ever have a bad day and take it out on your children? Lose your patience a little quicker than usual? Go into work and take it out on the customer or coworker? Why give the power to another human being to take out his frustrations on your children. Face it. It is one thing to discipline your own children who you love. It's another to discipline someone else's who you may feel nothing for. Hitting a child to shut them up is taking the easy way out. It is quick and done with until the next time. Only thing learned is not to do what caused the beating that time. The rage, anger, humiliation and pain is still there.

    • Posted By: pande72 @ 05/06/2009 1:53:51 PM

      their are some parents that do not disiplline at home they let their childern run wild with out displine tt childern do not learn right from wrong. Lets think about it a brused eago as a child or being someones. playtoy in prission as an adult.

  • Posted By: wendi09 @ 05/06/2009 12:57:02 PM

    As a substitute teacher in this school, I know first-hand the discipline problems that were going on there. Before Mr. Nixon came, the previous principal allowed too much to go on...students were allowed to get away with alot that I wouldn't dare allow a child to get away with. I don't have children of my own right now, but if I did, a principal would have my permission to paddle him/her. I see nothing wrong with it because when I was in school, there wasn't a question about it, and we knew the consequences of acting up in school: paddled by principal/teacher and then one by the parent at school AND home! As long as the adult isn't spanking a child while angry, I have no problem with it...for the Bible clearly deals with this topic--spanking a child doesn't kill them. Time-outs, conferences, and just "talking to" a child doesn't always work and sometimes it takes, corporal punishment (as we call it now) to reach a child. If some parents would just take the time to visit the schools more often or start the discipline at home, parents wouldn't have to do their job and be a parent! Mr. Nixon is one of the finest principals (and men) that I've met, and I would work for him anyday and allow my child to be administrated by him. Corporal punishment can be a bad thing, if not used correctly, but when done so the right, it helps produce fine, young men & women..."spare the rod, spoil the child."

  • Posted By: kdvance17 @ 05/04/2009 11:44:12 AM

    I spank my son. I admit it. But that does not make me a bad parent. I am teaching my son the diffence between right and wrong. I will not let my child grow up to be a rude, disrespectful little ***. Bottom line. I am his mother, I have rules and expectations, and they will be followed. He doesnt live in fear. He is a happy, playful child. But he knows that if he pushes the limit to far that he will get a swat on his butt. He will survive and he will grow up to be a responsable adult, It is MY job to teach him that. Not societies or the school system. I am his parent. And by the was this is not a racial thing. Drop that ... Seriously!

    • Posted By: IzzyCon @ 05/05/2009 1:14:40 PM

      THANK YOU. This is the best point made so far. It is OUR responsibility as parents to do the raising and correcting. CPS has interfered so drastically with parents that are doing just as you do, thereby stripping us of the right TO correct, then when the child acts like a little *** it's OUR fault. Discipline should be done at home, not by strangers. To all who keep stating that it takes love to correct a child, a stranger does not/can not love your child more than you do if you are a true parent. I hate to say this, but one big problem with our current society is that since the 80's and 90's we've had an explosion of "women" having children only for the "check" (welfare, child support, etc) and babies having babies, and parenting skills never come into play or are even an afterthought. As such there is no true parental guidance to the products of these types of homes. It is unbelievable that you need a license to drive a car, but no test for parenting skills anywhere, not all people should be parents.

      • Posted By: ss_olympic @ 05/06/2009 12:29:02 PM

        Some great points made here. If parents were raising their kids to be responsible and respectful ,all teachers would have to do is threaten a phone call home (and follow through if necessary). Instead, since many parents dont have a working number or the kids are raised by other family members, we have to resort to "time out" which is almost laughable to kids now or some other excuse imposed on us by the "critics" like they need medication or a psychological work up, while the problem is too many lazy unfit parents trying to have several kids to abuse the system. Guess whos paying for these people's free ride? Not the tax payers, but the same teachers that are trying in vain to teach these kids as well as RAISE them!

        There are too many people with their heads in the clouds to see how flawed our system really is right now. It's easy to preach "your hurting these kids!". A spanking administered by a caring adult only takes a few seconds and will wear off in a few minutes. The alternative is having a bunch of zombie kids all wacked out on drugs. What depresses me at the end of the day is that some of the only love some kids get during the day is from their teachers. So the root of this whole issue is a parenting problem not a paddling problem.

      • Posted By: EngineerDad @ 05/05/2009 1:32:30 PM

  • Posted By: cadstyl @ 05/06/2009 12:21:02 PM

    It seems to me this administrator is doing a very good job of trying to turn around, what is all to common in America, a failing school system. If referals to the office are down eighty percent then that tells me eighty percent of these children are in class learning and the teachers aren't spending most of their day dealing with paperwork. I remember in eighth grade shop class, in the first few days of class, one of the tough guy cutups in class got a spanking. After all was said and done he returned to his seat with tears in his eyes and the teacher said "that may very well save your life". In my class the teacher didn't have to spank another student the rest of the year. While I do not suport abuse what we have now is not working and each case must be handled on its own merits.

  • Posted By: MichaelX @ 05/06/2009 10:02:17 AM

    Maybe if the little brats were'nt such jerks, it would'nt be needed. As such, it is something that should be threatened to prohibit their bad behaviour. Oh, "your" little "angel" is'nt like that. Bogus. Today's youth has too much lieniency, and the excuse that they are just "finding" themself is again, bogus. Act right, or get smacked.

  • Posted By: Dr. Mom @ 05/04/2009 2:39:37 PM

    While to say your friends experience is unfortunate is an understatement, there are things that you said or didn???t say that are curious. There are common flaws in arguments in favor of the use of corporal punishment for children. While I don???t agree with the use of corporal punishment for children, I am equally distressed that your friend endured ???physical violence.??? I would agree as you seem to imply that this student???s punishment is insufficient, but it is still not a logical and well thought out argument to justify the use of corporal punishment on school children.
    If you look back at your words, you are arguing that your friend should not have to go to work every day in fear of physical violence. I couldn???t agree more. In fact this statement supports my contention that children too deserve to know that when they go to school they do not have to be in fear of physical violence (corporal punishment). This right to physical safety does not stop with your friend and teachers in general, but should extend to the students they work to educate as well. Your solution seems a bit absurd. You suggest that we should use physical violence (corporal punishment) on school children in order to keep teachers from enduring physical violence themselves. It sounds like what you???re saying is the person with the most power deserves feel safe and deserves to be the hitter... or kicker as the case may be.
    This young person has significant troubles to be sure. He/she either has some mental health issues, or comes from a home that has taught that physical violence (corporal punishment) is the solution to frustration. This solution is not so uncommon, but certainly not justified. Using physical violence to eliviate frustrating circumstance is not acceptable for this young person, and we should be at least as mortified by the thought that teachers might use physical violence to discipline school children. Both our teachers and our students have a right to go to school and not be in fear of physical violence.

    • Posted By: grayhare @ 05/05/2009 12:11:36 AM

      I thought these children were in grade school and not some prison. People like to use the term "Corporal Punishment" rather than "Discipline" or "Spanking". Corporal punishment is from the 8th Amendment. This is designed to protect inmates from "Cruel and Unusual Punishment". Check before you label something!

      • Posted By: Dr. Mom @ 05/06/2009 12:44:00 AM

        You need to check the dictionary and your facts before you attempt to call someone out. It's less embarrasing...

        Corporal Punishment: is the deliberate infliction of pain intended to discipline or reform a wrongdoer or change a person's behavior.

        Legality of corporal punishment in Europe
        Corporal punishment prohibited in schools and the home

        Corporal punishment prohibited in schools only

        Corporal punishment not prohibitedCorporal punishment may be divided into three main types:

        parental or domestic corporal punishment, i.e. the spanking of children or teenagers within the family;
        school corporal punishment, i.e. of school students by teachers or other school officials;
        judicial corporal punishment, involving the official caning or whipping of convicted offenders (whether adult or juvenile) by order of a court of law.

      • Posted By: againstviolence @ 05/05/2009 4:31:00 PM

        This is grade school and it is corporal punishment. The definition of Corporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of pain intended to discipline or reform a wrongdoer or change a person's behavior. Isn't it funny though how the supreme court decided that the cruel and unusual punishment clause in the eighth amendment did not apply to children...only prisoners.

        • Posted By: Tilar @ 05/05/2009 8:41:19 PM

          ***The definition of Corporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of pain intended to discipline or reform a wrongdoer or change a person's behavior.***

          And it works very well... Oh, and there is a ton of difference between punishment, and cruel and unusual punishment. If people don't know the difference, Maybe their parents needed some parenting instructions BEFORE having the children. .

    • Posted By: prince82 @ 05/04/2009 4:00:27 PM

      Dr. Mom,
      I have read a few of your comments and it has raised a few questions but I am only going to address one. I see you state that the child should have the right to go to school without the fear of corporal punishment. I agree with your statement, IF the child has done no wrong. If the child is a well mannered student, then there is no fear of corporal punishment. What is being stated by most here is that out of line students need disipline. By your assessment, there should not be judicial system for wrong doers because "corporal punishment" is not the answer. The answer to all of this is God himself. My parents put the fear of God in me and a very young age. By the time school came around, there wasn't much of a need for the paddle, but if I was out of line, the paddle is what I got. I turned out OK I guess (you have Dr. in your name, I will be one in less that a year). This is not to bash you or say that I am better, it is to say that no one is talking about giving children the electric chair, we (at least some of us) as saying that discipling is referenced way back in the first testiment. God himself diciplines for disobedience, not because he wants to abuse us, He does it because he Loves us and Cares. People without fear have not regard to authority. It is not the principle that the children fear, it is the consequences which in turn is the paddle. Please stop saying that violence brings on violence. Discipline your kids because you love them is not violent. Better it happen now then when they are old and and the system "legally" does it.

      • Posted By: Dr. Mom @ 05/04/2009 5:21:04 PM

        I have many thoughts about your comment, but the first is to thank you for your respectful tone. I think you may misunderstand a couple of things however. I am not talking about the judicial system; I am talking about children who have not committed any crimes yet.

        Second your implication is that if we don???t hit our kids they will end up in prison or in the judicial system. This is a common, but erroneous correlation. In fact, the incident of people in the prison system who endured corporal punishment in some estimates is 95% prompting child experts to warn against physical violence as a means of discipline.

        Lastly and probably most importantly, I am not arguing against discipline and respect from our children. Quite the contrary. I have raised four children without the use of corporal punishment as have many other parents before me, who still instilled respect for authority and discipline from my children. This isn???t to say of course that I think I have all the answers. It is simply to say you can in fact raise well adjusted and well disciplined children without the use of corporal punishment.

        In reference to your own experiences with your parents, this is the toughest wall to climb in thinking about this topic. While I feel certain your parents love you and did their best by you, and I am so pleased to hear that the use of corporal punishment did not disrupt you potential, your success is antidotal. The problem is that just because you are successful, by itself does not make a good argument for corporal punishment. For instance, there are many children who were literally abused (and in these cases no one would argue the definition as they are taken away from caregivers by the courts), the fact that many of these children grow up to be productive is hardly a good argument for living through abuse in order to be a successful adult.

        My assertion is that kids are resilient, and that often even abused kids can and do grow up to become successful and productive in spite of their horrific experiences, not because of them. The question you may want to ask yourself is, if child experts are suggesting corporal punishment is damaging to a child???s psyche, and given it is also true a child can be well disciplined without the use of corporal punishment, then why would we include hitting our children as a legitimate childrearing technique? The second thing to think about is how does a person know when corporal punishment has crossed over into abuse? Does a ???spanking??? become abuse after the 3rd whack, the 50th whack or 100th? My assertion is that any physical violence is abusive. Our laws recognize this given our laws don???t allow us to hit strangers, prisoners, or animals. So why do we still reserve the right to hit our children? I appreciate hearing your thoughts.

        • Posted By: tvickers19 @ 05/05/2009 10:20:51 AM

          Where did you get your statistics at? 95% really? What are your sources or were you just flying by the seat of your pants?

        • Posted By: prince82 @ 05/04/2009 6:48:52 PM

          First off, you are very welcome. Just because we disagree on a topic gives me no right to disrepect you or speak to you in a resentful tone.

          I agree that there are parents that go overboard. Beating you kids until they bleed, you get tired (even though this is how grandma used to do it), or bruised is not discipline, it abuse. Giving you children a good one on the bottom to show them that their being out of line will NOT be tolerated is much different. Please try to understand the difference.

          Many people that have commented asking for the principls job have wrote about horrific experiences. I believe that I read two comments from his students or former students praising him. He took this job obviously because he loves children and he feels he can make a change and the stats listed in the article speak for themself.

          I leave you with this, It truly sounds that you had Our Father Almighty in your corner and for that I give Him all the praises. I have referenced the Bible is both of my previous comments and it shows that you children have reguard for authority. Parents (good ones) really do not want to spank their children, but sometimes there truly isn't any other alternative. I am pleased to hear that you raised four well mannered children. If you did not have to spank them than that is great. However, what do you say to Little Bobby's and Sue's mom? The mom who have tried time out, taking cell phones, Wii, etc? Everything but spanking. The article states that the principal used this as a LAST resort. Key word being last. You have a Bless One.

  • Posted By: tdavis1979 @ 05/05/2009 11:41:16 PM

    This article makes me sad. And he should feel conflicted about his actions. He's wrong to hit children. I don't care the reason. There is NEVER justification for an adult to hit a child. And for fighting...that says,"It's not ok for you to hit, but it's ok for me to hit." The child learns when you are in charge you can hit smaller weaker people. And yeah corporal punishment may be a faster means to an end, that doesn't make it right. The fact that a large portion of these children are poverty-stricken makes it worse. I think this guy could have done better by these kids if he focused on teaching a restorative justice method instead of continuing the retributive one. For these poor kids they are controlled by violence now at school and at home, later on in life they will be controlled by violence from police and prison. It's lazy and temporary. If he gets rid of the paddle like he says he wants to do. He loses his power. What he needs to do is empower those children to control their own behavior.

  • Posted By: Tilar @ 05/05/2009 8:35:37 PM

    Good for him. Nobody disciplines kids anymore. Most parents nowadays send their kids to timeout? Big deal. They go to their room with the TV's, Computers, Video games... Man what a deal.

    40 years ago kids didn't even think about doing half the crap that they get away with on a daily basis now... And it's all due to the type of discipline they get.

  • Posted By: againstviolence @ 05/05/2009 6:23:57 PM

    I can deny it. Corporal punishment never works. Kids do need discipline and structure....not physical abuse. The schools in decline have nothing to do with the kids. It is all politics and greedy politicians not willing to give the schools or the teachers the money they deserve. Resorting back to primitive standards is not the answer.

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