Since when has rod meant beating children?

Who determines the line for good abuse and bad abuse? Are light bruisesfrom a paddle or belt acceptable but severe bruising is not? How do wedetermine if a teacher strikes a child to teach a lesson or simplyreleasing their anger? What size paddles are less likely to causephysical damage to the child?

Most spankings, "whoopings" or paddlings are performed bypersons angry because a child refused to follow orders. How willeducators decide which "acts" deserve a paddling? I attended PetalPublic Schools many years ago. I received paddlings on three separateoccasions over a 12 year period. One occurred while I was in theseventh grade by an angry teacher. I was paddled twice in a row, andhad extensive bruising to my lower back and buttocks.

I wasraised by parents who believed if I received physical punishment atschool, I should get the same when I got home. I never let my parentssee the marks. I believed I deserved them. Another teacher witnessedthe act, commenting I would never learn.

I know my parents wouldhave gone to their knees and cried if they had seen the solid blackmarks on my backside. I have always wondered why we are mostly punishedphysically on our backside? Who makes that rule?

I hate to referto whippings, beatings and belting as discipline. The word disciplineis derived from the word disciple, which I was taught is a gentle,teaching person who followed my Savior. I have heard some clergy andchurch members encourage the striking of children in the name of God.

Childrenwere once servants and since it has been a practice to encourage theverse "spare the rod and spoil the child," I want someone to show mewhere the rod means a stick used to beat children with. Some referencesto the Bible show that the rod used to guide the sheep, not beat thesheep. If this is the case, does "thy rod and thy staff they comfortme" mean I am comforted by a striking rod?

I almost went to myknees when one educator stated they were paddling kindergartenchildren. No wonder our kids are growing up with anger and fear.

Iurge educators to do extensive research to find out what relationshipphysical punishment has to do with a child's self-esteem, grades,juvenile delinquency and alcohol-drug addiction. Numerous studies canbe found by doing a Google search on "corporal punishment" or "healthydiscipline."

We all know children are what they learn and see. Achild that sees anger and violence will become angry and violent. Whena child receives love, kindness and unconditional acceptance, thatchild learns to return the same. As I worked abuse cases, many adultswould state that "whoopings" were what made them a good person.

Afellow officer once stated to me "my daddy whipped me with a razorstrap and I turned out to be a good man." He was fired six months laterfor alcohol abuse.

I do not deny that many individuals have beenbrought up with physical punishment and are productive citizens. I askcould it have been love, affection and guidance that produced thestability instead of the physical punishment?

I, too, was broughtup in a home that believed to "spare the rod and spoil the child." Myparents were taught that physical punishment was the way to achievethis. My parents did what they thought was right. I hate to say thatoften it was performed with anger. I know those moments only fueled myown anger, fear and depression. It did not make me a better person.

WhatI am today attempting to raise a 5-year-old resulted from care, loveand guidance I received from my parents. What I am today resulted fromthem encouraging me to know and love God. I was blessed to have manyeducators who loved and encouraged me to be the best that I could be.There were many days growing up that I rejected all my teachings buttoday I have returned to live the good things I was taught.

Ihope and pray that our educators will research this topic and find analternative way of handling the mimicked behavior so many childrendisplay. We must ask ourselves is it the loss of physical punishmentthat had caused some children to be uncontrollable, or is it a formimproper inconsistent guidance somewhere in their environment?