School Boards in most states can still authorize corporal punishment for their students. The use of corporal punishment with Native American students is self-defeating and improper. A parent may exercise their judgment in using corporal punishment outside of the schools. That is the parent’s prerogative. No adult should ever exert corporal punishment on a child that is not his/her own. First, corporal punishment often violates cultural norms. Native Americans treat their children as little young adults from an early age. Second, some students come from homes where alcohol is a factor and face lives of violence there. Thirdly, the development of conscious does not require the rod, there are more enlightened ways to punish children other than brute force. When the school program is exciting and the classroom instruction stimulating, withdrawal from the classroom may be the worst type of punishment. Fourth, in our litigious society, corporal punishment can result in criminal action and civil suits against the schools. Finally, under the concept of unconditional love discussed earlier, our children should never ever be harmed in any way. Corporal punishment breeds contempt and hatred for the punisher, results in a continuing chain of violence as each person on the chain strikes someone else, shows children that the schools do not respect their bodies, and creates an atmosphere of fear. Burn the paddles and find a better way to discipline our children.

It is always better to keep a child in school than to suspend him/her. If students start the school day with a good physical workout, many discipline problems would disappear.

Some alternatives to suspension are: a time-out corner in the classroom, a time-out room in the office, a talk with the principal, a call to the parent, a time-out during recess, writing lines, writing an apology, talking to the school counselor, a home visit by the principal, a switch to another classroom, early to bed at home (worked out with parents), and lack of participation is school events. Discipline is not only punishment but constant praise and rewards and recognition for good work and effort. Suspensions often result in students creating problems for their community. Our children need to be in school. The principal needs to always support the teacher in discipline. There needs to be agreement ahead of time as to the type of discipline to be exercised.

Child Abuse

Principals and teachers have the duty to report all types of abuse directed against children, whether it is physical, sexual, or mental or emotional. All teachers should be trained in reporting abuse and dealing with suspected cases of abuse and neglect. Students should be involved in child abuse prevention training so that they know when they are being touched in a bad way. Children should taught that there are “no more secrets” when it comes to abuse and that when they report it to an adult, it will be treated seriously and action taken.Beginning in late March, our schools sometimes become a place where children are hurt. Teachers tempers wear out, Spring fever hits, children may get a little more out of hand and do not respond to the usual classroom discipline. Schools need to offer teachers training in self-control, principals need to relieve overworked teachers occasionally when they need to calm down, and the school climate needs to be perfectly clear: At this school, children are never hurt by teachers. There are no exceptions to reporting abuse. If a child is slapped in the face, it gets reported. What schools can and should do is to try to alleviate conditions in which hitting students can happen, offering any type of support that teachers need to make it through each day without resorting to hitting students. The vast majority of our teachers would never hit a child, but it does happen and it must stop.