American Academy of Pediatrics: Position Statement on Corporal Punishment in Schools, reaffirmed in September, 2006:

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that corporal punishment in schools be abolished in all states by law and that alternative forms of student behavior management be used.

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It is estimated that corporal punishment is administered between 1 and 2 million times a year in schools in the United States.1 Increasingly, states are abolishing corporal punishment as a means of discipline, but statutes in some states still allow school officials to use this form of discipline.2-4

The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that corporal punishment may affect adversely a student's self-image and school achievement and that it may contribute to disruptive and violent student behavior.1,5-7 Alternative methods of behavioral management have proved more effective than corporal punishment and are specifically described in the reference articles.5-7 Physical force or constraint by a school official may be required in a limited number of carefully selected circumstances to protect students and staff from physical injury, to disarm a student, or to prevent property damage.

The American Academy of Pediatrics urges parents, educators, school administrators, school board members, legislators, and others to seek the legal prohibition by all states of corporal punishment in schools and to encourage the use of alternative methods of managing student behavior.


COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL HEALTH, 1999-2000
Howard L. Taras, MD, Chairperson
David A. Cimino, MD
Jane W. McGrath, MD
Robert D. Murray, MD
Wayne A. Yankus, MD
Thomas L. Young, MD


LIAISONS
Evan Pattishall III, MD
American School Health Association
Missy Fleming, PhD
American Medical Association
Maureen Glendon, RNCS, MSN, CRNP
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners
Lois Harrison-Jones, EdD
American Association of School Administrators
Linda Wolfe, RN, BSN, MEd, CSN
National Association of School Nurses
Jerald L. Newberry, MEd
National Education Association, Health Information Network
Mary Vernon, MD, MPH
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


CONSULTANT
Paula Duncan, MD


STAFF
Su Li, MPA

Position Statement of the American Medical Association re corporal punishment:

H-515.995 Corporal Punishment in Schools


The AMA (1) supports the abolition of corporal punishment in schools; (2) encourages universities that train teachers to emphasize alternative forms of discipline during their training; (3) encourages physicians to work toward the abolition of corporal punishment in their communities; (4) encourages state medical societies to support legislation prohibiting corporal punishment in their state; (5) encourages parents and school personnel in those districts that have abolished corporal punishment to ensure the implementation of existing policies; (6) supports providing information to physicians and medical societies for use in the abolition of corporal punishment; and (7) supports working with the American Academy of Pediatrics to implement these policies. (BOT Rep. AA, A-85; Reaffirmed CLRPD Rep. 2, I-95; Reaffirmed: CSA Rep. 8, A-05)

below is a link to an interesting article about the ACLU. mention is made of at least one child protection matter. an interesting read, in any event.

source (registering at NYT to read entire articles is free):

nytimes.com/2006/09/26/us/26aclu.html

Supporters of A.C.L.U. Call for the Ouster of Its Leaders By STEPHANIE STROM A group of more than 30 longtime supporters of the A.C.L.U.
says the organization has failed to adhere to the principles it demands of others.

I emailed the ACLU the other day, inquiring about what they are doing about this. I made it very clear that this is not an "issue" in my state, but that I was concerned about the states where it is happening. This is the very disappointing, standard reply they sent me:

Dear Ms. Jellison,

Thank you for contacting the ACLU.

State affiliates of the ACLU handle requests for legal assistance; lobby the state legislatures, and host public forums throughout the year. Your state affiliate is therefore best equipped to handle your concerns.

To find the contact information for your ACLU affiliate office; please visit www.aclu.org/ and select your state from the "Your Local ACLU" menu at the bottom of the page.

Please also consider becoming a member of the ACLU. To join, please visit www.aclu.org/contribute/contribute.cfm or call 1-888-567-ACLU..

Sincerely,
D. Barber
Correspondence Manager, American Civil Liberties Union

Peg - as a healthcare professional you are probably intimately aware of the Hippocratic Oath. But for those of us who aren't I've included it below. My point? I wonder how many doctors who took this oath are also current Board of Education members in communities that advocate corporal punishment?

THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH
I swear by Apollo the physician, by Æsculapius, Hygeia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgement, the following Oath.


"To consider dear to me as my parents him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and if necessary to share my goods with him; to look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art if they so desire without fee or written promise; to impart to my sons and the sons of the master who taught me and the disciples who have enrolled themselves and have agreed to the rules of the profession, but to these alone the precepts and the instruction. I will prescribe regimen for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgement and never do harm to anyone. To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death. Nor will I give a woman a pessary to procure abortion. But I will preserve the purity of my life and my art. I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art. In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or with men, be they free or slaves. All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal. If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot."

You know, on that same sort of contradictory note - schools have such strict bullying/harrasment rules, that if a student struck another student, you know there would be heck to pay.