Did you know that corporal punishment is actually legal in schools in 19 states? In states where it is not permitted in schools it is still legal for a parent to hit their child, and that includes the use of implements (paddles, stick, etc.).

This barbaric institution of punishment is often defended by many who claim "Well my parents hit me and I turned out fine!" Studies have shown that this anecdotal evidence is dead wrong; the implementation of corporal punishment (physical punishment) has been linked with higher rates of aggression, antisocial behavior, depression, anxiety and countless other negative psychological effects.

For those not living in one of the 19 states that permit corporal punishment in schools, it may come as a shock to you that not only is it legal, it is still often practiced. Federal data collected for 2009, the most recent available, estimates 184,527 students without disabilities were physically disciplined in schools across the country that year. The numbers reveal boys are more likely than girls to receive corporal punishment, and it was disproportionately applied to blacks.

It is time to put an end to the practice of corporal punishment. No educator should ever be permitted to physically and psychologically abuse their students. Furthermore parents who punish using corporal punishment must learn that there are more effective disciplinary alternatives to hitting their children. Regardless of what your personal feelings on "spanking" are, the facts are overwhelming and irrefutable and must be addressed. It is time to join many other major developed nations and ban this national embarrassment.