Discipline belongs to parents, not schools
by Diana De Leon reporter

    What is the world coming to when it is illegal to kick a dog, but a teacher can paddle your child?

   Corporal punishment in schools is still legal in 22 states, Texas among them.

   This existing Texas legislation means that a teacher or the principal of your child’s school can spank your child, with or without a paddle, without your permission.

   These same people could not hit a dog without being sued, but they can hit your child and be within their rights.

   Apparently, a dog has more rights in this state than your children do. Such injustices are unacceptable and outrageous to me.

   I am the parent, and as such, I have my rights. And even though he is a minor, my child has rights as a human being.

   Does my child cease to be mine when he enters the schoolyard? Does he cease to be human?

   I do not hit my child; I will not allow anyone else to do so. To me, a teacher who paddles my child would be attacking my child.

   What kind of mother would I be if I did not defend my child?

   My first reaction would be to attack the teacher, but this action would get me sued. Yet I cannot sue the teacher who hit my child.

   Clearly, the law needs to be changed. A teacher who controls a child by hitting the child needs to be in another profession. Obviously, that teacher cannot teach with imagination but has to use force.

   What does the child think of a teacher after that teacher spanks him or her?

   The environment of teacher and student is broken. Their relationship must be shattered by distrust or fear.

   How can a teacher continue to teach after hurting a child? Surely that child cannot go back into that teacher’s classroom without a certain amount of fear.

   Most parents believe that discipline comes with parenting. A school is for reading, writing and arithmetic.

   I do believe in good conduct at school, but if the child is misbehaving that badly, then a talk with the parents is in order first.

   If the parents take their job seriously, they can handle the discipline their own way.

   It is my job, not the school’s, to discipline my child.

   This law takes away my right as a parent to discipline my own child. It takes away my child’s right as a human.

   Would you allow anyone to hit your dog? No, most people love their dogs.

   Most parents love their children too.