In a five page letter to governors and state education officials the U.S. Secretary of Education has called on schools to stop using physical punishment to address behavior issues.
Calling school-sponsored corporal punishment an “ineffective” and “harmful” practice, the Secretary said the practice disproportionately impacts students of color and students with disabilities. Corporal punishment is intended to positively influence a child’s behavior, but research suggests that it can increase aggression and oppositional behavior.
Corporal punishment is banned in 28 states, including New Jersey, but is currently allowed in 22 states. According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, 110,000 students experienced some type of physical punishment in school during the 2013-2014 academic year, using practices that have been banned in U.S. prisons and military training facilities.
The Education Department correspondence comes as 80 organizations including the National Disability Rights Network, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and the National Down Syndrome. Congress issued a joint letter to policymakers urging similar action. The groups said that children with disabilities are often subjected to corporal punishment for exhibiting behaviors related to their special needs.
