BY BERNIE MIXON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NORTH COLLEGE HILL -- Corporal punishment took a thrashing Tuesday night as parents in the North College Hill school district gave the discipline measure a thumbs-down.
While parents reaffirmed their disapproval of corporal punishment, they urged greater parental responsibility and working with teachers to solve discipline problems in the classroom.
It was the second public meeting this month by the Secondary Local Discipline Task Force, formed to recommend to the board of education whether the paddle should return to the classroom.
A final meeting for public comment will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Oct. 20 at Becker Elementary School, after which the task force will deliberate on a recommendation.
"Physical punishment is not the kind of thing we should be teaching children," said Richard Busemeyer of Glendale, who wore a sign over his shirt pocket that read "Beat Eggs Not Kids."
Under legislation that took effect Sept. 1, 1994, corporal punishment was abolished in all Ohio public school districts unless a district follows a task force's recommendation for its use.
At the first public meeting, parents overwhelmingly were against paddling in the schools.
Linda Keller, the mother of a 6-year-old, said she was against corporal punishment for her child.
"He's small and adults are huge," Ms. Keller said. "We may think of corporal punishment as a swat, but to a child the perspective is different."
Jim Wilson, himself a recipient of the paddle as a child, said he was for paddling in the classroom as a method of discipline.
"I got swats. It kept me out of jail," Mr. Wilson said.
"It worked for me. Whether spanking, in-school suspension or out here cleaning walls, there have to be restraints."
Sara Trout, a student at North College Hill High School, said even if the threat of getting a paddle is there, it won't deter some students from acting out.
"Kids that act out more won't think twice," Sara said.
"They act out at home and it won't make any difference."
"Physical punishment is not the kind of thing we should be teaching children.' -- Richard Busemeyer "I got swats. It kept me out of jail. It worked for me.' -- Jim Wilson
