There is a story or two going around about school districts wanting to bring back paddling, and as I don’t have any kids I say, “Bring it on!” Okay, actually I’m a lot torn on the subject, but more on that later. Most of the stories site how when it was allowed that for one, it was rarely used, but that it also was the most effective use of punishment for some kids as I’m thinking the brats just saw a suspension as a vacation from school and probably got to play with their XBox when they were at home, anyway.
I vaguely remember a few kids being paddled back when I was a youngin’, and for the most part I’m pretty sure it was the only thing that made sense to them. Me, I was only paddled a few times, in symbolic ceremonies during our initiation banquets for Theta Xi Fraternity in college where the little brothers made a decorative paddle for their big brother and each got to whack the other on the ass harkening back to the days when somehow paddling was a right of fraternity passage.
I know, I know, there are supposed to be time-outs and gentle prodding to change behavior, and paddling could be likened to brutal punishment, and fine, call me behind the times and a brute (and as I say, I might feel differently if I actually had a child), but sometimes I still think a little bump on the rump might be the only way for a rascal to truly understand what they did was wrong instead of a nice, little vacation in their media center, I mean bedroom. I don’t know, it guess it does seem kind of cruel. Ugh! I’m so torn. What I do know is that I sound like an old fogey when I say things like “Back in my day…”, so I suppose I should quit being an old fogey and get with the times. And who am I trying to kid, I could never hit a child anyway as it would just crush me. After all, I’m a lover, not a fighter.
And so I plight: Should kids be allowed to be paddled in school?
That’s it for this plight! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!