According to Wikipedia (for whatever that is worth), spanking is legal in all 50 states.
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Thank you. I’m actually very wishy-washy on this subject. I don’t really know what the best answer is, and I’m not sure there’s a one-size-fits-all answer, either. If someone here really wants to argue one side or the other, I’ll probably cave. 
My opinion on high school, especially, has changed over the years. I think high schools should have a business-like environment, to help prepare the students for their pending lives of adulthood. But I struggle with this. For example, I don’t have a problem with homework, but I don’t like it when students are given a half-hour of homework from 6 different teachers. Because in real life, I struggle to keep work at work (work-life balance), and I think teenagers still need to spend time with their parents, even if they won’t admit it.
So along those lines, I would never accept corporal punishment from my manager. (Except for this one manager who I had a real crush on, but I won’t talk about that here.) So maybe it’s inappropriate to do the same to a 16-year-old? I don’t know, because “work” is also not mandatory, whereas school attendance is. Also the fact that a 16-year-old is not an adult.
I don’t know, like I said, I’m very wishy-washy. I just don’t want to get sued. 
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There is also a slippery slope. If a public school is allowed to physically lay hands on students for purpose of punishment, can they do it for medical reasons? Are students expressing political views contrary to their teachers’ considered disciplinary violation worthy of corporal punishment?
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Yes, in a medical emergency, absolutely.
Corporal punishment? No. Corporal punishment, where it is still practiced, is usually confined to a deliberate set of offenses. When I received corporal punishment, it was usually for something like cheating. And corporal punishment is generally performed under observation from a 3rd party, for liability reasons.
Political differences is a unique topic in and of itself. A student wouldn’t receive corporal punishment for reasons listed above, but there have been plenty of cases were students are punished for expressing opinions that differ from the teacher. Sometimes teachers get caught up in this, other times they get away with it by doling out off-the-books punishments.
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Define “emergency”, like, the sneakiest, most manipulative definition you can think of.
In the environment, where I cannot trust educators to keep people outside the school that should be kept at least 1000 ft from school, my answer to corporal punishment is a resounding “NO”.
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Give the child an option, the Switch or take their iPhone away for a week.
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Most children would pick the switch @Karacal If you take their phones they could not play video games.
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Why not both? 
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Let’s ask CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES on this subject, “The Paddle”, I’d like to hear an opinion from them.
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Growing up in Montana, we had corporal punishment - all the teachers had whack paddles - and would use them if really necessary, which wasn’t often. If you did get a whack for misbehavior, it was nothing compared to when you got home, because the teacher would contact your parents… Those were the days when kids were respectful, and Parents were PARENTS. We were taught American values. There were consequences for your actions, and you were held legally responsible for your actions. Breaking the law got you in real trouble. There were very few shootings - if any which were met with severe consequences.
America has really changed - and I don’t think for the better. Lack of parenting, liberal “education” and ‘tolerance’ (acceptance) of criminal behavior had brought us to our current situation. I really believe we did grow up in the best of times.
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IIRC now if you paddle your offspring it is in many areas of this country considered child abuse???
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Was that before people started fleeing California?
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Oh yes - I’m in my 70’s, and things were very different everywhere during the 50’s and 60’s - the “invasion” CA came in the 70’s - and for most of the “invaders” the first Montana winter soured their view of “heaven”… LOL - many turned around and left - went to OR and WA…
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But if you spank or paddle your own child the State comes after you for child abuse these days.
When I was raised trust me I learned Right from Wrong very quickly after getting my a$$ beat. You learn very quick good from bad,and you also learn to respect your Elders. Todays generation has no respect for anyone except themselves because they get what ever they want . Too many times Mommy or Daddy comes to the rescue if they get in trouble instead of letting them live with their decisions.
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… still better than getting you sideburns ripped out … ouch!
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My parents never worried about the state coming after them either.
Notwithstanding all of the horror stories of child protection services run amuck, spanking is still legal according to two links I posted above. Unfortunately, I’ve had to call child protective services on a set of parents. Nothing significant happened. (I think the child was telling untrue stories, but as a mandatory reporter, I didn’t have a choice to call or not.)
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I have seen that play out at least twice, that I know of. It’s rough on everybody, but what a lesson on the consequences of telling lies!
BTW, I’ve also seen CPS make a mess of things when a child gets in an accident and has to go to the hospital. On one hand, I think working for CPS must be a rough gig, and I can’t fault them for following up on reports. But parents shouldn’t have to worry about whether they’ll lose their child if they seek medical care.
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Just my opinion…
There is a difference between discipline and punishment. Sometimes punishment is used to bring about discipline. However, if teachers and/or parents have failed discipline, they will fail trying to discipline by relying solely on the tools of punishment to create/maintain discipline.
Relying on the tool instead of exemplifying the idea can create problems regardless of the tool, e.g. paddle, silence, dunce hat, time out, suspension, rod, spanking, etc.
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I agree 100%.
My son broke both arms, exact same break several months apart once on each arm. We joked with the walk in clinic about when we get reported. They said we were fine. But it’s sad that we have to think about this as parents.
Of course we also asked about frequent flyer miles and when we would get a free visit. But they said that wasn’t a thing.
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On the other hand, I know of a case in a different school where a teacher had to report a parent. That teacher ended up leaning into the life of a young person and became something of a father figure. He remained involved in the life after graduation. The young lady is now ROTC college studying the subject area taught by that teacher. Unfortunately due to the nonsense in public school, he left the profession and is no longer teaching. It’s a loss for the school system. But perhaps it’s time to starve the beast of government education.
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