WHEREAS, corporal punishment is defined as the intentional infliction of physical pain for purposes of stopping or preventing misbehavior, and

WHEREAS, corporal punishment in schools is disproportionately used on African-American children, and

WHEREAS, anger and violence can get out of control with corporal punishment causing injuries such as bleeding, bruises, and broken bones, and

WHEREAS, corporal punishment conveys a message to children that violence is an acceptable method for dealing with conflict, and

WHEREAS, overwhelming evidence suggests that other methods of discipline work better like setting reasonable rules and standards, correcting children in a respectful, non-violent and consistent manner, praise and reward for appropriate behavior.

WHEREAS, all children deserve to be able to learn in a safe and supportive learning environment free from corporal punishment.

NOW, THEREFORE, we urge all school boards to ban corporal punishment and we urge state legislators in all states allowing its use to pass legislation ending school corporal punishment.

 

SIGNATORIES

Dr. Alvin Poussaint	Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Judge Baker Children's Center; Boston, MA
Julian Bond	Chairman of the Board of NAACP, Baltimore, MD
Kweisi Mfume	Past President & CEO of NAACP; Baltimore, MD
Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.	Founder & President of PUSH/EXCEL; Chicago, IL
Marc H. Morial	President & CEO of Urban League; New York, NY
Dr. Michelle Clark	Committee on Black Psychiatrists, American Psychiatric Assn.; Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Winston Price	President of National Medical Association; Washington, DC
Marion Wright Edelman	President of Children's Defense Fund; Washington, DC
Dr. Deloris M. Saunders	President of National Alliance of Black School Educators; Washington, DC
Dr. Michael Lomax	President & CEO of United Negro College Fund; Fairfax, VA
Brother Reynaldo S. Taylor	President, Nat'l Black Catholic Seminarian Assn; Cincinnati, OH
Bishop E. Earl McCloud	Ecumenical Officer, AME Church; Atlanta, GA
Bishop Phillip Robert Cousin	Fourth Episcopal District, AME Church; Chicago, IL
Bishop Cornal Garnett Henning	Eighth Episcopal District, AME Church; New Orleans, LA
Bishop McKinley Young	Eleventh Episcopal District, AME Church; Jacksonville, FL
Dr. Carl C. Bell	President & CEO of Community Mental Health Council; Chicago, IL
Dr. Marilyn Benoit	Past President of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Washington, DC
Yvette McGee Brown	President of Child and Family Advocacy Center; Columbus, OH
Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth	Past President of Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Judith Jackson	President of National Association of Black Social Workers; Washington, DC

Compiled by Dr. Alvin Poussaint and EPOCH-USA (End Physical Punishment of Children), Columbus, OH 43215, Nadine Block Co-Chair www.stophitting.org