Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Letters to the Editor

Corporal punishment has value

I have read two reports about corporal punishment in the Herald-Leader. I agree with state Sen. Mike Wilson: I was spanked, and it sent me on the right path.

During my 32 years in education, I was a coach, guidance counselor and principal. I saw the value of counseling and corporal punishment.

It really irritates me to have professor Eric Weber call anyone who favors spanking ignorant. I doubt if he has ever been in charge of discipline in a public school.

When I was principal, the family was a strong influence. I would ask a child if they would like a spanking or a suspension; 95 percent of them took a couple of swats. Suspension would have meant a call to their parents and most knew that the discipline at home would be worse.

Weber also refers to prison discipline as protected by state law. I served six years as recreation director in a women’s prison. I never saw an employee touch an inmate. I treated everyone fairly and kept my department free of inmate violence.

It’s sad that such dreamers have no idea of the real world. It’s a real shame that they influence others.

Russ Walkup

Lexington

This story was originally published October 14, 2016 at 6:55 PM with the headline "Corporal punishment has value."

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