The Times Argus reports a recent visit from 21 Mississippi school students to Cabot School in Vermont.
The southern guests explained that they “can be paddled for a list of offenses that include talking back, picking up a piece of paper without permission and being tardy three times… The assistant principal administers the paddling, which is done in the presence of a teacher.”
No particular surprise there. But I was taken aback when the article explained that:
The wooden paddles are about 1 inch thick, 5 inches wide and 18 inches long – excluding the handle – and have 24 holes. They are often made by students in the building trades classes, sometimes in exchange for privileges such as hall passes.
Made by students?! I wonder whether “go and fetch the paddle” ever morphs into “go and make a paddle”? (Haron: did you do woodwork at school, my dear?).
Do students facing punishment ever recognise the paddle that’s about to make its mark (“hey, I made that”)? Do they do mail order? What would happen to a group of girls caught deliberately making a batch of paddles out of lighter wood, cutting it thinner, maybe even scoring a fault into the wood to make sure it broke when used?
And was the Mississippi group polite enough to bring a hand-crafted gift with them, to be presented to the Vermont principal? Made of especially thick, extra-dense wood…
By the way. it is said that, “When the Mississippi students first met their Vermont counterparts last year, they were amazed to learn that Vermont students are not given paddlings.” Indeed. But apparently the Vermont group will be on their very best behaviour when undertaking a return visit to their new friends in Mississippi.
Imagine having to make your own paddle. How long do you think that would take? You’d want to be damn sure there weren’t any splinters in it!
Oh my God! The only spanking story I ever wrote is about a girl making her own paddle.
(But ‘picking up a piece of paper without permission’? That’s kinda harsh, isn’t it?)
Is it sick of me that the hottest thing about this article was the paddle measurements? Yes, I’m strange.
Really hope those kids managed to get CP abolished in their school. That this only happens in disadvantaged schools is pretty horrendous
I don’t know that CP only occurs in disadvantaged US schools. CP laws vary from state to state, and the implementation of such varies from school district to school district. In some states the CP that is legal for a school to dole out is illegal for the parent to do to their child.
It is one thing for paddling and caning and so on to take place between consenting adults (and anyone who reads my blog knows what I take from the men in my life): what goes on in many US schools is sickening. It needs to be banned in every state.
Beth
I don’t think anyone here’s ever actually advocated spanking in any non-consensual environment, such as schools. Sure, the “school scenario” acts as a trigger for many spanko folks’ fantasies, but that’s very different to endorsing c.p. in real-life school environment. (Ditto judicial, parental situations, etc. etc.). Our site’s disclaimer does make this clear.
Yes, Abel, I know it does; I wasn’t saying you do. I was responding to Pandora’s comment re: the type of school (in the US) where this happens. Sorry.
Beth – and sorry if I misinterpreted your comment!
Hmmm…well it would certainly be a more interesting tech project than the ‘grabbers’ and clocks we used to make…saying that we did make spatulas one year (yup…8 2 hours lessons to design and make a spatula…British education at it’s finest…though my mum does still have mine!)
Am I alone in wondering whether Chloe’s school-made spatula should be borrowed from her mum’s kitchen and put to better use?
Um, no, Abel…
But I had already decided that perhaps there are flaws in the spatula that would render it undesirable as toy. Chloe, I say this not to criticize your adolescent handiwork, but only to find a reasonable explanation. After all, surely you know how cool it would be to have a spatula you made yourself in your toy bag!
Or maybe you just *really* love your mother?
The shop class always made the paddles that were used in the school district that I attended in the 60’s and 70’s. It was very common practice for them to be made by the wood working students.