write an essay arguing your position on a controversial school-related issue

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Corporal Punishment in High School
Corporal punishment remains to be the most social controversial issue in the high school educational sector. Though it has been banned in certain schools in the United States, it remains an issue of debate in the educational sector. Some people are against it, and at the same time, it has some proponents. In the United States, it has been banned in twenty-nine states. However, millions of cases of corporal punishments are still being reported to happen in many high schools of the United States. Corporal Punishment refers to some physical pain inflicted on students’ bodies to act as a penalty or punishment for their wrong behaviors within the institution. Corporal punishment is done deliberately or with specific intentions of trying to rehabilitate the unruly behaviors of many students in high school. Corporal punishment in high school is done through various methods. They include punching, hitting, paddling, shaking, body postures that are painful, being given excessive exercises, spanking, shoving, electric shock and many others. Also, various high schools use different instruments to administer corporal punishment. Examples of the instruments are paddles, switches, and leather straps. Students experience many injuries as a result of corporal punishment. Today, almost all industrialized countries prohibit the use of corporal punishment, except in some few countries. Many people also argue that corporal punishment only brings adverse consequences to students, but this is never the case.

The continued incorporation of corporal punishment on students is obligated towards achieving an objective of improving the behavior and academic progress of students. There is still no empirical evidence that supports corporal punishment as a tool that can improve the academic excellence of students. Corporal punishment only worsens the academic performance of many students. Students lose their real moral character and even develop fear towards the teachers that administer corporal punishment. There is no way or incident that corporal punishment can increase the students’ respect for teachers as it is argued by the proponents of corporal punishment. Through corporal punishment, many students who are victims of such a dehumanizing act develop hatred and disrespect for their teachers. Students associate teachers who do such acts as being evil doers. Corporal punishment being administered to high school students remains one of the ineffective ways or methods of students’ behavior management in schools. There are better strategies apart from corporal punishment that can be used to manage the behavior of students in high schools. Some of these methods are praise or appreciating students for their daily progress.
Teachers must consider students to be human beings rather than treating them like animals. Most students do acquire serious injuries because of the extreme corporal punishment being done on them. Some students do get injuries that require immediate medical attention. Some of the injuries extend to brain damage. This leaves the affected students with the inabilities to be able to continue attaining the educational services intended for them. Corporal punishment interferes with the mental and intellectual capacity or reasoning of the affected students. A mental injury implies that the students cannot attain their academic progress because of the pains they get from the extreme corporal punishment they receive. Most students who are affected by such practices like hitting or disciplinary actions that are harsh have developed severe problems like depression, anger, and fear. Some students remain depressed throughout their lifetime. The lifetime depression results in negative consequences in their future educational and career life.
Corporal punishment does not only have direct effects on the affected students but also it affects other students who simply watch others as they are subjected to the extreme penalties. The students slowly withdraw their mind from the school activities. The use of corporal punishment brings effects to all students within the high school institution. The continued use of corporal punishment in high schools brings forth a threatening learning atmosphere to every student. This, in turn, brings about many negative impacts on the performance ability of students regarding their academic excellence within the learning institution. Even the students who witness the physical assault done by teachers on other students, develop behaviors that are violent and disruptive. It is not effective to use corporal punishment on students. It produces a learning environment that students cannot thrive well in. The use of corporal punishment does not lead to any better strategy for controlling the classroom environment. Students are physically abused and develop no more interest in schooling. It affects the dreams and academic ambitions of many high school students. Some students may develop the attitude that achieving academic excellence involves going through painful moments like those brought by corporal punishment.
Students in high schools where corporal punishment is practiced have the tendency of developing a rebellious behavior to the educational services being offered. Corporal punishment in high schools creates an unproductive educational environment. Students acquire limited confidence and security in their academic work. This extends to even those who witness the corporal punishments on others. Students who observe such abuse develop guilt feelings and reduced self-esteem that affect their academic progress in high schools. The way through which corporal punishment is being used in high schools creates an educational atmosphere of violence. Therefore, many students within the institution develop the idea that violence can be used as a strategy for managing people’s behavior. This makes students violent in situations when they are faced with different challenges like inadequate food. They can organize strikes in response to the corporal punishment that they face. They believe that through acts of violence, the desired outcome is achieved and educational challenges are solved. Therefore, corporal punishment creates many advanced effects on the educational environment than we even expect. It is true that at some point the adverse punishment has helped some students to improve their behavior. However, that cannot provide evidence for it to be used in high schools as a strategy for managing the behavior of students. Maybe a limited or controlled corporal punishment can help in changing the behavior of students. Many advanced effects on students arise because of the extreme penalties put on students that leave them with many injuries, both physical and mental ones.
In conclusion, the use of corporal punishment has become a prohibited strategy of behavior management in students. It results in consequences on the physical, psychological and academic progress of students within learning institutions. Though it is still an issue of debate in learning institutions, it has become prohibited by the law. The incorporation of adverse penalties in high schools interferes with the rights of students to be treated with enhanced dignity. Students do not acquire their right to have equality in educational services.