Administrators' perceptions of corporal punishment in four Tennessee counties
Abstract
Corporal punishment is one of the most litigious issues in education. Proponents of corporal punishment believe it is a necessary and effective way to keep order in the schools. Opponents of corporal punishment feel it is detrimental to the welfare of children and should be prohibited in schools. Many states have banned the use of school corporal punishment; however, the preponderance of states in the South allow school corporal punishment. Corporal punishment is used most often from kindergarten through grade eight. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the administrators' perceptions of corporal punishment, exposure to corporal punishment, and their use of corporal punishment in four Tennessee counties. A secondary purpose was to determine differences among the administrators in these counties according to demographic information, religious beliefs, cultural beliefs, effectiveness beliefs, legal beliefs, personal experience with corporal punishment, and personal use. Twenty-four hypotheses were stated in the null form to be statistically tested. Parametric statistical procedures were used to determine if factors such as age, sex, race, years experience as an administrator, personal use of corporal punishment, and personal experience with corporal punishment had a significant difference on the administrators' perceptions of corporal punishment. Findings of the study revealed the administrators as a group had the following perceptions of corporal punishment as they relate to the constructs of religious, legal, cultural, and effectiveness beliefs. The administrators surveyed “neither agree nor disagree” that corporal punishment is used because of religious or cultural beliefs. The administrators surveyed “moderately agree” that corporal punishment is used because of legal and effectiveness beliefs. Administrators had similar religious, legal, cultural, and effectiveness beliefs concerning sex, race, and years experience. There was a statistically significant difference in religious beliefs of administrators regarding the use of corporal punishment and age. There was a statistically significant difference in legal, cultural, and effectiveness beliefs between administrators who use corporal punishment at school as compared to those who do not. Finally, there was a statistically significant difference between administrators who experienced corporal punishment as a child as compared to those who did not regarding its effectiveness.
Subject Area
School administration
Recommended Citation
Brian S Hanger,
"Administrators' perceptions of corporal punishment in four Tennessee counties"
(2009).
ETD Collection for Tennessee State University.
Paper AAI3389323.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI3389323