Students in a large state university were surveyed to determine their beliefs about penalty levels appropriate for persons found guilty of various acts of academic dishonesty. There were two samples: one was random, and the other consisted of students who were strongly believed to have cheated by copying answers on one or more multiple-choice…

Because of widespread disillusion with suspension as a discipline procedure, school officials are developing inschool alternative programs. Institution of such a program must begin with reflection about how current disciplinary programs are succeeding or failing. The primary purposes of the program must include helping the child and identifying…

In 1994, about 60 to 70% of Americans supported parental spanking. This paper examines student misbehavior, school discipline, prevention, treatment, and punishment in U.S. society Currently, 23 states still allow paddling in schools, and most states do not allow the spanking of foster children. As of 1994, all but a few of the national…

This study sought to examine strategies of teams of teachers who have established their own discipline plans and compare them to teams of teachers who have not developed discipline plans. It is based on interviews with 28 team leaders from 5 middle schools in northwest Georgia, 9 of whom indicated that they had organized, written discipline plans…

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in "Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier" established that a public high school newspaper, produced by students in a journalism class, is not a forum for public expression. The Court said that although school board policy specified that student free speech would not be restricted, other factors…

For 2 years, at least 2 days a week were spent by a researcher in observing, through the actions of the principal, the dynamics of cultural and ideologic conflict and the process of social control in an elementary school. This personal account analyzes the principal's use of corporal punishment, symbolized by the paddle, and positive…

Few issues have polarized the educational community so completely as the 1975 and 1977 decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court to allow corporal punishment in the schools. The symposium reported here was organized and conducted following the 1975 decision but prior to the 1977 one. Three papers in support and three papers against the ruling were read,…

Significant changes in United States culture during the past 25 years and court decisions resulting from legal suits challenging traditional educational procedures have made the future course of education very unpredictable. The social unrest of the 1960s brought about innovations such as open classrooms and nongrading systems in the wake of…

This study sought to ascertain the extent to which professional reading teachers participate in the decision-making processes that affect various aspects of their programs. Questionnaires were returned by 74 high school teachers (59%) and 67 college teachers (53%). Responses indicated that a much higher percent of both high school and college…

Students do not leave their constitutional rights at the boundary of the school grounds. We would never send anyone to prison without a trial; to a lesser degree, expulsions and suspensions are in the same category. Your due process procedures should at least give a student (1) notice of the charges, (2) opportunity to be heard, and (3)…

During the past decade, and especially since 1970, there have been great changes in the manner in which students are disciplined. The greatest single influence has not been the effort of enlightened educators or crusading boards of education, but rather change has taken place mainly as a result of decrees from our judicial system. A review of…

Increasing numbers of children are being labeled emotionally and behaviorally disturbed and are at risk of later antisocial behavior and school dropout. To change problem behavior, students and their caregivers must be taught to use new and better skills, and schools must systematically implement strategies to ensure that these skills are…

The purpose of this study was to determine how well various peer nomination factors predict to long-term low frequency but highly disruptive elementary age classroom behaviors that result in school disciplinary action. Peer nomination measures to determine six factors (prosocial, social preference, overt aggression, relational aggression,…

Many politicians, policy makers, and citizens tend to ignore both the value of prevention and the voluminous research disproving the efficacy of punishment. This study offers a review of historical responses to school violence and discipline and offers some suggestions in these areas. After describing the American penchant for punitive correction,…

Student teachers' perceptions of corporal punishment were measured in an open-ended survey involving 37 student teachers. Twenty-four of the student teachers indicated that the use of corporal punishment in the schools is useful and justifiable. Several suggested that the threat of corporal punishment, even if never used, is a legitimate method to…