I’Aisha Jackson – Special to The Southern News
Corporal punishment has been a major discussion over the last few weeks, after pictures surfaced online of NFL star Adrian Peterson’s four-year-old son, who appeared to be hit with a “switch;” a slim tree branch that is leafless. Peterson turned himself in to authorities after being accused of child abuse, according to TMZ, after admitting to police that he gave his son a, “whooping.” accussed
Seventy percent of Americans support corporal punishment, according to the New York Times, Stefon Williams, a junior at Southern Connecticut State University, said if children misbehave they should get hit, but not excessively.
“When I have kids I am going to hit them if they don’t behave properly, but there is a limit. You cannot beat a child like they are your own age. It has to be hard enough so they get your point with no marks left behind,” said Williams.
While growing up, getting hit by his parents, said Williams, was common when he did something bad.
“My mom did not play, if I misbehaved she had no problem wrapping that infamous belt around her hand,” said Williams.
While majority of Americans are for corporal punishment the other small percent are against it. Kristina Begic, sophomore at Southern Connecticut State University said she was never hit as a child and never will be by her parents.
“I could never look at my child and lay a hand on them. I didn’t grow up that way and neither will they. People who hit their kids must have built up anger issues to think that it is okay,” said Begic.
In 1968 an examination of psychological black life was conducted by black psychiatrists, William H. Grier and Price M. Cobbs and written into a book called, “Black Rage.” In the book Grier and Price said that it is typical for parents to beat their children if they too were beat growing up.
“Beating in child-rearing actually has its psychological roots in slavery and even yet black parents will feel that,” said Grier and Price.
Black Americans have a distinct history with physical child disciplinary actions. Beating children has been a familiar habit in black families since arrival to the new world, according to The New York Times.
Kathleen Abouzeide, senior at Southern Connecticut State University, said physical punishment for children is not limited to one race.
“Blacks are not the only ones that beat their children,” said Abouzeide. “I’m white and black, my mother is white and she used to hit me if I misbehaved. That’s just how I grew up and I found it beneficial it shaped me into the person I am today.”
Studies have been performed to see what effects corporal punishment causes. In 2012 a study in the journal Pediatrics, according to NBC News, found tough physical punishment like grabbing, pushing, slapping and hitting in non-abusive households increased development of mood, anxiety, alcohol, or drug addiction in children.
On Monday morning Peterson tweets and said with getting beat as a child he would have been in the streets with no guidance.
“Deep in my heart I have always believed I could have been one of those kids that was lost in the streets without the discipline instilled in me by my parents and other relatives,” wrote Peterson. “I have always believed that the way my parents disciplined me has a great deal to do with the success I have enjoyed as a man.”
Photo Credit: Joe Bielawa
