CPSC Promotes Safety At School

Safety at school is on every parent’s mind this time of year as children go back to school. The Consumer Product Safety Commission urges parents and school officials to help children avoid injuries at school - to look for hidden hazards. The list includes:

• Wear the right helmet for the activity.
• Be safe on the playground and on the soccer field.
• Care with clothing and art materials.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction.

However, there is one serious omission from the vast range of products CPSC monitors. The product is one specifically designed to cause pain to children. The product shown at URL below is protected by law in twenty-two states, thus prohibiting CPSC from recalling it.

Numerous models for use by parents and other caretakers are commonly sold in gift shops and novelty stores nationwide, subject to no regulation. Some are marketed by mail order. Typical injuries that result from this product’s normal use are varied and profound.

For more information on back-to-school safety, go to CPSC’s “Back to School Safety Checklist,” www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/btsimage.html

• Children whose parents or other authority figures use corporal punishment to correct unacceptable behavior show more antisocial behavior over a long period of time, regardless of race and socioeconomic status, and regardless of whether the mother provides cognitive stimulation and emotional support (Gunnoe & Mariner, 1997; Kazdin, 1987; Patterson, DeBaryshe, & Ramsey, 1989; Straus, Sugarman, & Giles-Sims, 1997).

• Adults who were hit as children are more likely to be depressed or violent themselves (Berkowitz, 1993; Strassberg, Dodge, Pettit, & Bates, 1994; Straus, 1994; Straus & Gelles, 1990; Straus & Kantor, 1992).

• The more a child is hit, the more likely the child, when an adult, will hit his or her children, spouse, or friends (Julian & McKenry, 1993; Straus, 1991; Straus, 1994; Straus & Gelles, 1990; Straus & Kantor, 1992; Widom, 1989; Wolfe, 1987).

• Corporal punishment increases the probability of children assaulting the parent in retaliation, when they are older (Brezina, 1998).

• Corporal punishment sends a message that violence is a viable option for solving problems (Straus, Gelles, & Steinmetz, 1980; Straus, Sugarman, & Giles-Sims, 1997).

• Corporal punishment is degrading, contributes to feelings of helplessness and humiliation, robs a child of self-worth and self-respect, and can lead to withdrawal, aggression, mental and physical dysfunctions (Sternberg et al., 1993; Straus, 1994).

• Corporal punishment destroys trust between parent and child, and increases the risk of child abuse; as a discipline measure, it simply does not decrease children’s aggressive or delinquent behaviors (Straus, 1994).

• Children who are spanked regularly are more likely over time to cheat or lie, be disobedient at school, bully others, and show less remorse for wrongdoing (Straus, Sugarman, & Giles-Sims, 1997).

• Corporal punishment adversely affects children’s cognitive development. Children who are spanked perform poorly on school tasks compared to other children (Straus & Mathur, 1995; Straus & Paschall, 1998).

Resources:
-Bitensky, S. H. (1998). Spare the rod, embrace our humanity: Toward a new legal regime prohibiting corporal punishment of children. University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform, 31(2), 354-391.

-Durrant, J. E., & Olsen, G. M. (1997). Parenting and public policy: Contextualizing the Swedish corporal punishment ban. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 19, 443-461.

-EPOCH-USA. (1999a). Legal reforms: Corporal punishment of children in the family as reported by EPOCH-Worldwide. [On-line]. www.StopHitting.org

-EPOCH-USA. (1999b). U.S. progress in ending physical punishment of children in schools, institutions, foster care, day care and families. www.StopHitting.org

-Herman, Judith, M.D. Trauma and Recovery (Basic Books: 1991; second edition, 1997).

-Hyman, I. A. (1997). The case against spanking. San Francisco: Jossey-Boss. Julian, T. W., & McKenry, P. C. (1993). Mediators of male violence toward female intimates. Journal of Family Violence, 8, 39-56.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, author, “If I’d Only Known…Sexual Abuse in or Out of the Family: A Guide to Prevention, specializes in: Mind, Body, Spirit healing and Physical/Sexual Abuse Prevention and Recovery. As an inspirational leader, Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life’s challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. http://www.drdorothy.net