"美國南方體罰仍普遍"

但全世界的人正致力於廢除體罰。

世上許多國家禁止體罰，但美國南方好幾州仍然照打不誤。位於阿肯色州森林城的學校董事會最近決定重新引進體罰至當地學校。體罰在阿肯色州是合法的，而森林城區裡很多家長也都贊成孩子需要用木板（戒尺）或長尺管教。

此決定面臨某些反對聲浪。位於德倫的新罕布夏大學社會學榮譽教授勞斯認為打學生根本沒用。研究體罰多年的他堅稱「所有研究都發現打屁股等體罰會增強孩童的肢體攻擊性。」

儘管也有其他人像勞斯教授一樣批判體罰，但南方近期還是不太可能在近期立法禁止。贊成體罰的人認為應該要考量到不同地域的人對體罰的態度。美國南方，特別是非裔美國人社群，已接受打屁股成為生活的一部份，而且他們認為體罰與聖經教條「不打不成器」有關。

(Education) Spanking Remains Popular in the American South

But people are working to abolish the practice throughout the world.

Corporal punishment has been banned in many countries around the world, but it is still practiced in several Southern US states.In Forest City, Arkansas, the school board recently decided to reintroduce the practice into local schools. Corporal punishment is legal in the state, and many parents in the Forest City area are in favor of it, saying that children need to be disciplined with paddles or rulers.

The decision has been met with some opposition, and Murray A. Straus, professor emeritus of sociology at the University of New Hampshire in Durham said that hitting students simply doesnt work. After studying corporal punishment for years, he argues that all studies find spanking increases the probability of the child being physically aggressive.

Despite the criticism from people like Strauss, corporal punishment is unlikely to be outlawed anytime soon in the South. People in favor of the practice say that regional attitudes towards spanking need to be taken into account.In the American South, especially within the African-American community, spanking is an accepted part of life and is often connected to the Biblical teaching: Spare the rod and spoil the child.

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