Many kids have quickly figured out they can be disruptive, rude, profane, even injurious in school and liberal "don't hurt their fragile self-esteem" policies actually empower them. They can lie about their actions, yell "abuse," even call the police if a teacher tries to correct them. In these times of so-called "heightened awareness," schools and absent-minded litigious parents have badly missed the point that students actually want clear boundaries and easily understood standards as simple as "if you do this, THIS will happen, immediately." Paddling backs up the policy with action that can't be confused nor misinterpreted. Coupled with clear, consistently applied policies on behavior, paddling is a very effective correction, especially for a student who refuses to reason for himself and correct his own bad behavior. Schools are not helping such kids by dismissing it, actually perpetuating it, by relying on today's psychobabble to have any effect in moderating truly bad behavior in kids. Nonsense. They are reaping what they have allowed to be sown.