We are surely a nation of punishment junkies, nurtured at the bosom of latter day puritans, fundamentalists, and other extremists of the right who think that the best and only answer to misbehavior is punishment, rather than prevention and rehabilitation. These comments reflect ignorance about contemporary research, parenting, and techniques to change behavior. Now that the sound and fury of the debate is over, the courageous council can take a step back from the emotionality of the issue and calmly and objectively read about why it is a bad idea to hit kids and what parents can do instead. My book, The Case Against Spanking is based on forty years of practice, research, scholarship, and personal parenting. I believe that I have made a definitive case to assure any with an open mind that there is never a reason to hit a child.
Research shows that the carrot is more effective than the stick.
When punishment is necessary, forget the stick. There are more effective techniques than hitting. In order that the council members will have a full picture of the research available on this subject, each of them will receive a complimentary copy of my book. I challenge them to read it with an open mind and then to lead the parents of Oakland towards the more effective alternatives of disciplining. But I hope, unlike some misguided practitioners of punishment, they don't recommend both spanking and loving children on that day.