New study raises questions about spanking children

Spanking children can lead to behavioral and mental health problems and cognitive difficulties, according to a new study.

The joint study by the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan looked at 160,000 children over the course of 50 years.

Action News Jax law and safety expert Dale Carson read the study and said violence begets violence.

“When you start being violent against a child and then teach them there’s a better way of being violent, that doesn’t make sense to the child,” Carson said.

Corporal punishment also exists outside of the home, in schools.

Local parent Shannon Spears was shocked to learn that it still exists in Florida.

“I don’t think it’s right. I don’t think someone should hit your kids,” Spears said.

During the 2013-2014 school year, Clay County had 36 incidents of corporal punishment, Nassau County had six, Putnam County had two, and Bradford County had five, according to the Florida Department of Education’s discipline data.

It was used the most in Union and Columbia counties, with 149 and 127 incidents respectively.

Nassau County school leaders said they rarely use it unless asked by a parent.

Duval, St. Johns, Baker and Putnam counties don’t use corporal punishment at all.

Carson said there are restrictions to the policy depending on the school.

Parent Teresa Schnake said corporal punishment makes sense to her but parents should not only consent to it.

She said they should be there when it happens.

“I think it perhaps should be used in school because these days, our parents aren’t really being parents,” Schnake said.

Researchers hope the findings will highlight harms of spanking and prompt people to try different forms of discipline.

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