Corporal punishment still allowed in 15 states??

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/corporal-punishment_us_58337528e4b030997bc0efad?section=us_education

It is absolutely insane that there are still 15 states in our contry that allow corporal punishment.  Not only that, but there are seven additional states that don't "prohibit it".  Our education system in the United States is certainly not top notch in comparison to other countries, and it's reasons like this why. The article addresses a letter that was sent by the Obama administration, specifically by Secretary of Education, John King Jr., requesting (and giving reasons why) that school officers and governors should eliminate the practice in ALL states.  Not only is it obsurd that the practice is something that even still takes place, but African American children (male and female) are victims of physical discipline more frequently than white students - so are students with disabilities.  This adds yet another layer of sadness to this issue.  My hope is that this letter will prompt change in our education system and society as a whole.  So many students need their classroom and school to be a safe, consistent place for them that they may not have outside of school walls.  The thought of students coming to school in fear of their teachers, peers, and other adults is sickening to me.

A Research-Based Case for Recess

A Research-Based Case for Recess
By Olga S. Jarrett
US Play Coalition
Link Here

  This article talks about how important it is for students to get to go to recess everyday because it is often the only time that students are allowed to play in an unstructured environment. It also said that students are learning important skills at recess like  social skills, sharing, and decision making. When students are allowed to make up their own games during recess they learn respect for the rules, self discipline, control of aggression, problem solving and planning strategies.
  It was difficult for the researcher to compare data because there were so many variables between schools such as socioeconomic status and race. In some studies there were schools that had children performing better on literacy tasks after they have had recess and children tend to raise their hands more often after recess.
  This is important for educators to keep in mind because sometimes taking away recess is used as a form of punishment for a range of misbehaviors from talking too much in class to not finishing their work during class time.