Why do people blame increase in school shootings and other violence on lack of spanking in our society?

Question

Increase in school violence, gangs etc. is not equal to lack of spanking in the home/schools. That is ludicrous! Have you people ever heard of circular causality? Do your research! There are multiple factors responsible for one problem. Stop blaming our social problems on lack of spanking to justify your reasons for spanking your kids!

There are other reasons for increase in school violence. Lack of parental presence, poverty, poor child/parent dynamic, violent media influences, violent peer influences, poor problem solving repetoire, poor communication skills, low grades in school, not fitting in, etc.etc. etc.

Wonderbread, I did include violent video games as a cause when I said "media influences." Again, violent video games is only 1 answer. When kids aren't able to separate fantasy from reality. They think that the world really does work that way. Violent video games or other media influences have a more pronounced effect on actual violence when it's presence is in other areas of the child's life as well.

Answer 1

1) People need to blame things on one thing that is easy to identify
2) People feel the need to justify their parenting choices

So if *I* spank and I feel I need to justify that, and bad things happen the world, obviously it is because "they" don't spank and "we" do. If everyone did what "we" do the world would be a better place.

I, personally, do not spank but I could say blame school shootings on formula feeding or CIO. I don't but I am sure some fanatical breastfeeders or AP parents do.

It is always easier to set up an "us" vs "them" and pick out obvious differences than to actually examine the common things all of society shares that is leading to the problem and try to effect change.

Answer 2

In our society today many families are cutting short in teaching their children respect towards others and themselves. I don't that spanking is always the answer especially if a parent is abusing the child. When I was younger my mother would slap my hand every time I grabbed a cookie from the cookie jar before super. I hated it when I was younger but now I have a form of discipline that many young kids don't seem to have now. So lack of discipline does have some type of sense when it comes to the types of behaviors. But, it does not mean that the child or how ever is responsible for such things doesn't need help in therapy or has felt miss understood and does not know how to take responsibility to change his/or her life in a positive way.

Answer 3

The real problem behind school shootings is bullying and kids lack of respect for their fellow students.

Of course I can see why kids behave this way and it is definitely the fault of parents.

We live in a competitve sociey and many times I have overheard parents telling their kids how much smarter, prettier and better they are. Now the kids goes to school with the attitude that they are better than others instead of seeing others as unique or having their own special qualities.

I of course don't agree with kids hurting others, but I also don't judge them too quickly. Go back and re-read the news articles carefully.

You will see most of the time that the shooter was under tremendous peer pressure and being bullied with no help from school administrators.

Answer 4

I don't know of people saying that a lack of spanking is the cause. The decrease in spanking parents is just an example of an overall trend toward permissiveness. Permissiveness leads a child to think that the world revolves around them, and that their actions are supposed to be geared toward making themselves happy. There goes along with that a lack of respect for others, for life, for property, for ownership, for responsibility and so on. Discipline in general leads children to understand they are operating in a society, that they are a part of a whole, starting with their parents and family and then a part their entire environment of friends and the public. Spanking is ONE issue but poor parenting goes way beyond this issue.

Answer 5

The ghastly violence in schools is a LEARNED ACTIVITY. Video games, movies, foul language, violence on television.

As children we had none of this, we certainly did have spankings.
But there was never any of the violence that goes on in everyday life now. THE FIFTIES WERE ENORMOUSLY BETTER. Children were thin, respectful and did NOT argue with their parents.

I will say that Parents that allow all of the contamination in their homes are guilty of child abuse. And now the young people have turned that abuse on the Parents, since they do not have the backbone and strength of character to train their children properly instead of just going along with our current violent society.

Answer 6

It may not be spanking specifically, but most mean it's a lack of discipline in their lives. I believe in spanking as a last resort, but lack of is not the cause of violence in our schools. Spanking is a form of discipline, and so are time outs, withholding priveleges and so forth. I think todays kid issues revolve around parents who opt out of their kids' lives and just don't take the time to teach them right from wrong.

Answer 7

It is a lack of discipline and for a long time spanking was the only way to discipline children. People are afraid of their children. They want to give everything to their children that they did not have. When parents decided that they wanted to be their children's friends and not their parents is where a big part of it started. Both parents have to work, so no one has time for their children. It is easier to give their children everything then so say no. I am certainly not mother of the year but I am trying.

Answer 8

The lack of spanking is only part of it. It is the lack of discipline and spoiling of our children that leads to the major problems. Spanking is a form of discipline and punishment, which society wants no part of either any more.

I guarantee if a legit study was done on kids who were properly disciplined by parents, you would find a lot lower problems.

Answer 9

Yes, I agree. It is cause by all of those other things you mentioned. Spanking would only add to the problem, because it teaches children that is it ok to act violently when you are angry.

Answer 10

You forgot violent video games that teach our kids to kill, kill, kill. Lack of parenting is only part of it. Twenty years ago, or even fifteen years ago there weren't games out like that. There was Super Mario. Those were the days.