School corporal punishment is still allowed by law in 19 states in the U.S. While schools in many major cities are not using corporal punishment (according to Report on Physical Punishment in the United States: What Research Tells Us About Its Effects on Children by Liz Gershoff, PhD, school districts in some of the country's largest cities have prohibited physical punishment, including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Memphis, Miami-Dade, and Tucson), the practice continues to persist in many schools in rural areas, particularly in the south.

Dr. Gershoff, a developmental psychologist and associate professor at the Department of Human Development and Family Science at the University of Texas at Austin who has done extensive research on the effects of physical punishment on children, cites statistics from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights that shows that 272,028  kids were disciplined with corporal punishment in schools in 2004-2005. (The numbers for the 2005-2006 school year are similar, at about 223,190.) But she and other experts on corporal punishment, including Deborah Sendek, director for the Center for Effective Discipline (CED), a program of Gundersen National Child Protection Training Center, which works to promote effective discipline of children and to end all corporal punishment of children, note that these numbers are likely a underestimation of how many and how often children are being punished physically in school. Some districts count the number of students who are physically punished instead of the number of instances, which means that if a student is paddled several times in a school year, it is only recorded one instance for that year instead of multiple instances of corporal punishment.

Parents can check to see if their state allows corporal punishment, and find out if their school district allows it. (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming all allow corporal punishment in schools.) Center for Effective Discipline has data on paddling statistics by state and race as well as other helpful information and statistics about school corporal punishment.

Here are some tips for parents who may be concerned about school corporal punishment:

Find out what the school policy is. CED advises parents to get a copy of the discipline code and any policy that deals with how and when corporal punishment can be administered at your child's school.

Give the school a letter stating your clear wishes. If your child's school does allow corporal punishment, you may be able to write a letter specifically stating your wishes to not have your child not be punished physically. You may also want to have your child's pediatrician sign a letter stating your wishes. "If you write a letter at the beginning of the year, it's likely that your child's school will comply," says Sendek. "But keep in mind that schools that have a corporal punishment policy will still have the right to hit your child."

Meet face-to-face with the teacher and school officials. "It is important to write a letter and make sure that it is placed in your child's school record but it is also important to verbally convey that message and remind teachers, administrators, and other school officials that there is a signed letter that you submitted which states that under no circumstances should your child ever be subjected to corporal punishment," says Sendek. "That way there two forms of communication--both verbal and the written letter--stating your intents. Also the verbal reminder can spark a conversation with the teacher and others in the school to see what their approach to discipline and punishment is."

Talk to your child about the school's policy. If your child's school allows corporal punishment, prepare your child. Tell her that you do not want her paddled by anyone at school and instruct her to tell you immediately if it happens to her. Assure her that she can always talk to you about any concerns or worries, and let her know that you will not be mad at her if she is physically punished in school. And ask her to let you know if she learns of another child being paddled and talk to her about how she feels about the incident.

Look for signs of anxiety or stress. Children who have experienced or witnessed corporal punishment at school may exhibit signs of anxiety such as trouble sleeping and stomachaches. They may also want to avoid school or begin displaying aggressive behavior, moodiness, or clinginess. If you see any behavioral changes and are concerned, talk to your child's pediatrician and try some stress management techniques.

Act if your child is physically harmed. If your child is injured, CED advises taking him to an emergency room or your physician and having colored pictures taken of the injury. (If you take the pictures yourself, have a witness.) Report the injury to your local child protective agency, or ask your pediatrician to do it. CED also advises finding out if there are witnesses to the injury, and suggests hiring an attorney if the prosecutor fails to file charges.

Amend your child's IEP. If your child has a disability, he may have an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, a legal document that defines a child's special education program. You can request that his IEP includes your wish not to have your child receive corporal punishment. If the school district refuses or if they paddle your child anyway, CED advises asking your school district for a written copy of your rights for the due process procedure and requesting a due process hearing.

Work to ban school corporal punishment in your school district. Organize a group of fellow parents and school staff and provide information about the effects of corporal punishment and the controversy over school corporal punishment. (CED suggests contacting local chapters of organizations like the PTA, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Association of School Psychologists, the American Bar Association, the Mental Health Association, and the National Association of Social Workers, who have opposed corporal punishment and may be able to provide information and support.) CED also suggests meeting with school board members and going to the local superintendent and Board of Education to ask for a ban.

If you feel strongly that your child should not be in a learning environment where threats to her personal well-being and those of her classmates are constantly hanging over their heads, be persistent in your efforts. Researchers point out that physical punishment has been linked to numerous negative effects in children, and that corporal punishment has not been shown to improve kids' behavior in the long term. Considering that there are many problems and inconsistencies with school corporal punishment, this is an issue where parents need to advocate for their kids, and be patient and persistent to achieve what every child should have: a no-hitting zone in school.