I think we have totally screwed up the schools with (among other things)...

Little or no parenting at home for many kids;
Expecting "parenting" responsibilitites to be picked up by the schools; and
Removing all power to act against misbehavior in the schools (and I don't just mean corporal punishment - although I do think we are too afraid of it as a society).

Amen. You are preaching to the choir, brother!

Ya. Nowdays. This was 30 yrs ago. I woulds have no problem with a teacher or principle taking a paddle to my kids. Fortunately, I've taught them well. No disciplinary problems or I punished them enough when they were younger.

When I went to catholic school, the nuns would whack your knuckles with a ruler.

When my parents went in for P-T conferences, the nuns would tell them that my handwriting was atrocious.

My parents would tell them that was becuse my hands were deformed from their beatings with a ruler!

I was talking about 20-30 years ago.