"CPSC Urges Parents to Help Children Avoid Injuries As They Head Back to School" is the title of the media release of August 15, 2007, #07-277. It urges parents and school officials to "look for hidden hazards" and lists a few. The release concludes with this impressive and reassuring mission statement: "The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction."
The purpose of this page is to alert CPSC and other concerned parties to one serious omission from the vast range of products they monitor. The product to which we refer -- one specifically designed to cause pain and injury to children -- is shown below in the hands of school teachers who use it. A video clip of a teacher using this product can be viewed at www.nospank.net/paddler3.wmv Various models for use by parents and other caretakers are commonly sold in gift shops and novelty stores nationwide, subject to no regulation. Some are marketed by mail order. Typical injuries that result from this product's normal use are also shown below.
The product in the hands of typical owners/users
Injuries that have resulted from its use
Readers wishing to contact CPSC can write or send a printout of this page to:
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissionor call their hotline at: (800) 638-2772
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207