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Dear Editor: Robeson County School Board Chairman, Robert Deese, told the Fayetteville Observer (Aug. 13) that the groups calling for reform would best serve children if they lobby the General Assembly to ban corporal punishment. “Not only the Robeson County children would benefit but the whole state would benefit if they could get it through the General Assembly. What we do is follow the law..." Mr. Deese said. I'm surprised that Mr. Deese apparently is unaware that the groups calling for reform have been lobbying the state legislature for some time, and plan to continue doing so until it enacts legislation to protect schoolchildren from being battered. Otherwise, what Mr. Deese said is excellent advice, and we agree with him 100%. "Children would benefit." That's why we do what we do. It's for the benefit of children. But why wait? If children would benefit later, why not let them benefit sooner? What's stopping Mr. Deese from picking up the telephone today and having a friendly chat with his fellow board members and settling this matter immediately? There is nothing to debate. Nobody is arguing. If reforming the policy is good for children, as every informed person agrees, then just do it. I'm happy to hear that Mr. Deese and his fellow board members "follow the law," but the law doesn't cripple anyone. It doesn't prevent people from taking the initiative and behaving responsibly. Think of it this way. Imagine a good upstanding, law-abiding citizen who takes a stroll every evening. On one such occasion, while traveling his familiar route and minding his own business, he notices smoke and a flicker of flame coming from under the eaves of a neighbor's roof. Now, what does our good upstanding citizen do? He tells himself that this is none of his business; that it's not his job to go pounding on people's front doors and shouting and causing a disturbance in the neighborhood. If it's really a fire, then the fire department will find out about it soon enough. That's their job. And he strolls on, reassuring himself, "I'm just following the law." Jordan Riak, Exec. Dir., Parents and Teachers Against Violence in Education (PTAVE); Web site: "Project NoSpank" at www.nospank.net; PTAVE, P.O. Box 1033, Alamo, CA 94507 US; Tel: 925-831-1661; FAX: 925-838-8914
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