These were descriptive papers. I told them they needed definitions of spanking. These are some of the definitions that I wasn’t quite as thrilled with. (They could have written for or against spanking.)
Spanking = violence.
Spanking = abuse. (Probably got ten of these.)
Spanking = slapping.
Spanking = slapping in face
Spanking = hitting
Spanking = outlet for parent’s anger
Spanking = depriving child of food
Spanking = locking child in a closet for hours
Spanking = abuse that leads to scars
Spanking = abuse that leads to bruises
Spanking always leads to suicide.
There should have been clearer descriptions. The textbook had two articles on the topic and we talked about this in class.
I am thinking I might never do this topic again, at least not without some serious preparation. This is apparently one of those topics where the students need to write on both sides.