Corporal punishment of minors in the United States, meaning the infliction of physical pain or discomfort by parents or other adult guardians, including in some cases school officials,[1] for purposes of punishing unacceptable attitude, is subject to varying legal limits, depending on the state. Minor children in the United States commonly experience some form of corporal punishment, such as spanking or paddling. Despite opposition from medical and social-services professionals, as of 2024[update], the spanking of children is legal in all 50 states and, as of 2014[update], most people still believe it is acceptable provided it does not involve implements.[2][better source needed] Corporal punishment is in the United States usually considered distinct from illegal child abuse, although the distinction can often be vague.
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- ^ Discipline at School. Gundersen National Child Protection Training Center. Retrieved September 4, 2016. http://www.gundersenhealth.org/ncptc/center-for-effective-discipline/discipline-at-school
- ^ "Exclusive: For most Americans, spanking is OK, implements are not - Reuters/Ipsos poll". Reuters. 2014-10-01. Retrieved 2023-05-10.