How to handle abuse and neglect

Chapter 9 of Grant and Ray's text talks about how teachers should deal with students in their classroom who are being effected by abuse and neglect within their homes. This issue is a very serious problem that teachers must be aware of and always be alert to. Teachers have the responsibility of reporting abuse if they suspect that it may be happening tpo one of their students. It is a crime not to report it. Grant and Ray also talked about using corporal punishment within the classroom. They said that teachers need to think about whether or not it is ethical to strike someone else's child. I personally do not agree with it, even if it is legal to do. I think that there are better ways to deal with discipline issues than using corporal punishment. Grant and Ray quoted the NAEYC's code of Ethical Conduct and Satatement of Commitment which says, "Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall not participate in practices that are emotionally damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children. This principle has precedence above all others in this code." I think this statement clearly defines why we should not use corporal punishment to discipline children. I have never seen a teacher use it in any classroom that I have been in, nor was it ever used on any of my classmates. I know that I will never use it in my own classroom.