Human Rights Watch , ACLU say spanking `` discourages learning '' Corporal punishment is used frequently in schools in 13 states ; it 's legal in 21 . The American Academy of Pediatrics says corporal punishment can be harmful to children and has been linked with lower academic performance among students who are punished for misbehavior or disobedience. Evangelical leader 's group says spanking `` can be useful '' in elementary schools .
Human Rights Watch , ACLU say spanking `` discourages learning '' Corporal punishment is used frequently in schools in 13 states ; it 's legal in 21 . Rights groups say such punishments are often disproportionately applied . Evangelical leader 's group says spanking `` can be useful '' in elementary schools .