To Bogen and Mayan Dvash:

Bogen: Unfortunately, I have to assume you’ve never actually met or worked with these teens at risk you speak of. If you had, you would know that many of them are currently at risk BECAUSE of the rebbeim that hit and abused them, physically or otherwise. These days, when yeshivos are for EVERYONE–not just the kids that have already proven that they’re good at learning–it is no longer effective or acceptable to threaten and hit the “hefkairus” out of your talmidim. It won’t make them better at learning–it will make them angry. If you are truly concerned about these teens, you should ask their rebbeim not to try to smack them into smart.

Mayan Dvash: Read my reply to Bogen. In addition, while it’s wonderful that the gemara suggests physical force for rebbeim, I have yet to find it in the Mishna Brurah. That’s where we draw our contemporary halacha from, you see. In addition, you might want to try looking up some of the Steipler’s teshuvos on chinuch.

It would appear that the “modern” ones are those who ignore the teachings of our contemporary gedolim and baalei chinuch because they enjoy hitting children to stroke their own egos.

Mariner: yes, I was referring to the chassidish yeshivos, where physical discipline is still more or less as it has always been. It may surprise you to learn, though, that even the more “litvishe” models of yeshivos still feature minor forms of corporeal punishment. I know of one place in particular where the principal is known for lifting troublemakers by their shirts and holding them against the wall while he yells at them. While this doesn’t constitute physical discipline as one might imagine it, it is still unquestionably frightening and demeaning for the children. Yet, many educators and parents seem to turn their heads.

I was wondering why we still tolerate this sort of thing, especially in light of the more recent mainstream acknowledgment of child physical and sexual abuse.