Jamaica: scenes from filmed reconstruction of prison-yard judicial flogging with tamarind switch, 1960s Taiwan: Democratic Progressive Party politicians, campaigning for the introduction of judicial CP, display a whip at press conference, 2007

UK: Williamson, Phil, headmaster of Christian school, fighting court case to overturn ban on corporal punishment, 2001 Brief amateur video of a public whipping for alcohol use in Timbuktu following takeover by Islamist militants (2012).United States: a spanking for young John, watched by sister and big brother, old jocular posed picture For some the allure of the return to school days can be strong which is one area I tend to be a little forthright over which is to say the idea of coupling your regression, your wear ing a school uniform and having actual lessons (or following actual school study guides) can be a g reat one. Canada: Benditt, Aaron, the "Ryerson Spanker", jailed for illicitly spanking teen boys, 2001 (picture from poor-quality photocopy)

A 1978 TV news item about a high-school paddling in a small Oklahoma town. One of the spanked students is interviewed. Some places not least over here do have actual adult school boy (and girl) classes run typically at weekends although I'd sugge st doing some research first as to exactly what's on offer if it might appeal. It's no t uncommon with co nsent for them to feature corp oral and non-corporal punishment which is something some do look for and to which as far as I'm concerned is fine if that's your thing. UK: Beating the bounds, ancient English tradition involving caning of local boys at parish boundaries, two views, c.1950 United States: posed photograph of elementary student being paddled in front of country schoolhouse, allegedly in 1915 Salvati, Bobby, 15, shown with his father Joey, who recently paddled him, and holding the paddle, USA, 2002

Deference to local decision-making

SikHanyiso, Princess, 17, daughter of Swazi king, whipped by palace official, pictured in traditional garb for annual ceremonial dance of "maidens", Swaziland, 2005 USA: Fiedler, Bobbi, Member of Los Angeles School Board, "takes paddling" for press publicity stunt on reintroduction of school CP, 1980 A formidable no nonsense women. Her standing in the community was the fuel that drove her on. At Christmas she probably had to do without, to provide a lovely Christmas for her daughter. She was the woman you went to to get something done, Tombolas, Raffles, Carol Concerts to name a few. In short, she was a very much loved and respected member of the village community.

United Kingdom: artist's impression, not necessarily authentic, of a student being birched in front of the school in a traditional private (so-called "public") boys' school, from a rather unreliable book first published in 1941 The leaving of school behind her and the journey home was sullen. The man in the bowler hat frowned at her as if he knew. The walk from the bus stop to her lovely cottage was heavy and slow. Two of Mummy’s friends saw her and nudged each other. Was that a snigger? Down it came, and six good thumping cuts made Foxy writhe like an eel, and when he straightened himself up he was purple with the effort he had made to restrain his groans." Two clips from North Carolina and one from Georgia look at the state of play over school paddling in specific places.United States: PBS TV interview (2011) (6 minutes) with Peter Moskos, who discusses his book advocating flogging as an optional replacement for imprisonment in certain cases. Sir - Perhaps "M.C." of Athy, now that he (or she) has had time to calm down, will tell us where the "brutality" in giving a good strapping to a girl of 17 who is disobedient and indisciplined comes in. There is no healthy-minded girl who will be one bit the worse of being stripped and flogged when she deserves it; and many a parent would be very glad to find this practice substituted for the eternal nagging that makes life bitter and intolerable in some boarding schools. South Africa: Volsteedt, Johan, Principal of Grey College, pictured in 2005, used to offer boys sweets after caning them He instantly stood round, and received across his shoulders twenty cuts with the ground-ash as hard as the mighty Armstrong could let them in. Ernest bore the chastisement without a sound." United Kingdom: artist's impression of informal flogging of a sailor with the rope's end on board ship, 19th century

The kind of look of a British Schoolboy was one I did emulate at the time rather like that picture although I would say I took care to remove excess arm and leg hair apart from shaving my face so what I saw was rather more like a junior version of me rather than looking like an adult male stuffed into a school uniform.

Seeking alternatives

More on the Mississippi case, and a look at the legal situation. Is transient bruising "bodily harm"? In a dormitory in Romania, serious bare-bottom pain for a young man being initiated into a sports team. USA: Martin, James, police chief in Ohio who ran juvenile diversion program involving paddlings, 2004 Now she had a vehicle for her pride. She had always been proud of her daughter, a bright intelligent daughter. Not many from the village had got into Grammer School in recent years. She knew that a lot of her peers in the W.I. Would be saying that very night…”I hear Karen got into Grammer school, she deserves it, her Mummy will be so proud.” Karen got out and some involuntary action told her to stand to attention. Anything good right now, might stop the severity of what was to come.