Wow... I'm very surprised that this is even an issue anymore.
Only in the rural South, I guess
I'm with Gayle, I fail to see any sense in telling our students not to resort to hitting or violence to solve problems, yet doing the same thing to them when they are a problem.
Hitting kids isn't going to solve anything in the long-term. Sure they might stop immediately out of fear, but reinforcement should not be about fear, it should be about teaching a kid why their behavior is wrong.
It is hypocritical, old-fashioned, and unnecessary.