One of the final acts by the Obama administration deals with corporal punishment in schools. In a recent letter to governors and state school leaders, Education Secretary John King called the practice “harmful, ineffective, and often disproportionately applied to students of color and students with disabilities” Corporal punishment is legal in 22 states, including Georgia. We talk with Georgetown University professor Rebecca Ryan, whose research shows fewer parents are spanking their kids. Then,

The Breakroom gang joins host Celeste Headlee to weigh in on the week's news. The panel includes Tomika Depriest (Marketing and Communications Strategist), Sam Burnham (Blogger, All the Biscuits in Georgia), Ed Sohn (Global Director, Legal Managed Services, Thomson Reuters), and Roxanne Donovan (Psychology Professor, Kennesaw State University). BREAKROOM TOPICS: 1) The U.S. Department of Education wants all schools to cut out corporal punishment . Some schools do this as a form of punishment.

One of the final acts by the Obama administration deals with corporal punishment in schools. In a recent letter to governors and state school leaders , Education Secretary John King called the practice “harmful, ineffective, and often disproportionately applied to students of color and students with disabilities.” Corporal punishment is legal in 22 states , including Georgia . We talk with Georgetown University professor Rebecca Ryan , whose research shows fewer parents are spanking their kids .

The Savannah-based group Twisty Cats performs this month in Atlanta. We talk with the duo behind the band: Peter Mavrogeorgis and Blake Olmstead. The married couple runs a recording studio during the day, and by night they perform what they call "electro, gotha-billy, psych-punk-pop." Twisty Cats performs at 529 in Atlanta on Saturday, Dec. 17 .

The Ocmulgee National Monument near Macon was designated this month as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation . The most prominent features at Ocmulgee are huge earthen mounds that spread across 700 acres. Native Americans first settled there thousands of years ago. We learn more about its history with Matt Jennings, a professor at Middle Georgia State University . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt5QXBOsY8w

The fight for equality among race, gender, and sexual orientation has often ended up in the courtroom. Many of the female attorneys fighting on the front lines have been subject to gender bias. A new documentary tells their stories across several generations. It’s called " Balancing the Scales ," and is based on 20 years of interviews by Atlanta filmmaker and attorney Sharon Rowen . We talked with her about the project. https://vimeo.com/80957214

A debate is going on over the operation of immigration detention centers. Georgia’s Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin is one of the largest in the country. It is run by a private company. There are many like it. Critics say those private facilities are problematic. This month, a Department of Homeland Security subcommittee recommended continuing the use of private immigrant detention facilities with greater oversight . A Homeland Security Advisory Council however didn't agree with the report's

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola is largely credited for bringing Santa Claus into mainstream culture. Since the 1930s, Coke has released advertisements at Christmas time featuring the big jolly man. But their marketing scheme has shifted every year, featuring everything from polar bears to shiny trains. We bring back Coke historian Mark Pendergrast to give us a lesson on Coca-Cola Christmas marketing through the ages.

Popular belief says that men and women have inherently different ways of communicating. A new study from Georgia Tech has found men and women do not show disparity while writing when given the same task and training. We bring on lead researcher Brian Larson to explain his findings, as well as Emory professor Falguni Sheth to discuss stereotypes in gender communication styles.

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola is largely credited for bringing Santa Claus into mainstream culture. Since the 1930s, Coke has released ads at Christmas time featuring the big jolly man. But their marketing scheme has shifted every year, from polar bears to trains. We bring back Coke historian Mark Pendergrast to give us a lesson on Coca-Cola Christmas marketing through the ages. Then, the fight for equality among race, gender, and sexual orientation has often ended up in the courtroom. Many of the