For the Love of Reading - Why Use Books as Punishment?

Grrr. Time to let out some steam.

I have a very difficult time trying to make certain teachers understand one basic principle: If you use reading as a punishment, then don't complain when the child's reading scores are low!

Have you ever heard this?
"If you don't behave, I'm going to put you over in that corner with a book!"
"You just lost recess, buster! When we go outside, take a book with you so you'll have something to do."
"No, sir. You're going to In School Suspension. Take your library book with you."

There are other similar quotes, but you get the picture. I cringe every time I hear an adult threaten a child with reading a book if they don't do "such and such". Heck, I would LOVE it if I could get out of some of my more boring classes, and instead be sentenced to a day of reading!

Why do teachers AND PARENTS use reading as a form of punishment, when we're trying to RAISE our reading test scores? Does anyone else see the double standard in this?