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www.corpun.com   :  Regulations   :  Current school handbooks - page 2

Corporal punishment regulations of individual schools or school districts --
External links to present-day school handbooks

With personal comments by C. Farrell
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    CALIFORNIA: private schools

  • Calvary Christian School, San Fernando  (Alternative link)
    Corporal punishment "as outlined in the Scriptures" shall be administered by the principal or parent.

  • Fremont Christian School, Redwood Valley [PDF]
    "Corporal discipline" is used up and including sixth grade, consisting of a paddling on the buttocks, with parental permission. The latest version of the document no longer specifies a maximum of two swats, or gives detailed dimensions of the paddle, as in this archived 2004 version [PDF].

  • Hanford Christian School, Hanford
    Students in grades K-4 may be slapped on the back of the hand in the first instance, with "a swat on the buttocks with a paddle" for repeated offenses. In grades 5-8, a swat on the buttocks comes at the third offense. "An added swat will be applied for each added offense". Paddling is to be carried out by an adult of the same sex as the child. CP is specifically mentioned as a response to fighting and profanity. The paddle must be 18" long, 3" wide and 3/4" thick. An attempt to notify parents is made beforehand.

  • Pacific Baptist School, Long Beach [PDF]
    At this K-12 school, if corporal punishment is deemed necessary, the parents must pick the student up and administer the swats at home. Until the student has been spanked, he or she may not return to school.
        But this is contradicted by the Parents' Pledge on page 10 of this document [PDF], which gives power to the school administration to carry out any necessary spanking (max. three swats per student per offense), done with a wooden paddle which the parents may inspect on request.

  • Poway Christian School, Poway [PDF]
    "Corporal punishment (spanking)" is one of the types of discipline applied here, but no further details are given, except that "swats" may result for violations of the "six-inch rule".

  • Santa Fe Springs Christian School [PDF]
    CP is for major offenses and will be administered by the principal or the dean of students. Parents are contacted.


    CONNECTICUT: private schools

  • Berean Christian Academy, Milford
    Here, if other forms of correction fail to work, "the student will receive swats with a paddle". It is preferred that the parent comes to the school to administer these but, if that is not possible, the school staff will do it. "Teachers shall be instructed in the use of the paddle to produce an effective sting without injury." There is a maximum of three swats. Only female staff may paddle girls.
        In a hilarious example of the "make it up as you go along, and hope nobody bothers to check" brand of scholarship, the document solemnly tells us that the word paddling comes "from the Greek word paideia, which implies to nurture from a strike or sting". Actually it comes from the English word paddle, a description of a piece of wood of a certain shape, which originally had (and, in most uses of the term, still has) nothing at all to do with punishment, but comes (according to Webster) from Middle English padell, a spade-shaped tool for cleaning a plow!


    FLORIDA: private schools

  • Christian Heritage Academy, Jacksonville [DOC]
    For a fourth serious offense, parents are given the option to administer either one or two swats "outside of the classroom" with a wooden paddle. This is a change from previous versions, which said that the student "will be" paddled. However, parents are still required to give their authority to the school for the use of corporal punishment if necessary.

  • Countryside Christian School, Gainesville  (Alternative link)
    Parents who do not believe in "corporal correction" may not send their children here.

  • Covenant Christian School, Palm Bay   (Alternative link)
    In grades K to 6, a third offense on any one day means a "Green Sheet" which parents must sign, and the fourth offense on any one day means a "Blue Sheet", which automatically brings a paddling. A copy of this document is to be found near the bottom of the web page. It must be signed not only by the person administering the punishment and the witness, but also by the student who has just been paddled. On arrival home, the sheet must in addition be signed by a parent and returned to the school the following day.
        Two Green Sheets in a week will also bring automatic CP and detention. After the third paddling in one semester, a conference is held with parents. Each paddling (max. five swats but "usually three or fewer") is followed by prayer.
        Apparently grades 7-12 do not now get paddled at all -- this is a change from previous years, when CP was available up to and including grade 8.

  • Greenacres Christian Academy, Lake Worth
    Discipline includes corporal punishment but no details are given.

  • Peniel Baptist Academy, Palatka [PDF]
    In order to "preserve the spiritual atmosphere" at this school, "discipline will be more swiftly and rigorously enforced" than at public or some other private schools. Paddling may be administered in grades K to 12, for any offense, at the discretion of the administration, "as an option for those parents who still believe in the use of paddling". CP or Saturday detention is a minimum response to category IV offenses (profanity, insolence, reckless driving). The same choice is also automatic upon the fourth referral in a school year. Elsewhere, the document describes paddling as "rational physical punishment". Parents sign a "permission to paddle" form [PDF] on enrolment, on which they may either give permission or withhold it, but also are to be consulted by phone each time before the paddle is used. It must be administered in private, with a witness, as soon as practicable after the offense; girls may be paddled only by a female member of staff.
        See also this Sep 2007 news item.

  • Pinewood Christian Academy, Middleburg [PDF]
    Believes that corporal punishment is the parents' responsibility. Parents "will be notified the same day discipline is recommended".

  • Rocky Bayou Christian School, Niceville  (Alternative link)
    "Chastisement" is the proper consequence for rebellion against authority, and this means "inflicting pain with the rod of correction". A "tally" system is in use in the elementary school. If a child receives five black tallies he will be spanked, or the child will be suspended in lieu of spanking if that is the parental choice.
        Further down the page, for the "Academy" section (grades 7-12), it is stated that students may choose corporal punishment (no details provided) in lieu of detention, thus saving the detention fee of $2.
        See also this application form [PDF] requiring the parent to accept that the disciplinary methods include corporal punishment, and also asking the referring school to state whether the student has received CP before.

  • Suncoast Christian School, Clearwater
    Paddling is for "continual or deliberate disobedience" and is administered by a parent, who is summoned to the school for the purpose.

  • Victory Christian Academy, Sneads
    Demerits are earned for disturbances and broken rules. Seven or more demerits may result in corporal correction, involving a maximum of three strokes with "a simple, flat paddle". Administrator (who may be parent/guardian or staff) and witness must both be of the same sex as the student. Parents must sign a "Corporal Correction Release" form upon enrollment. "We believe that certain offenses are best corrected through the use of corporal discipline."

  • These Florida private schools are also known to use corporal punishment, but did not appear to say so on line when I last checked, or are not on line at all:

    Prince Community School, Brandon - see this Feb 2004 news item


    FLORIDA: public schools

  • Baker County School District (covers Glen St Mary, MacClenny) [PDF]  (Alternative link)
    Available for any offenses. Students who will not submit to corporal punishment may be offered alternative choices such as suspension. Nothing about parental approval. See also this January 2004 news item and this Oct 2005 news item.

  • Bay District Schools (covers Lynn Haven, Panama City, Panama City Beach, Springfield) [PDF] On the 164th page of this huge document ("page 717"), we learn that the principal's approval is not necessary for each specific instance of corporal punishment. CP is one of the options for a second or third referral to the office. Parents must be informed in advance. "Refusal to accept corporal punishment" counts as "behavior qualifying for formal disciplinary measures". CP is itself one of those measures. However, the student may be offered an alternative, such as picking up trash. Students known to be under medical treatment for "an emotional disability" may not be paddled. There is no information about the modus operandi.
        The Deane Bozeman, Haney Technical, Mosley High and Rutherford handbooks mention CP but add nothing to the information in the pan-district policy document. Other schools in the system do not mention discipline procedures at all.
        See also this June 2009 news item.

  • Bradford County School District (covers Brooker, Hampton, Lawtey, Starke) [PDF]
    CP is mentioned here as an possible response to Level I offenses but not those at Level II (the most serious). It may be administered by the principal or his designee "with reasonable force" on the posterior. An adult witness shall be present. The punishment must not be delivered "in front of other students". At the back of the document is a form on which parents may request that CP not be used. According to the Code of Conduct, this should be only for "medical/psychological reasons".

  • Calhoun County School District (covers Altha, Blountstown) [PDF]
    Moderate paddling by a teacher or principal is a possible response to both "less serious" and "more serious" misconduct. There is no mention of parental consent. Bus drivers are not allowed to give physical punishment.

  • Citrus County School District (covers Citrus Springs, Crystal River, Floral City, Hernando, Homosassa, Inverness, Lecanto) [PDF]
    Students about to be paddled must be given due process. "A student will be given a paddling as soon as possible after it has been determined that this will be the disciplinary intervention." Parents must be informed; if they "do not wish to have their child paddled", they must so stipulate in writing. As to the CP itself there are no details.

  • Clay County School District (covers Green Cove Springs, Keystone Heights, Middleburg, Orange Park) [PDF]
    Alternative methods should be tried before CP is used. It must not be degrading or unduly severe. Usual rules about privacy and witnesses. Parents may opt out their offspring in writing. There seems to be no information about the modus operandi.
        A separate Secondary Code of Conduct document [PDF] states that corporal punishment is available as a disciplinary response for Level II offenses (insubordination, gambling, minor vandalism) but not for offenses at Level I (the least serious ones) or Levels II and IV (the most serious).
        At Lake Asbury, it is implied that CP is mainly meted out for fighting, and parents are notified before the paddling takes place.
        The individual school websites for Rideout Elementary, Orange Park High, Ridgeview High, and Bannerman Learning Center (an Alternative School) simply mention the existence of CP without going into detail, or else just repeat what the pan-district policy document says. Most of the other schools in the district do not appear to refer to it at all.
        See also this January 2004 news item.

  • Franklin County Schools [PDF] (covers Apalachicola, Carrabelle, Eastpoint)
    Corporal punishment, at both elementary and secondary levels, may be given by a teacher or principal, with a witness, for a second or subsequent intermediate (Class II) infraction, and for a first or subsequent serious (Class III) infraction. It is evidently not used for minor (Class I) or major (Class IV) offenses.
        See also this Aug 2009 news item about an argument within the School Board over whether parental consent should be required.

  • Gilchrist County School District (covers Bell, Trenton) [PDF]
    A "regulation paddle" is to be used here for corporal punishment by the principal or designee. Parental permission must be on file.


  • Gulf County Schools (covers Port St Joe, Wewahitchka) [PDF] CP may be administered for offenses at any level of seriousness. Its use must have been approved by the principal, but his approval is not required for each specific instance. Rules about witnesses, documentation and due process. Students with disabilities may be paddled when appropriate, "to avoid formal disciplinary action".
        At PSJES, corporal punishment may be a consequence for Class "A" and Class "B" offenses, but not those of class D and E (the most serious). Each year, parents have the right to state that their child shall not be paddled, in which case "a punishment of equal severity will be issued".

  • Hamilton County School District (covers Jasper, Jennings, White Springs) [PDF]
    At the elementary level (grades K to 6), corporal punishment is available for a wide range of misbehaviors (dress code, tardy, defiance, computer misuse, misconduct on the bus), but not for the most serious crimes (smoking, assault).
        At the County High School, CP is not one of the listed responses to any specific offenses, but "may be substituted for listed consequences upon parent conference and administration approval". There must be an adult witness. A high school student may not be spanked on more than three occasions per school year. "Three licks per day may be administered for one day of any other punishment."

  • Hendry County Schools (covers Clewiston, LaBelle) [PDF]
    Click on "Code of Student Conduct". Corporal punishment here is seen as an alternative to suspension, specified for various relatively serious offenses. Rules about due process and witnesses.
        See also this Aug 2003 news item.

  • Jefferson County School Board, Monticello  (Alternative link)
    Corporal punishment counts as a "serious disciplinary procedure", alternatives to which should be used when possible or practicable. Typical rules about due process and witnesses. It shall not be administered to a student "known to be under medical treatment for an emotional disability" or "suffering from a physical condition which would cause his life to be endangered by the use of such punishment". (This seems excessively cautious: I never heard of a paddling that endangered life.) Parents may request a written explanation within five days of the paddling.
        The High School handbook states (at page 26) that corporal punishment "will be offered as an alternative to suspension in some cases". Parents are given the opportunity to accept or reject CP for their child.
        See also this Dec 2002 transcript of a TV show in which the district superintendent described the paddling procedure.

  • Lake County School District (covers Astatula, Clermont, Davenport, Eustis, Fruitland Park, Groveland, Lady Lake, Leesburg, Mascotte, Mount Dora, Oakland, Paisley, Sorrento, Tavares, Umatilla) [PDF]
    Corporal punishment ("the moderate use of paddling" -- no other details supplied) must be carried out in front of a witness and may be used for level I or II infractions but not for the most serious offenses. Most of the schools within the district no longer mention discipline on their individual websites.
        See also this April 2008 report about a change in policy to the effect that paddling now takes place only when there is a consent form signed by the parent on file.

  • Madison County Schools (covers Lee, Greenville, Madison) [PDF]  (Alternative link)
    CP, formerly available at the elementary and middle school levels only, is now shown as being applicable up to and including grade 12. The student shall be advised why he/she is being paddled and be provided the "opportunity to present his/her side of the story". Parents are provided with a written explanation of the punishment on request. The document no longer mentions a maximum number of swats.

  • Marion County Public Schools (covers Anthony, Belleview, Citra, Dunnellon, Fort McCoy, Ocala, Reddick, Silver Springs, Sparr, Summerfield, Weirsdale) [PDF]
    Corporal punishment with a paddle is one of the possible "corrective measures" for Level 2 infractions (bullying, cell phones, insubordination, theft) but not for Levels 1, 3 or 4. Typical rules about witnesses, privacy and due process. The maximum number of licks is three. An unusual provision is that CP "shall be administered to a student no more than once a day". Parents who object to CP for their offspring must submit a signed statement to that effect every year.

  • Osceola County School Board (covers Celebration, Kissimmee, Poinciana, St Cloud)
    The paddle here must be "directed only to the buttocks or the back of the thigh", with a maximum of three licks for any one offense. Unusually, a ruler or the principal's open hand may also be used. Parents requesting exemption from corporal punishment must agree to suspension or expulsion. A novel feature is that students shall not receive corporal punishment more than once in a 48-hour period.
        Paddling is for repeated offenses at level I, and for first offenses at levels II and III. For repeated level II offenses the consequence is "additional corporal punishment". CP is not listed as one of the options for "Post-secondary"-level students. This is one of the few places where it is spelled out that bus drivers may use physical punishment (but only on the instructions of the parent or principal).

  • Putnam County School District (covers Crescent City, Florahome, Hawthorne, Interlachen, Melrose, Palatka, San Mateo) [PDF]
    The maximum number of strokes here is an unusually high 7 (administered using one hand, says the document) for middle and senior high school students, and 5 for younger ones. The paddle must be no more than 2 feet long and half an inch thick, with no sharp edges or holes, and shall be administered "posteriorly, with efforts being made to avoid punishment above the waist or below the buttocks". Rules about privacy, witnesses and documentation.
        See also this Sep 2007 news item, in which a spokesman suggests that parental permission in writing should be secured before CP is used.

  • St Johns County School District (covers Fruit Cove, Hastings, Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, St Augustine) [PDF]
    Written parental objections to corporal punishment will be respected. In that event an alternative punishment will be used, "such as out-of-school suspension". When female middle- or high-school students are paddled, it should be done by a female staff member.

  • Santa Rosa County School District [PDF] (covers Bagdad, Gulf Breeze, Jay, Milton, Navarre, Pace)
    "We believe that corporal punishment is a viable alternative in maintaining discipline in a school setting." Parents who object to it must say so in writing each year. Maximum strokes per student per day are two up to grade 3, three up to grade 6, and four for grades 7 to 12. There are very detailed rules for the construction of the paddle (wood but not plywood, max. 19 inches long, max. 3/8 inch thick, max. 4 inches wide) and it must have a handle "just large enough for a normal one-hand grip". Every effort shall be made to avoid striking the body above or below the buttocks. There are typical rules about privacy, witnesses and parental notification.

  • Union County School District, Lake Butler
    This school system requires that CP be administered only by the principal or his designee. It must be applied "only on the posterior part of the body". An unusual stipulation is that "under NO circumstances shall the administrator's hand be used as the means of administering corporal punishment", and the school board thinks this so important that the document actually says it twice. The student shall be asked whether there are any reasons why CP should not be administered. Parents are to be supplied with a written explanation after the event, but there is no mention of their being consulted beforehand or of any possibility of securing exemption.
        The High School, curiously, mentions CP only as a consequence for dress code violations.

  • Wakulla County School Board [PDF] (covers Crawfordville, St Marks, Sopchoppy)
    School principals may give approval to any teacher to use corporal punishment, for disciplinary reasons but never for lack of work or unsuccessful work, and never in anger. It must be administered to the student's buttocks. Typical rules about privacy and witnesses.
        See also this March 2009 news item.

  • Walton County Schools
    "1 to 5 licks" is a punishment here for a variety of listed offenses, as an alternative to the same number of hours' detention or days' suspension. The same is true of school bus offenses, but with a maximum of 3 licks. It is not clear whether it is the student who gets to choose between these options.

  • These Florida public schools or districts also state that they use corporal punishment, but give few or no details:

    DeSoto County School District (covers Arcadia, Nocatee)
    Dixie District Schools (covers Cross City, Old Town) [PDF]


    GEORGIA: private schools

  • Atlanta Youth Academy [PDF]
    See page 7 for the CP policy at this K-8 Christian school. Parents must have given written permission for a student to be spanked. If parents do not give permission, they must undertake to come to the school if serious discipline is required. A wooden paddle is applied to the buttocks by the principal or assistant principal. Great caution must be taken not to strike the hands. An unusual provision is that "the child may not be spanked in front of other children, but the door to the room where the spanking takes place must be left partially open". If the student refuses to be paddled, the parents must come and take him or her home.

  • Bible Baptist Christian School, Hampton [PDF]
    Paddling (max. 5 swats with a wooden paddle) is for serious offenses such as stealing and cheating. Parents will be contacted first, and may "conduct" it themselves, or witness it, if they wish.

  • Cherokee Christian School, Woodstock
    Spanking is "Biblical and a parental task" but parents may delegate this responsibility to the school if they so choose. No details are given.

  • Covenant Christian Ministries Academy, Marietta [PDF]
    At this all-black K-12 school, the disciplinary actions for minor offenses, such as chewing gum, are warning, detention, spanking and suspension. For major offenses, such as truancy, cheating or obscenity, they are spanking, suspension and expulsion. There is no information about what the spankings involve.
        See also the application form for summer camp [PDF], which requires parents to sign that camp staff have permission to "administer corporal correction (spanking)" as necessary, without calling the parents.

  • Cumberland Christian Academy, Austell [PDF]
    Students may be paddled by the Principal "in extreme cases", with an adult witness, but always with express permission from a parent.

  • Grace Christian School, Columbus [PDF]
    CP is to be used only after other corrective measures have been tried. It consists of "not more than three firm strokes with a wooden paddle". A witness of the same sex as the student will be present.

  • Grace Heritage Christian School, Stone Mountain
    Paddling is only for repeat offenders. Parents are asked to sign an authorization form, but "any parents wishing to waive this option may do so". The child is given "three swats on the bottom" by the Principal, Vice Principal or Superintendent.

  • Perimeter Christian School, Duluth [PDF]
    This school specifies the size of the paddle to be used (18" long) and a maximum of three strokes. Parents must sign a permission form. Only female students in grades 6-8 may be opted out of CP. This separate document clarifies that CP consists of spanking the student's bottom with a paddle.

  • Southland studentsSouthland Academy, Americus [PDF]
    No nonsense about sexual equality here: girl students may be paddled in grades pre-K to 5, but boys may be paddled right up to and including grade 12. An earlier requirement that female students may be paddled only by female staff has now been deleted. The Headmaster or his Assistant will be present at all paddlings. In some circumstances CP may even be a first resort. A previous version of this document stated that parents could file a notice refusing consent, but that has gone and clearly does not now apply. Indeed, the current version makes clear that parents will not necessarily even be informed after the event.
        The present enrollment contract [PDF] requires (and does not merely invite) parents to sign that they consent to the discipline policy, explicitly including CP up to grade 12 for boys.


    GEORGIA: public schools

  • Appling County Schools, Baxley
    No details, just standard Georgia rules about not being a first line of punishment, must not be excessive or unduly severe, witnesses, parental objections. This district also says that more effective means are usually available, and "corporal punishment should be infrequently used in our schools".
        The Middle School describes CP as a "secondary punishment", meaning that some other method should have been tried first. In particular, it may come into play for a student who has already served 10 days' worth of detentions. There is also the curious statement that "any withholding of corporal punishment is done after the parent makes a request", in which case the student will be suspended. Where the parent has made such a request, the student himself is "advised to remind teachers should the need arise if corporal punishment cannot be used".
        CP is specifically mentioned at the Middle School as a possible consequence for a fourth or subsequent tardy, a second offense of disrespect or insubordination, a first or second offense of vulgarity or sexual harassment, a second or third offense of classroom disturbance, a second offense of school disturbance or being in the hall without a pass, a first or second offense of failing to attend all classes, a second offense of cheating, public display of affection, being off limits, having a skateboard at school, riding a bicycle between 7.30 am and 3 pm, or "computer trespass", a second (but not first or third) offense of misconduct on the bus, a second, third or fourth offense of chewing gum, a first or any subsequent offense of gambling or forging notes, a second or third offense of lunchroom misconduct, and a first offense of activating a fire alarm under false pretences.

  • Barrow County Schools (covers Auburn, Bethlehem, Statham, Winder)
    Any principal may administer CP to any student. Only a doctor's signed statement (as at Dougherty, below) will bring exemption. However, "Corporal punishment shall not be administered to a student who refuses to accept corporal punishment in lieu of other punishment". So the student may refuse it, but the parent may not? Parents may request an ex post facto written statement of the reasons for and details of a particular punishment, but this "shall not be used as evidence in any subsequent civil action brought as a result of said corporal punishment".
        So much for the Board Policy. The Student Code of Conduct [PDF] goes into more detail. At the elementary level, CP is available for first or subsequent offenses of Class I (including the catch-all "violation of school rules") and Class II (cheating, tobacco, etc.). (In a previous version, it was specified that for Class I offenses a paddling was in prospect only on the second or subsequent offense, but it now applies to the first offense as well.) For middle school students, CP is available for Class I offenses only.
        CP is not mentioned at all as a regular consequence for High School students. However, "a student [including, presumably, at high school] or parent may have the option of choosing corporal punishment in lieu of other punishment".
        We are nowhere told of what the corporal punishment actually consists. The schools no longer have their own individual online handbooks, such as that for Auburn Elementary (archived here), which said that students may receive up to 10 swats per day in two paddlings of 5 swats each - an unusually large number, especially for an elementary school. Another novel provision in this document was that "it is the responsibility of the witness to count the number of licks administered".

  • Bibb County Schools (elementary), Macon [PDF]
  • Bibb County Schools (middle and high), Macon [PDF]
    Identical wording at both levels. Any teacher may administer corporal punishment to any pupil. Similar wording to Camden (see below) about CP not normally being a first resort, and rules about witnesses and parental notification. The employee who is to administer it and the employee who initiated the disciplinary measures must confer and agree on the necessity for corporal punishment in each instance. No part of the body above the waist or below the knees may be struck.
        Parents' written request to exempt their offspring are honored. Even without such a request, CP shall not be given to a student known to be under psychological or physical treatment without conferring with the student's psychologist or physician.

  • Camden County Schools (covers Kingsland, St Marys, Woodbine)
    In this school district, CP is not the first line of punishment unless the pupil was informed beforehand that specific misbehavior "could occasion its use", or for acts which "shock the conscience". Typical rules about witnesses, privacy and documentation. Parents not wanting their offspring paddled must fill out a special form on enrollment day and sign it in the school office. In that case, suspension may be used instead.
        At the High School (for grades 9 to 12), the paddling is inflicted not by individual teachers but by an administrator for relatively less serious ("Plan C") offenses. Parental permission must be obtained beforehand.

  • Catoosa County Public Schools, Ringgold [PDF]
    Corporal punishment is separately specified here for each of a large number of misbehaviors, ranging all the way from dress code violations to "terroristic threats"! CP consists of "paddling administered by the principal or his/her designee", but we are not given any other information apart from the standard Georgia generalities.

  • Coffee County Schools, Douglas
    CP should not be a first resort. Typical rules about witnesses and parental contact. An earlier version of the policy defined it as "moderate use of physical force with a paddle" which may be applied only to the student's buttocks. This language now seems to have disappeared.
        The CHS Freshman Campus, for 9th graders, has its own handbook, which lists corporal punishment as one of the disciplinary actions that may be imposed for any violation of the code of conduct. CP is specifically mentioned as the standard response for class I offenses ("inappropriate behavior"), and as an alternative to ISS for class II offenses (more serious sins), at the discretion of the administration. A paddling may also be given for bus conduct violations (first offense only). The document includes (at page 2) a form which parents must sign in the main office if they do not wish their child to be paddled.
        The document for Nicholls Elementary concerns offenses on the school bus. Corporal punishment is listed as the response to a first or second such offense.
        US Dept of Education statistics estimate that some 1,080 paddlings took place in this school district in school year 2004-05, equivalent to about 14% of the student roll.

  • Decatur County Schools, Bainbridge CP must be administered by the principal or his or her designee. It must not be excessive or unduly severe. There are apparently also some pan-district CP rules, but they seem not to be on line.
        See also, as regards Potter Street Elementary, this Feb 2009 news item.
        And see this Aug 2009 news item, which reports that CP was suspended in Feb 2009 and the Board of Education was considering whether to abolish it altogether or restore it.

  • Dougherty County Schools (covers Albany)
    Corporal punishment should not be a first resort "unless the student was informed beforehand that specific misbehavior could occasion its use", except for offenses which "shock the conscience". It involves spanking the student's buttocks in the principal's office -- there is no mention of a paddle or any other instrument. Students may be exempted only by the presentation, on enrollment day, of a doctor's statement that it would be detrimental to the child's mental or emotional stability.
        About 920 students were paddled here in 2004-05, according to government statistics.

  • Gordon County Board of Education (covers Calhoun, Fairmount, Plainville, Resaca)
    Standard Georgia formulation about CP not normally being a first resort. The pupil being punished should be asked, in front of the witness, whether he/she has already been paddled that day. The rules do not explicitly state that, if so, the paddling should be canceled or postponed, but that seems to be the implication. Usual stuff about parental objections. Also, teachers must keep records by sex and race of all CP administered.
        The Ashworth handbook merely says that CP is one disciplinary option, and that parents who object to it must file a written statement to that effect with the principal.
        At Sonoraville East, CP is used for level 2 offenses (fighting, tobacco, skipping class) and repeated level 1 offenses (cheating, disruption) but not for level 3 offenses (drugs, firearms, damage to property). Near the end of the document is a "Corporal Punishment Permission Form", for parents who "would like" to give permission for CP to be used, should the need arise. It is not clear whether this means that CP will be ruled out if the form has not been returned.
        For the reintroduction of paddling as a student's choice option at Gordon Central High School in Calhoun, see this 2001 article. The school's own handbook continues to be missing.

  • Grady County Schools At Washington Middle, corporal punishment "will be used when deemed appropriate". An recently added provision is that children in foster care will not be paddled. Parents who object to CP must fill in the "No Paddling Form" [DOC], which requires them to assume responsibility for their child's behavior at school and to undertake to come and pick it up if it misbehaves.

  • Harris County Schools (covers Cataula, Ellerslie, Fortson, Hamilton)
    Standard Georgia language about CP not being a first-line punishment. Parents have 10 days from first enrolment in which to submit a letter requesting that CP not be used.
        On this separate page about school bus policy, it is stated that paddling is an alternative to three days' suspension off the bus for a third bus offense.
        See also this Aug 2007 news report, in which a district official claims that, in practice, CP would not be used without parental permission.

  • Hart County Middle School, Hartwell
    This handbook, after listing various non-corporal penalties for different offenses, states that "a student my [sic] have the option of choosing corporal punishment in lieu of other punishment". This "will be administered on in [sic] accordance with board policy ...", although as far as I can see we are nowhere told what the board policy actually is.

  • Jeff Davis County Schools, Hazlehurst
    At the high school, corporal punishment may be used for minor offenses (but not for the first offense) and intermediate offenses (either first or subsequent). It is not an option for major offenses. Parental requests not to use CP will be honored. At the middle school, paddling comes first in a list of 22 different punishments; it must be applied to the student's buttocks. It is specifically mentioned as a punishment for possessing fireworks. Students who have had three or more paddlings may not go on field trips. At the elementary school, a student reaching 5 conduct referrals will receive one day's ISS, or a paddling at parent's request.

  • Laurens County School System At Southwest Laurens Elementary, CP (no details given) is available on the first and second referral to the office for major offenses, and the second and third referral to the office for minor offenses. It is specifically mentioned in connection with offenses on the school bus, where on the third and fourth or fifth offenses (but not earlier or subsequent ones) the student may be paddled "at the discretion of the administrator or the parent".
        That latter provision also applies at East Laurens Elementary, but this school also mentions paddling as a consequence for fighting, disrespect and verbal abuse (1st offense only in each case).
        The High School stipulates that "no student is ever required to take corporal punishment, but may choose corporal punishment if it is an option", which is listed as being the case for cursing (1st, 2nd or 3rd offense), cutting class (1st offense only), interrupting class (1st, 2nd or 3rd offense), "lack of cooperation", which could presumably cover any conceivable misbehavior (1st or 2nd but not 3rd offense), being tardy (3rd to 6th offenses inclusive), and minor threats of bodily harm or violence. For "pushing" and "rudeness", a specific tariff of "3 licks" is laid down (1st offense only). For a third, fourth or fifth offense of minor misbehavior on the school bus, CP may be substituted for the standard punishment of suspension from the bus for a given number of days, but only at the administrator's discretion, i.e. apparently not at the choice of the student in this case.
        At the Middle School, "licks" with a board-approved paddle are available for public display of affection, distribution of medication, and disrespect or insubordination, and for a 3rd, 4th or 5th bus offense or a second offense of cutting class. Also, for a first offense of fighting, the standard penalty is three days' suspension, but, unlike at the High School in this case, "in lieu of suspension the student may take a paddling". This option is not available on any subsequent fighting offenses.
        See also this Oct 2006 news item, according to which 3,077 official spankings took place in Laurens County in the latest year, or 49% of the student roll.

  • Lowndes County Schools (covers Hahira, Lake Park, Valdosta) [PDF] Here, corporal punishment may be used in lieu of suspension at the discretion of the administrator, but there are no further details. Those individual schools within the system whose websites mention the subject at all, such as Lowndes High School, merely repeat the identical information.

  • Monroe County Schools, Forsyth "Corporal punishment, used correctly, can be an effective method in dealing with discipline." Typical Georgia rules: it may be given by a principal or teacher, with a witness; parents to be given reasons on request; exemption requires statement from doctor. The individual schools merely mention that CP is a possible consequence of misbehavior, except for Hubbard Elementary, where it is specified that parental consent is required and that the punishment must be "administered in the school office area".

  • Murray County Board of Education, Chatsworth
    "Corporal punishment is a viable and effective option of discipline and is available", the Middle and Elementary handbooks confidently assert. Parents who want to get their kids out of being paddled have to produce a statement from a doctor that it would be detrimental to the child's mental or emotional stability. CP is specifically mentioned as a possible consequence for physical assault and bullying, but no details are provided as to what it involves.
        The High School is much less upfront about the issue. Many offenses are listed with their possible consequences, and none of them mentions CP except bullying. Maybe the high school has abolished it, and accidentally left that reference in.

  • Peach County Schools (covers Byron, Fort Valley) [PDF]
    This school system requires that the instrument used for corporal punishment must not cause physical injury, and that "no part of the body above the waist or below the knees may be struck".)
        Written parental objections to CP will be honored and, in a provision I cannot remember seeing elsewhere, even in the absence of any such objection a student must never be paddled who is known to be under psychological or physical treatment without first conferring with the student's psychologist or physician.

  • Richmond County Schools (covers Augusta, Blythe, Fort Gordon, Hephzibah) [PDF]
    See page 21. In addition to the usual rules about witnesses and CP not being a first resort, this district requires parental permission to be obtained in writing on each separate occasion before a student is paddled, an event described as "rare".
        See also this Oct 2006 news item and this Nov 2008 news item.

  • Thomaston-Upson Board of Education, Thomaston
    Identical wording at both schools. Corporal punishment consists of a maximum of 3 licks. All paddles must be approved by the superintendent. Parents may exempt their children by filling out a form. In addition to standard Georgia provisions, corporal punishment will not be given to students known to be victims of physical abuse.

  • Toombs County Schools, Lyons This school district specifies that the paddle used must be 24 inches long, 5 inches wide, and between ¼in and ½in thick, though a smaller one is provided for elementary students. Parental requests for exemption from CP must be renewed each year.
        For minor offenses, the High School has what it calls the "Three-Two Preference", whereby the student may choose between corporal punishment (3 licks) and after-school detention (2 days). "Three licks" is also an optional punishment for some more serious crimes, such as a first offense of leaving campus without permission, or a second offense of cheating on school work (in each case as an alternative to three days' ISS). For an intermediate range of offenses including public display of affection, laser beams, tardiness and chewing gum, the "Three-Two Preference" applies on the first occasion; for the second offense the penalty is 1 day's ISS or 2 licks, and for the third, 2 days' ISS or 3 licks. Having a cell phone in school brings 1 day's ISS or 2 licks on the first occasion. A paddling may also be chosen as an alternative to 3 days' suspension from the bus, for the first major bus offense only.

  • Walker County Schools (covers Chickamauga, Flintstone, LaFayette, Lookout Mountain, Rock Spring, Rossville)
    The School Board Policy document contains typical Georgia language about corporal punishment not being a first resort "unless the pupil was informed beforehand that specific misbehavior could occasion its use". CP is not to be used where parents have expressly objected to it in writing.
        Gilbert Elementary says that CP "is used only as a last means of punishment". Parents may exempt their children from by filing a form in the school office.
        At LaFayette High, CP will be administered only by the Principal or Assistant Principals. All students are subject to it unless their parents have filed a statement with the Principal against its use. However, no student will be forced to accept a spanking.
        Ridgeland High states that it does not use corporal punishment.
        At Rossville Middle School, CP is used only when "many other disciplinary methods" have been tried. A signed "permission to paddle" form is required from parents.
        Other schools in the district do not mention CP at all.
        See also this July 2008 news item.

  • Wayne County Schools
    This Student Behavior Code states that corporal punishment is allowed, but it's not one of the penalties listed under "progressive discipline procedures". At the High School, only the principal or his designee may administer it. Parental objections must be filed on the day of enrollment. At the elementary level, such objections must be based on a statement from a doctor that CP would be detrimental to the child's mental or emotional stability.

  • These Georgia public schools or school districts also state that they use corporal punishment, but give few or no details beyond standard Georgia wording about CP not normally being a first resort:

    Burke County Board of Education, Waynesboro [PDF]
        (and see also this May 2006 news item about a paddling incident and this Oct 2006 news item, which states that there were 600 paddlings in Burke County in the latest year)
    Dade County Schools, Trenton
        (and see also this July 2008 news item, in which the board chairman states that CP is not much used in the middle and high schools, but it is used in the elementary schools)
    Dublin High School, Dublin
    Hall County Schools [PDF] (in middle and high schools but not elementary schools) (and see also this Dec 2008 news item
    Jefferson County Schools (covers Louisville, Wadley, Wrens)
        (and see also this Oct 2006 news item, which reports that there were 212 paddlings in this district in 2005-06, up from 189 the previous year)
    Lanier County Schools, Lakeland (and see also this May 2005 news item)
    Muscogee County Schools (covers Columbus, Midland) [PDF]
        (and see also this Aug 2007 news item)
    Union County Schools, Blairsville [PDF]

  • These Georgia public schools are also known to use corporal punishment, but did not appear to say so on line when I last checked, or are not on line at all:

    Twiggs County Schools, Jeffersonville -- see this July 2008 news item


    IDAHO: private schools

  • Classical Christian Academy, Post Falls
    Paddling is one of the possible outcomes of a "visit with the principal" following flagrant or repeated misbehavior.

  • Fountains Academy, Boise  (Alternative link)
    Under "Spanking Policy" the document states that 5,000 years of history show that spanking is effective. "A visit to the office" appears to be synonymous with spanking, the only punishment mentioned short of suspension. The maximum is three swats "with a paddle on the buttocks" and the student "will be allowed to compose himself before re-entering the classroom".


    IDAHO: public schools

  • Lakeland Public Schools (covers Athol, Rathdrum, Spirit Lake)
    CP (no details provided) "must be regarded as a last resort", and parents "shall be notified or prior approval obtained". No part of the body above the waist nor below the knees may be struck. The principal must agree to the punishment.


    ILLINOIS: private schools

  • Cornerstone (formerly Chapel Hill) Christian School, Fairview Heights
    No reference to either corporal punishment or paddling, but there is "swatting", which is "done immediately", only by the Principal, provided a "swat form" has been signed by the parents.

  • Living Word Christian Academy, Bellwood [PDF]
    This is the enrollment application form, on which parents must give the school permission to spank. "Parental contact will be made prior to administration."

  • Oak Park Christian Academy, Oak Park [PDF]
    On the last page of this enrollment form, it is stated that parents must sign a "corporal punishment consent".

  • Sterling Christian School, Galt [PDF]
    "Spanking" is one of the disciplinary methods that the principal may dispense when a teacher refers a student to the office. This is said to be a last resort, and is used only when the parents have given written permission on a form provided for the purpose.

  • These Illinois private schools are also known to use corporal punishment, but did not appear to say so on line when I last checked, or are not on line at all:

    Schaumburg Christian School, Schaumburg - see this March 2005 news item.


    INDIANA: private schools

  • Clear Creek Christian School, Bloomington
    "A paddling occurs after two red slips". Parents are encouraged to be present when it takes place. "There will be no anger involved."


    INDIANA: public schools

  • Anderson Community School Corporation  (Alternative link)
    Sets out in some detail the procedures for paddling. Male staff may paddle female students, but only if a female staff member is the witness. Students may be exempted only for documented medical reasons.

  • Frankfort Community Schools
    In this school district, "administrators have a right ... to administer corporal punishment", the practical details of which are left unstated. CP comes sixth in a list of nine items in the "normal sequence of discipline procedures". The Middle School and Riley and South Side pages merely state that CP is an option.

  • Franklin County Community School Corporation Parents may not object to their offspring being paddled unless there are documented medical or psychological problems. Detailed procedures are set out. The paddle "must be smooth and with no sharp edges or holes".

  • Gary Community School Corporation [PDF]
    CP is used only as a last resort. It is administered "in an objective manner", in such a way that no permanent injury can result, and in the presence of an adult witness.

  • Lafayette School Corporation
    Here, corporal punishment "may only be administered to the buttocks", and parents may request the school to administer it in lieu of other specified action.

  • Martinsville High School, Martinsville
    At this school, corporal punishment comes immediately after "reprimand" in the escalating scale of sanctions.

  • Mount Vernon Community School Corporation (covers Fortville, Greenfield, McCordsville)
    These rules strongly discourage corporal punishment, almost implying that a professional teacher should not need it. However, it is permitted as a last resort.
        The individual schools merely say that CP is a possible disciplinary consequence, and give no details.

  • Randolph Central School Corporation
    At Winchester High, paddling is used when it is felt the student will respond positively. The handbook stresses that boys and girls may be paddled, with a maximum of "three whacks".
        For the district in general, see also this April 2004 news item.

  • South Spencer School Corporation
    More or less the same wording at both schools. Paddling is not normally used for a first offense, unless the student requests it in lieu of other punishments. Parents may ask that their child not be paddled, or that they be notified beforehand, but such requests must be put in writing.

  • South Madison Community Schools, Pendleton At Pendleton Heights High, CP (no details supplied) is a last resort but may be used "when necessary" in the "absence of self-discipline" on the part of the student. It may be that this applies also at the middle and elementary schools, but their handbooks are not currently on line.
        See also, as regards the South Madison district as a whole, this Dec 2002 news item.

  • These Indiana schools or districts also state that they use corporal punishment, but give few or no details:

    Carroll Junior/Senior High School, Flora [PDF]
    Crothersville Community Schools (and see also this April 2004 news item) Decatur County Community Schools
    Goshen Community Schools (covers Goshen)
    City of Hobart School Corporation
    Tipton Middle School [PDF]

  • These Indiana public schools are also known to use corporal punishment, but did not appear to say so on line when I last checked, or are not on line at all:
    Cowan Community Schools, Muncie - see this Aug 2002 news item


    IOWA: private schools

  • Cedar Valley Christian School, Cedar Rapids  (Alternative link)
    Paddling is one of the available methods of discipline for "routine offenses", but only up to and including third grade. This is done by the parent if available within 30 minutes, otherwise by the teacher or principal.

  • Cono Christian School, Walker [PDF]
    This is the form parents must sign in which they recognize the school's right to use "proper disciplinary measures which may include [...] spanking".

  • Living Word Academy, Shenandoah
    Before students will be accepted, the parents must sign the "corporal correction policy".


    KANSAS: private schools

  • Ottawa Christian Academy [PDF]  (Alternative link)
    This Ottawa is in Kansas, not Canada. Here, parents must sign a form stating that they are prepared to come to the school and spank the child (max. 3 swats). This is a "Level 4 corrective action", earned for discussing or doing sex, failure to attend a school function, one non-excused absence in any four-week period, or four non-excused tardies in any four-week period. Level 4 is also applied after three Level 3 actions in a nine-week period.


    KANSAS: public schools

  • Syracuse Elementary School [PDF]  (Alternative link)
    Unusually for a public school, a possible consequence here is "administration request for onsite corporal punishment administered by parent or guardian".

  • These Kansas public schools or school districts also state that they use corporal punishment, but give few or no details:
    Kaw Valley Unified School District (covers Delia, Emmett, St Marys, Rossville) [PDF]


    KENTUCKY: private schools

  • Oneida Baptist Institute, Oneida [PDF]
    This long-established rural mountain high school seems a little different from most. The student body includes a significant contingent from overseas, and do not have to be Christians. In designated areas and with parental permission, they may even smoke. The document linked above is part of a form that each new student, as well as the parents, must sign. It stipulates that paddling is used when it is felt that it may help the student, who however will "generally" not receive more than 2 swats per day.

  • These Kentucky private schools also state that they use corporal punishment, but give few or no details:

    Assembly Christian School, Lexington [PDF]
    FBC Christian School, Louisa  (Alternative link)
    Micah Christian School, Louisville


    KENTUCKY: public schools

  • Adair County Schools [DOC]
    CP, to be used only after other means have been found ineffective, shall consist of striking the student's buttocks with a paddle. Parents shall be notified after the event, but there seems to be no mention of securing their consent beforehand. However, a student shall be excused from CP upon the written request of the parents. Typical rules about privacy and witnesses.
        See also, in relation to Shepherd Elementary School, Adair County, this March 2001 news item.

  • Edmonson County School District, Brownsville
    Corporal punishment may be used for second- and third-level offenses but not for first- or fourth-level ones. It is to be a last resort and "shall be administered by striking the student's buttocks with a paddle". There must be two witnesses, at least one of whom must be of the same sex as the student. Parents may exempt their offspring by giving notice in writing, and there is a "yes or no" consent form at the back of the handbook. At South Edmonson Elementary, paddling is specifically mentioned as a possible consequence for serious incidents on the school bus.

  • Harlan County Schools (includes Baxter, Bledsoe, Brownsville, Cawood, Cumberland, Evarts, Grays Knob, Kenvir, Wallins) [DOC]
    Similar rules to Edmonson County, except that only one witness is required, and it is the person administering the paddling who should be of the same sex as the student, "except when a staff member of the appropriate gender is not assigned to the school".
        See also this Feb 2004 news item. CP is not listed as one of the normal penalties at Black Mountain, but it may be given "upon parent request". Special forms for this purpose are kept in the school office.

  • Hart County Schools
    Identical rules to Adair County Schools, above. Also on line is the Corporal Punishment Report Form [DOC].
        See also, in relation to LeGrande Elementary School, Hart County, this March 2001 news item.

  • Hickman County Schools, Clinton [PDF] In grades K-4, parents may request corporal punishment (max. 3 licks a day) by filling out a permission form. In grades 5-8 it is a parental option instead of after-school or Saturday detention. Students will receive two licks for 6 demerits and three licks for 9 demerits in a six-week period. No CP will be administered in grades 9 to 12. Typical rules about record-keeping and witnesses.
        At East Hickman Intermediate, alternative methods will be used before CP is considered. Parents are notified after the event.

  • Johnson County Schools
    CP consists of "striking the student's buttocks with a paddle". There must be two witnesses. It should not be used unless other disciplinary means have been tried and failed. A student may be excused paddling upon a written parental request. Also on the site are the Corporal Punishment Report Form and the Disciplinary Referral Forms (to parents) with a tickbox marked "Paddled".
        See also this Dec 2006 news item about a disputed paddling incident at Central Elementary School.

  • Lincoln County Schools The elementary school allows parents to choose between corporal punishment and suspension. At the high school, CP with "a wooden paddle to administer one to three blows to a student’s posterior" is to be used in the principal's office in a "very discretionary manner" and not in a fit of anger. Parental permission must be on file.
        For the county generally, see also this Feb 2004 news item.

  • McCreary County Schools (covers Pine Knot, Stearns)
    These rules seem at one point to imply that corporal punishment may be applied only to elementary students. It is available (maximum 3 swats in any one day) for nearly all the offenses listed, and must be inflicted on the student's buttocks. This is archived from school year 1999-2000; nothing more recent is on line.
        See also this Feb 2004 news item.

  • McKee Elementary School, Jackson County  (Alternative link)
    Same rules as at Johnson County but, in addition, the paddling must be given by the principal or assistant principal, who must be of the same sex as the student being punished. Also, a student who is paddled twice or more during the year must embark upon a "behavior improvement plan".

  • Pike County Schools, Pikeville [DOC]
    Corporal punishment shall consist of striking the student's buttocks with a paddle. It should be a last resort. Parents may request exemption.
        See also this Feb 2004 news item.

  • Pulaski County School System (covers Somerset) [DOC]
    Corporal punishment shall consist of striking the student's buttocks with a paddle. It should be a last resort. There are various bureaucratic requirements about the documentation of the punishment.
        See also this February 2004 news item.

  • These Kentucky public schools are also known to use corporal punishment, but did not appear to say so on line when I last checked, or are not on line at all:

    Allen County Schools, Scottsville - see this Feb 2004 news item
    Clark County Schools, Winchester - see this Dec 2006 news item
    Warren County Schools, Bowling Green - see this Feb 2004 news item

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