Related Item
The parents of a Chicago boy are suing the Chicago Public Schools for handcuffing him for talking in class. Their attorney says he was just one of several six and seven year-olds who were punished in this manner. The suit alleges they were removed from class, taken to another room and detained in handcuffs for hours.
If true, this would seem to violate more than laws and rules against corporal punishment. Although being sent to the principal's office doesn't amount to false imprisonment, it's unlikely most parents would give their consent to this type of treatment. The National Education Association opposes corporal punishment, calling it not just ineffective but harmful. Corporal punishment remains legal in 21 states.
Original Article
A lot of students go through years of school without any kind of disciplinary problems. They behave and do what they're supposed to do at school. But sometimes, even the best students get into a little trouble. Talking in class, tossing food at lunch and rough-housing on the playground happens every now and then.
What do you expect the school to do when it comes to punishment? You should know what your child's school can and can't do.
Corporal Punishment
Whether it happened to us or not, most of remember the "paddle," "belt" or "switch" teachers used to punish students for misbehaving. A few good swats on the bottom changed a student's attitude, or so it was thought at least. That's "corporal punishment," the use of pain as punishment, usually through physical force. It can take many forms though, including:
- Slapping
- Pinching
- Hitting the hands or knuckles
- Shaking the student's body by the shoulders
- Forcing the student to kneel on a hard surface
These and other forms of corporal punishment are used in some schools even today. According to the Center for Effective Discipline, an anti-corporal punishment organization, at least 20 states allow corporal punishment in some form in public schools. The other states prohibit it in any form in their public schools. Only New Jersey and Iowa ban corporal punishment in private or "non-public" schools.
In states where corporal punishment is allowed, the laws may spell out exactly what's permitted, such the maximum number of swats or restrictions on when a teacher or staff member may physically touch a student. Also, schools and school districts may have a policy about if and when corporal punishment may be used. It's not uncommon for school districts to ban the use of corporal punishment even if it's permitted by state law.
Also, in many states where corporal punishment is allowed, parents must give the school their permission to use corporal punishment on their children.
What You Can Do
If your state bans corporal punishment, and your child is in a public school, then your child should never be paddled or otherwise punished physically. If she is, you should contact the school and the school district immediately and demand an explanation and that it never happen again. If there's bruising, welts or other medical problems, take your child to her doctor or emergency room. Document the injury in writing and with pictures, and call the police or your local departments of health and education.
You should also consider talking to an attorney.
Even if your state and school allows the use of corporal punishment, it can't be used excessively. For instance, if the law limits the number of swats to five and a teacher uses 10, the law's been broken. If your child shows physical evidence of being punished too harshly - bruises, welts, trouble breathing, sitting or moving her arms or legs normally - you should follow the advice above: Get her medical attention, document the injuries and call the authorities.