Missouri school district brings back spanking for misbehaving children

One Missouri school district has decided to punish it’s students with a paddle thereby reinstating corporal punishment. In June, corporal punishment got approved by the Cassville school board and they notified the parents about the adoption of the disciplinary measure they had abandoned in 2001. On Wednesday, parents who consent to their children being hit were given an opt-in form during open house.

According to Merlyn Johnson, Cassville school superintendent, corporal punishment would be administered by the principal at the presence of a witness, which won’t be a fellow student and it will only be implemented if other disciplinary method doesn’t work out. Corporal punishment would consist of swatting the buttocks with a paddle. One or two swings would be inflicted on the younger students and three swings on the older students. Striking students on the head or face will not be permitted.

The US supreme court ruled that corporal punishment in schools was constitutional and left it up to states to decide to enforce it. Currently, there are 19 states across the US where corporal punishment is still allowed.