Texas School Decides to Reinstate Paddling Because Apparently We’re Going Back in Time?

Why the Hell is corporal punishment still allowed in schools? A Texas school district has voted to bring back paddling. Apparently the problem with public schools is that kids aren’t being assaulted by authority figures enough.

The school district is shopping for paddles

According to CafeMom, the Three Rivers Independent School District just voted to let the principal paddle kids. With literal wooden paddles. According to USA Today, the school district is actually shopping for the paddles. Maybe they should get some stocks for the schoolyard, too. As long as we’re bringing back old-timey punishments.

Fraternities aren’t even allowed to paddle pledges anymore! Behavior too grotesque for a drunk frat bro is apparently A-OK for an elementary school principal in Texas.

Previously the district banned paddling, though it’s not clear when the practice became illegal. As of Tuesday, however, the principals can get ready to hit some children.

GIphy

Andrew Amaro, the campus behavior coordinator of the Three Rivers Elementary School, is the one who suggested bringing back paddling. As campus behavior coordinator, Amaro will actually be allowed to hit the students with paddles himself. He works at an elementary school, so these are pretty small children.

Amaro pitched the idea to the school district, and on Tuesday the district voted 6-0 in favor of reinstating paddling. Amaro says he and the principals will paddle kids for minor infractions like disobedience, disrespect, and not following classroom rules.

Paddling doesn’t work

Parents can opt-out of paddling. Parents who do not want their kids hit with boards can send a written statement to that effect to the school. They must send a new letter every year to continue to opt out of paddling.

Corporal punishment goes against current research. According to Science Daily, five decades of research indicate kids who are spanked are more likely to defy their parents, demonstrate aggression and anti-social behavior, and to use violence on other people. It doesn’t even get immediate or long-term compliance, which is the whole reason people spank kids in the first place.

Corporal punishment is legal in much of the U.S. Back in November, then-U.S. secretary of education John B. King Jr. urged state leaders to ban corporal punishment in schools, citing the many studies that indicate it is harmful to students’ short- and long-term outcomes. Still, 15 U.S. states–including Texas–specifically allow schools to use corporal punishment. Eight other states have no laws against corporal punishment in schools. 27 states and the District of Columbia do ban corporal punishment in schools.

What do you think of corporal punishment in schools? Let us know in the comments.

(Image: iStockPhoto / recep-bg)

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