A bill making its way through the Mississippi House of Representatives potentially banning corporal punishment — which traditionally has entailed paddling children for certain school offenses, such as fighting — from public schools has area legislators thinking about when to involve parents in school discipline.

House Bill 12, which was written by Rep. Carl Mickens (D-Brooksville), would amend a 1972 code to “prohibit the use of corporal punishment in public and charter schools to discipline a student; to provide that any employee who violates the corporal punishment prohibition shall be held liable for civil damages suffered by a student as a result of the administration of corporal punishment….”

The topic has become a major enough issue throughout the country that school districts have begun banning it themselves. Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District got rid of corporal punishment in the early 2000s, and Columbus Municipal School District ended the policy on June 30, 2019, making this the first school year in which CMSD teachers and administrators cannot paddle students.

CMSD Superintendent Cherie Labat said administrators changed the policy after discussions last year, hoping to reinforce positive behaviors among students rather than focusing on negative.

“Corporal punishment is something that should be between a parent and a child and not between an administrator and a child,” she said.

She also said in a message to The Dispatch that there could be severe legal repercussions already for teachers and administrators who spank children.

“We live in a litigious society and although policy supports or give you rights it is still a very sensitive situation,” she said. “… CMSD is focused on rewarding positive behavior and preventing negative behaviors.”

That said, what works for CMSD may not work for every district, she said.

Lowndes County School District Superintendent Sam Allison said while some schools in his district use it — with parental consent only –, he understands why it’s a subject of debate and subject to litigation.

“There’s a reason some states don’t use it anymore,” he said. “I’m not saying it’s not effective. It’s effective with some kids and it’s not with some kids, but there’s a huge liability involved with it. Yes, you’re probably covered if you follow the guidelines the state puts out but it doesn’t exempt you from accusations and charges and things like that.

“If the legislators passed the law, we would follow that law,” he said.

Legislators’ opinions

Most local legislators said they would be against the bill, arguing corporal punishment could be an effective way to enforce behavior — provided the students’ parent or parents OK the punishment.

“I would be opposed to it,” said Rep. Gary Chism (R-Columbus), who said he expects the bill to have a hard time getting passed. “I think teachers need all the tools that they can get their hands on. Most school districts get (parents) to sign a permission slip at the beginning of the year. It’s usually in the handbook … (saying) ‘Corporal punishment can be used on my child.’ So I don’t think we need to ban corporal punishment.”

His sentiment was echoed by newly-elected Rep. Dana McLean (R-Columbus) who said she thinks 19 states, many of them Southern states, currently implement corporal punishment.

“Ultimately it’s a decision the parent would have to indicate they’re in favor of,” she said.

But Rep. Kabir Karriem said he agrees with the proposed bill and believes school districts should look for alternative ways to discipline students, such in-school suspension or after-school detention.

“Those things need to be hashed out,” he said. “We need to look at school systems that do not use corporal punishment but have alternative, ways of dealing with behavior like that, and we need to see how successful they are.”

Karriem argued if student behavior has escalated to the point when corporal punishment is a consideration, then it is “past time” for the student’s parents to be involved.

“As a parent I like to be called if one of my children are not acting properly or have done something to the extent when corporal punishment is an option,” he said.

He said a couple of years ago he introduced a bill that would allow school districts to grade parents, which he hoped would reinforce the idea that parents have to stay involved in schools.

“Now of course, it wasn’t a real popular piece of legislation, but it was a way to bring awareness that parents need to be involved inside the school system,” he said. “Before corporal punishment is warranted, there are things that lead up to that and if children are acting out or acting improper inside the classroom setting, I think it’s incumbent on administrators as well as the teachers to bring it to the parents’ attention.

“Now if the parent does not act after it’s brought to their attention or if the behavior continues, then there has to be a decision made on how to handle the situation,” he added, “but to absolutely take a child and give them licks or spanking or paddling them so they can go back to school, I have a difference of opinion on that.”

While the bill hasn’t made it past the House to go to the Senate, Sen. Chuck Younger (R-Columbus) said if it does make it that far, he likely won’t be for it either. He said he isn’t aware of the bill or what all is in it, but that generally he’s for corporal punishment.

“If the parents sign off on it, I think you ought to be able to punish the way the parents (are) OK with,” he said.

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