Missouri Schools Reinstate Spanking, Paddling Students as Last Resort Punishment Based on Parents' Request

The Cassville School District in Missouri has reinstated spanking and paddling as a last resort for straightening up misbehaving children, with their parents' consent.

The school board approved the reinstatement of corporal punishment in June 2022 and informed the parents of the policy changes prompted after a survey showed that parents wanted more discipline for their children.

District Superintendent Merlyn Johnson told The Hill that parents want other options besides suspending erring students.

"This was just another option we could use before we get to that point of suspension," Johnson said.

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Parents may opt in or out of the policy

The superintendent said the school district is not anticipating the use of spanking or paddling with a wooden board. Parents will have to express their consent or objection to the form of punishment at any time. Consent forms were distributed during the school's open house on Wednesday, August 24.

Johnson told Springfield News Ledger that he'd had conversations with parents about corporal punishment, but he told them the school district had stopped this practice in 2001. However, based on these conversations, the superintendent said he had to look into bringing it back because of the parents' request.

The school district cites that the only form of corporal punishment allowed is "swatting on the buttocks" using a wooden board with one to three swings and never on the head or face. The spanking will be done in the presence of another school staff, upon the approval of the head of the school. The child will not be spanked in front of other students as well.

Johnson is aware of the potential furor this decision will trigger on social media, but he said that the majority in the school community have been supportive of the reinstated policy. He added that some parents had thanked them for bringing this disciplinary tactic back.

Parents speak up against physical punishment

However, not all parents agree. Mom Miranda Waltrip, whose three kids are under the Cassville School District, believes troubled kids should undergo counseling than be subjected to corporal punishment. She told Ozarks First that children act out for many reasons and need to be heard, not asked to submit, which is what spanking does.

Another mother, Kimberly Richardson, said the suspension is better than corporal punishment, but dad Dylan Burns saw no issues with the policy. However, Burns said parents still need to sit down with their children and choose the best option for discipline.

In the U.S., corporal punishment is still legal in 19 states, including Missouri. Mississippi has the highest rate of spanking among students as of 2018, with over 20,000 incidents, followed by Texas (14,000) and Alabama (9,000). Missouri had 2,500 instances.

However, the American Academy of Pediatrics said that the practice should be stopped as it is a human rights violation. However, the U.S. Supreme Court noted corporate punishment is constitutional and left it up to the state governments to implement and enforce spanking or paddling.

Related Article: Spanking Children Worsens Bad Behavior, New Study Finds