What happened? According to a Fox News story, he lost consciousness after receiving corporal punishment from Jerome Martin, his high school's assistant principal. He also sustained bruises from the paddling.
An anonymous poster commenting on the story said that this was not the first paddling-related injury that had occurred at Independence High School.
So what kinds of things can a student at Independence High School get paddled for? Let's check the student handbook. Hmmm... it says that the first office referral for "minor violations" like gum chewing, eating or drinking in class, dress code violations, distracting other students, and violations of hallway rules can result in corporal punishment.
Perhaps it should not be surprising that Tate County School District is already being sued by another student who was paddled at Independence High School.
First, I think paddling or spanking at home or school is a disgusting thing to be doing to a child. As for the school's list of violations, I am enraged that a child could be hit/paddled for such minor stuff! If a teacher can't deal with most of that without violence I despair. As a child at that school I would be living in fear and more likely to truant etc.
ReplyDeleteAs for the 'dress code violations' - aren't the parents the ones 'in charge' of their children and therefore ultimately culpable? So ... is the school going to paddle them ? No? Why not ?? Ah yes... it's illegal to hit an adult [ or an animal ]. How on EARTH is it not illegal to hit a vulnerable, defenceless child. Ah .. you mentioned the magic word 'discipline' ... hmm... that means to TEACH ... it doesn't mean to hit. Perhaps the school needs to go back to lessons......