Georgia school asks parents to paddle students as punishment

A school in the US state of Georgia asks parents to consent to their children being spanked with a wooden paddle as a form of punishment.

The Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics sent a letter to parents asking to row the students after their third behavioral offense.

Students who are not allowed to paddle will rather face a suspension.

Georgia is one of 20 states in the US that allow corporal punishment – including paddling – in schools.

"At this school, we take the discipline very seriously," Superintendent Jody Boulineau told local media.

"There was a time when corporal punishment was kind of the norm at school and you did not have the problems you have," he added.

"It's one more tool that we can use in our disciplinary toolbox," he told WRDW-TV.

Although it is defined differently in each state, corporal punishment is considered the use of moderate physical force or contact to enforce the rules and discipline students. In some states of the United States, the use of force up to the point of bruising is acceptable.

The school, located in Hephzibah, about 32 km south of Augusta, sent a form to parents describing the new guidelines, saying, "A student will be brought into an office behind closed doors.

"The student will put his hands on his knees or his furniture and will be hit on the buttocks with a paddle."

The form also states "no more than three licks must be given".

Primary school policy from Kindergarten to Grade 9 (about five to fifteen years old) has raised questions about social media, with some highlighting the "old school" nature of the sentence.

According to the director, about 100 forms have been returned to date and about one-third of the parents have given their consent.

Mr. Boulineau argues that the policy must be considered as a deterrent, saying that the practice "will not be used very often".

Students whose parents have not allowed the paddle may be suspended for up to five days.

Where are corporal punishment permitted in the United States?

Twenty states, including Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma and Louisiana, still allow physical strength in student discipline.

The rules for each state vary depending on the type of paddle that can be used, how the administrators are allowed to hit the child, and whether the "bodily injury" inflicted on the student is allowed.

Corporal punishment is prohibited in 31 states and Washington DC. New Mexico recently banned the practice in 2011.

According to US media, it is rare for a school district to adopt a formal policy on practice.

According to Vox.com, more than 200,000 students rowed during the 2009-2010 school year.