Coaches paddle 62 boys after horseplay at gym class

 

Two Moore Junior High school physical education teachers gave “unprovoked and unduly severe” whippings to 62 seventh grade boys Friday, a group of parents claimed Friday night.

At least one youth was treated by a physician and several others sustained marks and bruises, parents said.

The spankings occurred during a physical education session at the school Friday afternoon, when the teachers reportedly punished each member of the class for engaging in horse play while waiting for class to begin.

Each student received from one to five licks with a wooden paddle, the father of one of the boys said.

The instructors were identified as Carl Garrison and Jack Manley. Efforts to reach them Friday night were unsuccessful.

One parent said the 62 boys had been waiting outside the gymnasium approximately 10 minutes before class. “The door was locked and they couldn’t get inside,” the parent said. “By the time the teachers arrived, the boys were laughing and talking, and some of them were sort of ‘horsing around’.

“You can't expect that many boys together to be quiet – they just can't stand still 10 minutes. But the teachers whipped all of them,” he said.

Dr. Leslie Fisher, Moore superintendent, said, “I haven't talked to the coaches about it. It is unfortunate – but I’m of the opinion that it’s not as severe as it's being made out to be.

“We're not going to condemn the coaches until they've had a hearing on the thing,” Fisher said. He said school officials, parents and the teachers involved will meet Monday morning “to rectify the situation.”

 “We certainly don’t condone beating kids in any way. But as far as the youngsters being brutally treated, I don't think this is the case,” Fisher added.

Another parent, who said he had considered filing charges, said “We’ve decided to wait and see what comes out of Monday's .meeting. They’re carrying this licks business a little too far.”

 

As published in the Daily Oklahoman, (Oklahoma City, United States), 12 November 1966.

Picture credit: Spanking Central

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