Paddling allowed in Oklahoma schools, in spite of nationwide trend to make it illegal
Oklahoma is one of 19 US states that still allows paddling in schools. Nationwide, there’s been a trend to make it illegal, but in some school districts across Oklahoma, administrators argue it’s one way to keep kids in line when other forms of punishment fail. Channel 8’s Maureen Wurtz reports – from 11 February 2020.
Old school is a way of life in Inola, Oklahoma.
At Pop’s and Gigi’s Café near
the railroad tracks, Charlie Weatherly proudly says the burgers may be the best
here, but what keeps people coming back is the sense of community often missing
in faster-paced towns.
“You know what they drink, what they’re going to
order,” said Weatherly. “You know what specials they like, which ones they
don’t.”
It’s not just a philosophy they have at the café, but
in the school district too. Top school officials in Inola believe an old school
solution is one way to handle new problems with kids.
“We have twice as many requests for us to swat as we
actually swat,” said Inola Superintendent, Dr. Kent Holbrook.
Swat. Paddle. Spank. Licks.
No matter what it’s called, for folks in a certain
generation, if they were on the receiving end of a paddle it was a common and
accepted form of punishment.
“I’m saying most of the kids as we grew up, we
probably all were swatted and most everyone I knew came out okay,” said
Holbrook.
Holbrook said the school district, with written
permission from parents, swat about 1-2 kids a month at the elementary school.
It’s rarer in the high school and middle school.
“So do you feel like corporal punishment is an
effective form of discipline?” asked KTUL reporter, Maureen
Wurtz.
Here’s the full report.
Picture and video credits: KTUL
Traditional School Discipline
Comments
Post a Comment