Should Schools Bring Back The Threat of The Paddle?

If you are anywhere near my age...cough, cough...47 or so, you probably remember the threat of being spanked as a form of punishment while in school. I can vividly remember in junior high, a paddle hung in the office of the principal at West Middle School in Anamsos. I never saw it used, or had it used on me, thank goodness. But the threat of paddling was always there. That form of punishment is unheard of in 2022, except in one Midwest school district that has actually brought the paddle back to school.

KWQC reports that the Cassville School District in Missouri has brought back corporal punishment. The superintendent of the district says the change in policy is all due to the results of a survey sent out to staff, students, and parents back in May. One of the leading concerns was the topic of student discipline. The district reacted by implementing several new methods, with corporal punishment being one of them.

According to KWQC, corporal punishment would be the final option for parents and staff if other forms of punishment don't work. The superintendent also noted that corporal punishment is an opt-in for parents. If they don't believe in it, they don't have to choose to have their children punished that way. School officials say that they don't anticipate having to use the form of punishment very often.

KWQC reports that Missouri state law authorizes corporal punishment as an option for schools as long as parents opt-in. Here in Iowa, state law says that "an employee of a public school district, accredited nonpublic school, or area education agency shall not inflict, or cause to be inflicted, corporal punishment upon a student."

Do you think Iowa's law should be changed if parents agree to opt in?