Georgia school to bring back paddling

HEPHZIBAH, Ga. (WTHR) – A local school in Georgia is bringing back an old school policy to disciple their students this year.

Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics, a K through 9 charter school, recently sent home consent forms to inform parents of the new corporal policy.

According to NBC affiliate WAGT, the superintendent says they’ve received a little over a hundred forms back, a third of them giving consent to paddle their child.

The form says:

A student will be taken into an office behind closed doors. The student will place their hands on their knees or piece of furniture and will be struck on the buttocks with a paddle.

If parents opt out of paddling, they have to agree to up to five days of suspension.

This type of discipline is still legal in Georgia and 19 other states but it's rare for a school to have a policy for it.

Under the school's policy, parents will be contacted if their child is paddled and the school says they will use a three strike policy so the paddling doesn't happen on the first or second offense.

https://www.wthr.com/article/georgia-school-brings-back-paddling-policy