Paddlings Widespread in South, Study Says

Chewing gum in class, talking back to a teacher, violating the dress code, and going to the bathroom without permission are punishable offenses at just about every school. But the consequences can be especially painful for students who break the rules in Texas and Mississippi, two of 19 states that still allow corporal punishment in schools. Corporal punishment, which often takes the form of paddling, has been banned in 106 countries, including in Britain and most other European nations. But it remains widespread across the southern region of the United States, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. In the 2006-07 school year, 223,190 public school students between the ages of 3 and 19 were physically disciplined for minor and serious offenses, according to the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education.... [read full story]