Bid to ban spankings in La. schools fails
Jim Beam
BATON ROUGE — Southwest Louisiana’s eight Republican state representatives voted against a bill Tuesday that would ban paddling and other forms of corporal punishment in public schools. The legislation failed, 48-49, five votes short of the 53 majority needed.
Opposing the bill were Reps. Ryan Bourriaque of Abbeville, Dewith Carrier of Oakdale, Les Farnum of Sulphur, Brett Germann of Moss Bluff, Charles Owen of Rosepine, Troy Romero of Jennings, Rodney Schammerhorn of Hornbeck and Phillip Tarver of Lake Charles.
Rep. Wilford Carter, D-Lake Charles, voted for the bill.
Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, RMetairie, is sponsor of House Bill 324. With some exceptions, current law grants local school boards discretion in the use of corporal punishment for other students.
Corporal punishment is prohibited for students with exceptionalities (except gifted and talented students) and for students who are eligible for rehabilitation services.
Current law defines corporal punishment to mean the use of physical force that causes pain or discomfort to discipline a student, not including seclusion or restraint under certain circumstances.
Critics of the proposed law said it would take away the rights of school boards to decide the corporal punishment issue.
The Louisiana Association of School Superintendents opposes the bill.
Hilferty said the Legislature regularly passes laws for the entire state, and her legislation is just another example.
She said the American Academy of Pediatrics opposes corporal punishment because it harms children.
Male students are more likely to be targets of corporal punishment, she said, and Black students are slightly more likely to receive corporal punishment.
The Advocate reported that 29 of the state’s 69 school districts allow spanking and other forms of physical punishment and 40 systems ban it. The newspaper said 31 states prohibit corporal punishment, according to figures compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Holly Holland, spokeswoman for the Calcasieu Parish School Board, said, “We have policy that technically still allows it, but our administrators are strongly encouraged not to utilize it. We haven’t had an issue in years.”
Kenney Courville, supervisor of child welfare and attendance, transportation and special services for Allen Parish schools, said, “At the present time we have really gotten away from the use of corporal punishment in our schools; it has been used very infrequently and only after conversation with the parents. As we move forward, it is being phased out completely in our schools.”
The Beauregard Parish School System spokesperson said it is moving away from this style of punishment. However, it is still in its policies and procedures. Policy dictates exactly who must be present, how many “licks” are to be delivered, etc., but as of now paddling is only used when at the specific request of the parent.
Kirk Credeur, Jeff Davis school superintendent, said his School Board voted on June 15, 2017, to prohibit any type of corporal punishment on all students.