It's a case that's gained national attention: two teenage-girls spanked by male administrators at a high school in North Texas. Some of you parents may be wondering: would they ever do that at my child's school?
Texas is one of 19 states that still allow schools to spank kids. What isn't being reported much, however, is that now parents have to request it as a punishment, instead of a suspension, for example.
That is what the parents up in Springtown did. We found none of the larger San Antonio area districts allow spanking even with parental approval.
“I just don't think it's right for them to do that, that would be our obligation as a parent.” That’s what one parent in the Northside Independent School District told us when we asked if she would want her child to be spanked at school.
Some parents don't realize state law still allows school spanking under certain conditions. Pascual Gonzalez of Northside ISD says that's because it's been a long time since any of the districts around here used the paddle.
“Spanking is really old school, it's not something people necessarily do anymore. About 25 years ago the Northside board of trustees outlawed it at Northside ISD, at the same time just about every other school was doing the same thing.”
A quick poll of local districts found Northside, SAISD, Northeast, Edgewood and Judson school districts all have policies against paddling. It's a different story at some smaller, rural districts.
Wednesday we were contacted by a parent in the tiny La Pryor ISD, who said administrators there wanted to paddle his 8 year old.
If I don't spank my kids, why am I going to let someone else do it? I don't think it's right. I mean, I'm pretty sure there are other options,” Jorge Rodriguez told us.
We found only one large, local district that still has a policy allowing spanking, which was Boerne ISD. They told us they don't follow it and haven't paddled kids for years.
