That was my first reaction to the study indicating that teachers are allowed to paddle, spank or otherwise accost their students in more than half the counties in North Carolina.

Surely not in this day and age.

But Elizabeth Stevens set me straight.

On Dec. 11 2007, Stevens' 12-year-old son was walloped repeatedly by one of his McDowell County public school teachers with two boards held together with black electrical tape.

The teacher, said to tip the scales past 300 pounds, referred to his disciplinary device as Black Betty.

Ol' Black Betty definitely left its mark. Stevens' son's backside was a crazy quilt of bruises and raised red welts. His mother rushed him to the emergency room and called the Sheriff's Office and county social workers to report her son's injuries.

Social services immediately informed her that because the case involved a teacher, it was outside the department's realm.

The sheriff's department investigated but the district attorney's office later told Stevens there were no grounds for charges. You see, paddling students is not illegal in McDowell County, out in the western part of the state.

"My son's behind was black and blue, but they told me they had no evidence of the teacher's intent to harm him," Stevens said.

In part, Stevens blames herself for the injury. Rightfully so. She had been informed a day earlier that the teachers wanted to paddle the boy for telling a classmate to "shut up" on three occasions. She gave her permission.

"I didn't really think about it," she said. "They assured me he wouldn't be hurt, and I thought it might get his attention.

"Then I learned how far it can go."

Now Stevens is teaming up with Peggy Dean and other parents (see nospank.net) who believe there needs to be a statewide ban on corporal punishment, rather than the county-by-county approach currently in use.

Last year, a statewide ban was defeated in the legislature by 15 or 16 votes.

Funny, I wrote about the same measure 20 years ago when I was a young reporter. It was defeated back then, too.

"I guess the majority of lawmakers in this state think it's still OK for kids to get beaten by adults in our schools," Dean said.

According to the study released Tuesday, there is a real divide on this issue between the rural and urban areas of the state, with rural counties more likely to allow corporal punishment. Rep. Ronnie Sutton from Robeson County famously remarked during last year's debate that he thinks the beatings he received at the hands of teachers helped make him the man he is today.

But Dean is not giving up. She persuaded the school board in Union County, where she lives, to adopt a ban a few years ago.

With Stevens' help, she is hauling out the ultimate heavy artillery.

In February, Stevens and Dean flew to New York to tape a segment with Dr. Phil, whose staff had seen coverage of the Black Betty beating.

Stevens said she cannot reveal details until the segment airs. But if free publicity and a little national pressure don't raise awareness, I don't know what will.

After all, if people in North Carolina knew the sort of physical punishment and humiliation being administered to children, they wouldn't stand for it. Would they?

Surely not.