Tom Vitaglione: General Assembly must act to end corporal punishment

Thank you for using your March 19 “Notable numbers” to raise awareness that corporal punishment is still being used in local school districts.

I would like to add one number: 2 – the number of schools that accounted for 80 percent of all the corporal punishment statewide. One is Robbinsville High in Graham County, where all 47 occurrences in that county took place. This is the only high school to use the practice.

The principal assigns in-school suspension for an infraction but then gives the student the option of being hit instead. Then behind closed doors, the male principal paddles an incredible 15 percent of the student body, including teen girls.

The other school is Prospect Elementary, where 71 of the 88 occurrences in Robeson County took place.

A case could be made that corporal punishment in our state is a function of two rogue principals whose superintendents and school boards refuse to question. Who will speak for these children?

The General Assembly has declined to intervene, declaring the issue to be “local.” The governor has not commented.

Now that our leaders have decided to intervene in Charlotte “to protect children,” perhaps they will agree to protect students by prohibiting corporal punishment.

This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 5:42 PM with the headline "Tom Vitaglione: General Assembly must act to end corporal punishment."