Model State Board of Education Resolution on Banning Corporal Punishment

RESOLUTION ON CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

WHEREAS corporal punishment is defined as physical pain inflicted on the body of a child as a penalty for disapproved behavior; and

WHEREAS it is recognized that in order to provide safe environments, persons employed as teachers, principals or other administrators in a school and noncertified school employees and bus drivers may, within the scope of their employment, use and apply force or restraint as is reasonable and necessary to quell a disturbance threatening physical injury to others, to obtain possession of weapons or other dangerous objects upon the person or within the control of the pupil, for the purpose of self-defense, or for the protection of persons and property; and

WHEREAS corporal punishment should not be used in public schools except for reasons listed above; and

WHEREAS there are numerous alternative methods of maintaining effective discipline which may be used in lieu of corporal punishment: Therefore, Be It

RESOLVED, That this Board be, and it hereby is, philosophically opposed to corporal punishment; however, this Board supports the efforts of local boards of education to maintain an environment conducive to learning; and, Be It

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Superintendent of Public Instruction be, and he hereby is, directed to share a copy of this resolution with the schools of (state) _______, the Governor, and members of the General Assembly with a request that appropriate legislation be enacted which is consistent with this resolution, and Be It

FURTHER RESOLVED, That the State Department of Education shall provide any assistance which may be necessary in order to enable this resolution to be implemented in all school districts in the state of _____.

Date acted on by the (name of state) State Board of Education: _______________

From: Center for Effective Discipline, www.stophitting.org
    9-04 Modeled after the Ohio State Board of Education resolution of l992.