Corpun file 06815

St Louis Post-Dispatch, Missouri, 27 June 1996

Corporal punishment issue debated at meeting

Members of the Festus School Board had a lively discussion on corporal punishment for students and voted 5-2 to drop the issue.

Board member Pat Gehrs suggested that the district ought to have corporal punishment. She said it worked years ago and should be tried again.

Her suggestion started the discussion at last week's board meeting. The discussion covered such topics as legality, strength of the person administering the spanking, educational soundness and modern punishment.

Superintendent Robert Taylor said, "As superintendent of schools, I am opposed to corporal punishment. Who makes the judgment if it should be applied? I've changed my mind in the last 10 years. I used to be in favor of it."

Gehrs made a motion that the administration be instructed to write a policy on corporal punishment and present it to the board. Gehrs and Garry Crow, who seconded the motion, were the only members in favor of it.