Corporal punishment regulations of individual schools or school districts

Most external links on this page are to documents in PDF format, so this is no longer indicated [PDF] separately for each document.

TENNESSEE: private and charter schools

Central Christian Academy, Martin
Parents "shall be consulted and one parent will be asked to come to school and administer the corporal punishment. When it is not possible for the parent(s) to administer the corporal punishment, the headmaster shall wield the paddle in the presence of another adult. It will be used only when a student is defiant toward lawfully constituted authority".
  Also, "Under no circumstances shall a student be struck about the head or shoulders. The punishment shall be administered only by striking the student on the buttocks".

City University Schools, Memphis
• City University School of Liberal Arts
• City University School of Independence
• City University Boys' Preparatory School
This is a group of four public charter schools -- two middle schools and two high schools -- not subject to the ban on CP at ordinary Memphis public schools.
 The School of Liberal Arts is a co-educational high school for grades 9 through 12. Scholars not compliant with the Code of Conduct "will be subject to disciplinary action, which will include any punitive action from corporal punishment to suspension". Also: "Once it is concluded that disciplinary action must be undertaken, the execution thereof will be swift, decisive and final."
 Paddling is apparently the only available penalty for repeated tardiness: "On the 2nd, 3rd and 4th unexcused tardy in a six-week period, corporal punishment will be administered".
 In addition, all dress code offenses "are subject to corporal punishment at the discretion of school administration".
 New in 2015, the School of Independence is another high school, with identical CP provisions.
 There are also two "preparatory schools", one for girls and one for boys, covering grades 6 through 8. At the boys' school, "disciplinary action may include corporal punishment at the discretion of school administration." The handbook for the girls' school was not available when last checked.

Faith Christian Academy, Jamestown [DOC]
Parents must sign that they give the school permission for paddling as a last resort.

Family Christian School, Denmark
"Paddling will be an option for severe offenses such as fighting, disrespect to authority or defiance. It will also be an option for lesser offenses when other methods have been tried and found not to be effective in curtailing repetition of the problem behavior." CP is to be given in the Administration Office, with a maximum of three swats.

Good Shepherd Children's Home, Murfreesboro
"Corporal correction" at this Christian residential institution for ages 5 through 15 consists of a maximum of five "firm strokes to the child's bottom" with "a simple, flat paddle".

Ivy Academy, Soddy-Daisy
This is a public charter middle/high school in Hamilton County. There is no provision for parental objections to CP, but parents may request an explanation after the spanking has taken place.

Riverside Christian Academy, Fayetteville
"Corporal punishment will only be administered after explicit verbal permission from the student's parent or legal guardian and only as a result of actions that warrant such a punishment."

Savannah Christian Academy
Paddling at this K-8 school is applied with parent permission. Parents who withhold permission have to sign that they will remove the student from school "and personally administer correction at home".

Seymour Community Christian School
In grades 1-6, for a fifth offense, "The child will be spanked". In grades 7-12, "All paddling will be done with the approval of the administrator and a staff member will be present".
 See also the Application form, which makes clear that there is no possibility of parental opt-out from CP.

These Tennessee private schools also state that they use corporal punishment, but give few or no details:

F.C. Boyd Christian School, McMinnville

Christian Academy of the Cumberlands, Crossville

Friendship Christian School, Lebanon

Jackson Christian School

Jonathan Edwards Classical Academy, Whites Creek

Macon Christian Academy, Lafayette

Providence Christian Academy, Murfreesboro

Rossville Christian Academy

Tipton Christian Academy, Covington

Victory Baptist Academy, Shelbyville

TENNESSEE: public schools

Benton County Schools, Camden
This is the form that teachers must fill out each time CP is used. The student must be asked "Is there any reason you cannot be paddled? Have you been paddled today by someone else?". There is a maximum of three swats.

Cumberland County Schools (covers Crab Orchard, Crossville, Pleasant Hill, Rockwood)
History: In 2012 this school district switched from an opt-in to an opt-out system for CP. It is now the responsibility of parents wishing no paddling to submit a CP exclusion form to the principal within two weeks of enrollment. See this July 2012 news item (with video clip) and these school board minutes (page 4).

Decatur County Schools
• Riverside High School, Decaturville
The pan-district policy says that any teacher may use corporal punishment, as long as it is witnessed by the principal, but the 2021 version of the handbook for Riverside High School (grades 9 through 12) states that "Corporal punishment is administered from one to three licks with a paddle by the principal or vice principal", with another faculty member as witness. It is no longer stipulated that CP must be "in proportion to the gravity of the offense, the apparent motive and disposition of the offender, and the influence of the offender's example and conduct on others. The earlier statement that CP is "used by the school on a regular basis" has also disappeared.
 The document also sets out what the school sees as the advantages of CP: it "eliminates students from missing class in suspension or alternative school. It is an immediate punishment and is a way to return the student to class quickly with very little class time lost." Also, "Corporal punishment will only be administered at the student's and parent's request". Conversely, parents may request exemption by filling in the form on page 35, but in that case the alternative will be "in-school suspension, alternative school placement, or out of school expulsion". Such students are asked to "remind the principal that they are on the list not to receive corporal punishment".
 Handbooks for the middle and elementary schools do not appear to be available.

Fayette County Schools (covers Oakland, Moscow, Somerville, Williston)
Paddling here is for "Step 1" offenses, including tardiness, profanity, cheating, and dress code violations. The alternative is no fewer than 5 days of ISS -- which sounds like a strong incentive to take the spanking.

Fayetteville City Schools
• Fayetteville High School
This school board's Policy Manual states that CP is a disciplinary option for misbehaviors at levels I, II and III, but not level IV (the most serious).
 The High School handbook simply states that CP may be used in accordance with school board policy.
 History: See this slightly weird Nov 2005 news item, which if nothing else serves to confirm that a paddle existed at that time in the Intermediate School principal's office.

Franklin County School District, Winchester
Corporal punishment here may be used for misbehaviors at levels I, II and III, but not level IV (the most serious). It may be administered by any teacher, preferably "in the office area". Parental consent must be on file. Parents are invited to witness the spanking. In 2015 this district changed from an opt-out to an opt-in system.
 See also this May 2014 news report that the school board had decided to retain the paddle.

Gibson County Special School District (covers Dyer, Medina, Rutherford, Trenton, Yorkville)
• Rutherford School
• Spring Hill School, Trenton, Tennessee [DOC]
At the K-8 Rutherford School, "A parent has the right to request their child NOT be paddled. [...] By making this request the parents must take an active part in the discipline and immediately take the student home for a 3-day unexcused suspension. This is also the procedure for a student who refuses a spanking."

Hamilton County Schools (covers Apison, Birchwood, Chattanooga, Harrison, Hixson, Lookout Mountain, Ooltewah, Sale Creek, Signal Mountain, Soddy-Daisy)
Parents may request a written explanation after the fact, but there is no mention of their being able to object in advance.
 History: See this April 2008 news item (with video clip) about a paddling at Richard Hardy Elementary School in Chattanooga, and this Oct 2013 news item describing the method used for paddling at Orchard Knob Middle School.
 Stats: This Oct 2017 news report gave the CP figures for every school in the district for three consecutive school years 2014 to 2017. Of note are Tyler Middle Academy (1, 161, 186) and Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence (12, 9, 43).

Haywood County Schools, Brownsville
• Haywood High School
• Haywood Middle School
At the High School, CP is one of only three "disciplinary responses for administrators" in the case of Level I and II offenses, the others being Saturday School and ISS. Nothing about parental contact. The Middle School uses identical language.

Hickman County Schools (covers Centerville, Lyles)
In grades K-4, no student will receive more than 3 licks per day. In grades 5-8, parents may choose paddling instead of detention. In this case, six demerits in a 6-week period incur two licks, and 9 demerits three licks. There is no CP for grades 9-12.

Johnson County Schools, Mountain City
• Johnson County High School
At the High School (grades 9 through 12), paddling is particularly mentioned as a penalty for leaving campus without permission, being tardy to class, and horseplay. (The Middle and Elementary schools make no mention of CP.)
 See also this Oct 2013 news item and this Nov 2016 one.

Lebanon Special School District
Here, CP is reserved for "extreme cases". The maximum "number of contacts with the paddle" has been reduced from four to an unusually low two. It must be given with "an appropriate wooden paddle across the buttocks and in no other manner", and is not to be administered in anger. Parents may object in writing. Students may be given a choice between CP and an alternative disciplinary measure.

Macon County Schools, Tennessee (covers Lafayette, Red Boiling Springs, Westmoreland)

Any teacher may use CP.
 Stats: Paddling had fallen into disuse over many years at Macon County High School (grades 9 through 12), but in August 2015 a CP permission form was distributed to parents (pictured right), suggesting an intention to revive it. Sure enough, during 2015/16, 77 of the high school's boys, and 18 of its girls, were spanked on one or more occasions. Meanwhile, no elementary students were paddled.

Marshall County Schools (covers Chapel Hill, Cornersville, Lewisburg)
• Cornersville High School
• Forrest School, Chapel Hill
• Marshall County High School, Lewisburg
Any teacher may deliver a paddling.
 At Cornersville High, a "set" of demerits means 8 demerits. For the first set, students receive "3 corporal punishments" or two days in ISS. According to local sources this does not mean three paddle swats, it means nine swats spread over three days. More generally, any teacher may spank, and written parental permission is required only if the student has a disability.
 Forrest is a high school (grades 7-12) where students may be spanked for misbehaviors at Levels I, II and III. For several specified offenses, the student may be offered a paddling instead of ISS or detention. A parental permission form must be on file.
 Marshall County High School has the same provisions as Forrest School, with the addition that "No student will be paddled more than twice during the school year".

McNairy County Schools (covers Adamsville, Bethel Springs, Michie, Ramer, Selmer)
"All corporal punishment will take place in the principal's office." There is a maximum of three licks on the buttocks with a wooden paddle. "A student may be given a choice between paddling or some other punishment that the teacher or principal deems appropriate."
 Stats: 122 (of 377) boys and 56 (of 374) girls received a spanking on at least one occasion during 2011/12 at McNairy Central High School.

Putnam County Schools (covers Algood, Baxter, Cookeville, Monterey)
• Monterey High School
• White Plains Academy, Cookeville
Any teacher may apply corporal punishment "in a reasonable manner", the instrument to be used requiring approval by the principal. According to a separate "discipline procedures" document, CP is a suggested response for offenses at levels I, II and III but not level IV (the most serious).
 At Monterey High (grades 9-12), CP may be administered for a second or subsequent "major violation" (disruption, forgery, fighting, tobacco, etc.).
 White Plains Academy (formerly Dry Valley) is a K-12 alternative school where "paddling" is one of the possible consequences for failure to obey the strict rules.
 History: See this May 2007 news item about a paddling at Algood Elementary School.

Scott County Schools (covers Huntsville, Oneida, Robbins, Winfield)
Corporal punishment may be administered "against" [sic] any student, especially for offenses at Level I (the least serious).
 History: See this Feb 2015 news item.

Tipton County Schools (covers Brighton, Covington, Drummonds, Munford)
Corporal punishment features at steps 1 and 2 of the discipline procedure. It is also an option at step 1 of the separate bus discipline ladder. Any teacher may paddle, with a witness.
 Stats: Some 1,580 students were paddled in Tipton County in 2004/05, but it is a large district, so that is only about 14% of the student roll.

Wayne County School System, Waynesboro
• Collinwood High School [DOC]
• Wayne County High School, Waynesboro [DOC]
Both high schools now merely state that corporal punishment may be administered for "inappropriate" behavior.

West Carroll Special School District
• West Carroll Junior-Senior High School, Atwood
Corporal punishment is offered here, mostly as an alternative to detention, for a wide variety of infractions including skipping school, profanity, horseplay, tardy to class, and accumulating five break detentions within 10 days.

These Tennessee public schools or school districts also state that they use corporal punishment, but give few or no details:

Cannon County Schools, Woodbury

Carroll County Schools, Huntingdon [DOC]

Elizabethton City Schools (and see this Oct 2013 news item)

Greene County Schools

Jackson County Schools, Gainesboro
• Stats: No CP was recorded at Jackson County High School during 2011/12. But in 2013/14, 48 boys and 5 girls were spanked there.

Lincoln County Schools (covers Fayetteville, Flintville, Petersburg, Taft)

Meigs County Schools, Decatur, Tennessee

Union City Schools

Union County Public Schools, Maynardville

Warren County Schools, McMinnville

White County Schools, Sparta
• Findlay Elementary School
• White County Middle School

TEXAS: private and charter schools

Alpha Omega Academy, Huntsville New!
"The headmaster may require restitution, spanking, janitorial work, in-school isolation, parental attendance during the school day with their student, or other measures consistent with biblical guidelines which may be appropriate."

Betesda Christian Academy, El Paso
"Swats" are indicated at this Pentecostal school for fighting, excessive demerits, and violation of the "six-inch rule" (boys and girls cannot be closer than six inches from each other) (page 13). See also page 15: "When warranted, corporal correction will be exercised at school". This is accompanied by a little picture of a paddle.

Bethany Christian School, Plano
"Corporal punishment may be beneficial to some students, but will not be used without the parents' permission."

Center Christian Academy, Center
At this K-12 school there is a maximum of five strokes, to be delivered with "a simple flat paddle".

Central Christian Academy, Houston
At this K through 12th-grade school, "if paddling is agreed upon [...] the child will be paddled on his/her posterior. It will cause pain, but not bodily injury, aside from redness and irritation". Parents must sign that "I have read the above and agree to support the school in its policy of corporal punishment without reservation and personally pledge my support to this scriptural approach to discipline".

Christian Life Center Academy, Humble
Previously here, parents had to sign that they "support the school in its policy of corporal correction without reservation". "Two firm strokes" were administered with a "simple, flat paddle". In this latest version, the parents are called to the school to administer "biblical discipline".

Covenant Christian Academy, McAllen New!
The high school handbook provides, "Corporal punishment may be administered at the discretion of the principal." The same provision appears in the middle school handbook.

Faith West Academy, Vidor New!
"Any parent who wishes to be involved in the administration of corporal disciplinary action to his or her child is welcome to do so in the administrative offices." This is for the elementary grades; a separate secondary handbook does not mention CP.

Family Christian Academy, Houston
In grades 6 through 12, "If discipline problems persist after classroom discipline and parental discipline have been applied, the student's parents may be asked to administer a paddling to the student in the principal's office".

Gateway Charter Academy, Dallas
"Corporal punishment is limited to paddling a student" and is specified only for Group III and IV offenses (the most serious, e.g. defiance, fighting, gambling, tobacco, theft, vandalism and "statements or acts demeaning to a person's race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity").

Grayson Christian School, Sherman
Both parents must sign that they support "without reservation" the school's "policy of corporal correction". There is a maximum of five "firm strokes" with a simple flat paddle. Both the administrator and the witness must be of the same sex as the student. This document is for grades 6 through 12; the one for the elementary grades has identical language.

Greenville Christian School
"Corporal discipline will be an option available for students in grades K -6 only."

Humble Christian School, Humble
At this K-12 school, "Students are expected to obey." It "reserves the right to paddle a student when, in the opinion of the Principal, it is necessary. A signed Corporal Correction authorization is a necessary part of the enrollment process. Parents may be given the opportunity to administer the corporal correction themselves". There is a maximum of three swats. Paddling comes after "probation" but before suspension in order of seriousness. It is known anecdotally that high-school students are spanked here for minor dress-code violations and tardies, among other things.

Immanuel Lutheran School, Giddings
A third violation incurs corporal punishment (administered by the principal only after parental contact) or one day's suspension. See also the Registration Form, which clarifies that there is a maximum of three swats per spanking.

Koinonia Classical Christian School, Taylor
"Our discipline policy includes the use of spankings." "A wooden paddle is used, and two swats is the norm."

Liberty Christian School, Argyle
Students in grades 7 to 12 have to sign that: "I pledge to abide by the standards of behavior as stated in the handbook. I also understand and agree that if I violate the standards that are required, I subject myself to the consequences as described therein."
  "Level I Offenses" are such things as dress code violations, failure to abide by driving and parking rules, and public display of affection. Students must address adults as "sir" and "ma'am".
  Before 2007, the first six Level I offenses in any semester for an Upper School student (grades 9 through 12) resulted in either a warning or detention, above which probation was the next step; corporal punishment was not specified. But from school year 2007/08, after the first two offenses by an Upper School student further warnings were eliminated and the paddle made available, either to substitute for, or to supplement, detention. Starting with an Upper School student's third Level I offense in any semester, he or she will serve detention, be given a spanking, or both. Likewise, a first Level II offense results in "detention, corporal punishment, or combination."
  According to local sources, misbehaving high-school athletes are paddled by the Athletic Director.

Llano Christian Academy
At this K-12 school, "a signed Corporal Correction authorization is a necessary part of the enrollment process. Parents may be given the opportunity to administer the corporal correction themselves." There is a maximum of three strokes. The handbook also states, all in bold caps, that "CORPORAL PUNISHMENT MAY BE APPLIED AT ANY LEVEL OF DISCIPLINE".

MAG Christian Academy, Orange New!
The Corporal Punishment Permission Form (7h page of the registration packet) at this K-12 school states, "Corporal punishment will be administered by spanking the buttocks, no more than three (3) times, of a student that will cause no more than temporary pain and not inflict permanent damage to the body." Spanking authorization remains in effect until high-school graduation, unless the parent revokes permission.

Nova Academy, Dallas
At this group of three linked charter schools for grades K-8, "The CEO, COO, Principal, and designed [sic] Administrator are authorized to paddle". Parents may submit objections in writing: "Failure to send a written note equates to parental consent". A wooden paddle must be used "on the buttocks area only", with a maximum of three swats per day and three swats per offense.

Parkview Christian Academy, Waco
This K-12 private school introduced corporal punishment from July 2019; there was no mention of it in earlier years' handbooks. Unusually, some of the wording has been lifted from the standard language used by many public schools in Texas, such as "Before corporal punishment is used, the school may give the student a choice between other disciplinary measures and corporal punishment". Written parental permission must be on file before the paddle is deployed, and this must be renewed annually.

Plainview Christian Academy, Plainview
This K-12 school reserves the right to paddle boys and girls. Parents are asked to come to the school to carry it out, or they may delegate this task to administrative staff. "If parents do not want their child spanked at all, three days of detention will be given in lieu of each swat earned." In 5th and 6th grades, "one swat" plus one week of cafeteria duty is the penalty for accumulating one demerit point, and "two swats" for 2 points. At the High School (grades 7 through 12) just 1 demerit point incurs two swats.
 The section on Athletic Policy states that "Any talking back to coaches or arguing may result in extra practice and limited playing time, dismissal from the team, or corporal punishment".

Rhodes School for the Performing Arts, Houston
At this K-8 charter school, only administrators may administer CP, with parent permission. "Swats are administered to a student's buttocks only. At no time will swats be administered to any other area of a student's body." There is a parental opt-in/opt-out form. Parents are notified beforehand.
 Stats: 5% of the students were paddled in 2011/12.

Round Rock Christian Academy, Round Rock
At this school for grades K through 12, corporal discipline is never given without parental consent. It is administered for repeated disobedience, "in a way that brings honor to the Lord and guards the dignity of the student". There is a maximum of three swats.

TAPS Christian Academy, Saratoga
There is NO parental waiver for CP. "After daily limit of demerits have been awarded each additional demerit will result in one pop per demerit." Also, "Behavior that is disrespectful, defiant or confrontational will result in corporal punishment".

Town East Christian School, San Antonio
"Corporal correction" here consists of "a reasonable number of firm swats" with "a simple, flat wooden paddle". If repentance does not ensue, there may be further discipline. Parents are warned that "If you are not in full agreement with this corporal correction policy, you should withdraw immediately!".

Trinity Lutheran School, Klein
At this K-8 school, "giving swats with a paddle is the only form of corporal punishment". Parental consent is required. "There will always be two adults present and no other pupils".

Victory Christian Academy, Decatur, Texas
"Paddling" (the words "corporal punishment" are not used) is an option for serious offenses such as cheating, fighting and disrespect. It must be done in the office, by an administrator not a teacher. Parents must have given signed consent. There is a maximum of three swats at any one time.

Waller Christian Academy
This K-9 school says "WCA practices the use of corporal punishment as a means of behavioral correction." The student must countersign the written parental consent for CP; this was new in 2016.

The following Texas private or charter schools also state that they use corporal punishment, but give few or no details:

Azle Christian School

Calvary Baptist School, Conroe New!

Calvary Chapel Christian Academy, Universal City New!

Calvary Christian School, Harlingen

Christian School at Castle Hills, The (formerly Castle Hills First Baptist School), San Antonio

Excel Christian Academy, Powderly

First Baptist School, Brownsville

Legacy Christian Academy, Beaumont

Lubbock Christian School

Midland Christian School, Midland

Regents Academy, Nacogdoches

San Angelo Christian Academy
• History: See this Aug 2010 news item.

Solid Rock Christian Academy, Beaumont New!

Strickland Christian School, Austin
• Enrollment Contract

Two Dimensions Preparatory Academy Charter School, Houston