By Chad Simons, Staff Writer
Swain County Schools is one of six districts in the state that paddled students who misbehaved during 2012-13.
In 99 districts, school boards banned the practice, according to Action for Children North Carolina, a non-profit lobbying organization that released the study results.
Swain paddled six students during the most recent school year, down from nine in 2011-12. Neighboring Graham County paddled 31 in 2012-13 and Robeson County south of Fayetteville reported the highest number from last year with 141.
A wood paddle no more than one-half inch thick with no holes must be used for paddling students in Swain. Paddling cannot occur in a classroom with other students present, and only a principal or assistant principal can carry out the punishment. It must be done in the presence of a principal, assistant principal or teacher with parent permission.
Action for Children North Carolina researcher Tom Vitaglione believes paddling is an obsolete method of punishment. Vitaglione said research suggests it does not lead to improved long-term behavior or academic success in the classroom, which is why no groups actively supports it.
“That’s essentially why most districts and most parents dropped it,” he said.
Swain County School Board member Gerald McKinney said paddling is only done with the consent of the parent.
“They (principals) don’t use it much — it’s very rarely used,” said school district spokesman Steve Claxton. “If the parent insists, corporal punishment is better than sending them home for two or three days.”
Claxton said paddling is used as a last resort at every school in the district, if used at all. East Elementary School Principal Shirley Grant only administers the punishment in the presence of a parent, he said.
“She tries every possible way not to use it even if a student continually misbehaves,” Claxton said.
Grant paddled one student last school year in the presence of the child’s parent, he said.
Claxton said high school principal Mark Sale refuses to paddle students, believing there are better ways to punish students at that age.
West Swain Elementary principal Beth Coulter prohibits paddling as well, Claxton said.
School board member Mellie Burns believes the use of paddling is placed solely in the hands of parents. Without their consent, a student cannot be paddled.