End School Corporal Punishment

Facts and templates

Every sentence below is a file in the claims registry with its primary source and the date it was last verified. Quote the year with the number. If one is wrong, say so and it will be fixed the same day.

Verified facts

The numbers

States and the law

Campaigns that worked

The research

What works instead

The rest of the world

Who has taken a position

Courts

Templates

Placeholders are in [BRACKETS]. Facts cited inside the templates come from the registry above.

School District Policy

Placeholders are in [BRACKETS]. Facts cited in this template are maintained in facts/claims/; check facts/README.md for the current figures before sending.

POLICY: PROHIBITION OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

Policy Number: [NUMBER]
Adopted: [DATE]
[DISTRICT NAME] School District

I. PURPOSE
The Board of Education recognizes that maintaining a safe, supportive learning environment requires effective discipline strategies that do not rely on physical punishment.

II. POLICY STATEMENT
Corporal punishment is prohibited in all schools and programs operated by the [DISTRICT NAME] School District. No employee, volunteer, or contractor shall inflict corporal punishment on any student.

III. DEFINITION
Corporal punishment means the intentional infliction of physical pain upon a student's body as a disciplinary measure. This includes, but is not limited to: paddling, spanking, slapping, or any other form of physical punishment.

IV. EXCEPTIONS
This policy does not prohibit the use of reasonable physical intervention necessary to:
- Protect a student or others from imminent physical harm
- Obtain possession of a weapon or dangerous object
- Protect property from serious damage
- Maintain order when other means have failed

V. ALTERNATIVE DISCIPLINE STRATEGIES
The District shall provide training to all staff on positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS), restorative practices, and other evidence-based discipline strategies.

VI. VIOLATIONS
Any employee who violates this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

VII. REPORTING
Any incident involving physical contact with a student for discipline purposes must be documented and reported to the building principal within 24 hours.

Approved by the Board of Education on [DATE].

Letter to School Principal

Placeholders are in [BRACKETS]. Facts cited in this template are maintained in facts/claims/; check facts/README.md for the current figures before sending.

Dear Principal [NAME],

I am the parent of [CHILD'S NAME], a student at [SCHOOL NAME].

I am writing to formally request that my child NOT receive corporal punishment under any circumstances. I do not consent to any school employee using physical discipline on my child.

Please place this letter in my child's file and ensure that all staff who interact with my child are aware of this request. If there are any behavioral issues, I ask that you contact me directly so we can work together on an appropriate response.

I am also requesting information about:
1. The school's current discipline policy
2. Any forms required to opt out of corporal punishment
3. The discipline procedures that will be used for my child instead

Please confirm receipt of this letter and let me know if you need any additional information.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[PHONE NUMBER]
[EMAIL]

Parent/Guardian of [CHILD'S NAME]
Student ID: [IF APPLICABLE]

Letter to School Board

Placeholders are in [BRACKETS]. Facts cited in this template are maintained in facts/claims/; check facts/README.md for the current figures before sending.

Dear Members of the [DISTRICT NAME] Board of Education,

I am writing to request that the Board adopt a policy prohibiting corporal punishment in our schools.

While [STATE] state law permits corporal punishment, individual districts have the authority to ban it. [NUMBER] of the [TOTAL] districts in our state have already done so, including [NEIGHBORING DISTRICT], recognizing that physical punishment is ineffective and harmful.

As a [parent/community member/educator] in this district, I am concerned that:
- Corporal punishment can cause physical and psychological harm to children
- Research shows it is no more effective than alternative discipline methods
- It exposes the district to potential liability
- It creates a climate of fear rather than a positive learning environment

I urge the Board to:
1. Place this issue on an upcoming meeting agenda for discussion
2. Direct staff to research policies from districts that have banned corporal punishment
3. Adopt a policy prohibiting corporal punishment in all district schools and programs

I would welcome the opportunity to speak at a Board meeting on this issue or to provide additional information.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[EMAIL/PHONE]

Letter to State Legislator

Placeholders are in [BRACKETS]. Facts cited in this template are maintained in facts/claims/; check facts/README.md for the current figures before sending.

Dear [REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR NAME],

I am writing to urge you to support legislation banning corporal punishment in [STATE] public schools.

[STATE] is one of 17 states whose law still allows a school employee to hit a student as punishment, and one of 15 where it is actually used. Of the 38 OECD countries, 36 prohibit it in schools.

The facts are clear:
- Corporal punishment does not improve student behavior more effectively than other methods
- It is associated with increased aggression, anxiety, and lower academic achievement
- It falls hardest on boys (81 percent of students struck) and on Black students (26 percent of students struck, 15 percent of enrollment), according to the US Department of Education's 2021-22 data
- Every major medical and educational organization opposes it

[NUMBER] students in our state received corporal punishment in [YEAR], according to the federal Civil Rights Data Collection. Each of them deserves the protection students in 33 other states already have.

Banning corporal punishment protects students, reduces liability for schools, and aligns our state with best practices in education. It costs nothing to implement and has been successfully adopted by states across the political spectrum.

I respectfully ask that you:
1. Support legislation to ban corporal punishment in public schools
2. Advocate for this issue with your colleagues
3. Meet with me to discuss this important matter

Thank you for your service to our community.

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[EMAIL/PHONE]

When a district says it has no written policy

Some districts answer a policy request with "we don't have one." In a permitting state that means the practice runs on custom: nothing prohibits it, nothing governs it, and the district has reported using it. That is the opening, not the end of the conversation. The reply below offers the district a way to close the gap on its own terms: a model policy, the replacement curriculum in training/, and coaching through the change, all free, framed around the goals the district already publishes (safety, attendance, achievement, a climate parents trust). Send it as the reply to their "no". It is an in-kind grant: EarthPilot.org funds and delivers the work, the district pays nothing, and no cash changes hands. Say so in those words; the value must be derivable from a rate card.

Subject: Re: Request for your district's corporal punishment policy

Thank you for the straight answer. A district without a written policy on this is more common than
people think, and it puts the district in a hard spot: the practice is on the federal record for
[DISTRICT] ([N] students in 2023-24), and there is nothing on paper that says who may do it, when,
how, or how a parent can decline.

Your district is eligible for the Safe Discipline Program grant: an in-kind grant funded and
administered by EarthPilot.org, at no cost to the district and with no cash changing hands. It provides:

- a model board policy, drafted to your state's law and your board's format, in either direction
  the board chooses: governing the practice with parental consent and limits, or replacing it;
- a replacement discipline curriculum for staff (ten short modules, evidence-cited, built for
  small schools), which the district may adopt in whole or in part;
- implementation coaching for the superintendent and principals through the first year, including
  the board presentation and the parent letter.

There is no cost and no obligation. The aim is to align what the district does with what it says
it wants for its students — [QUOTE THE DISTRICT'S OWN MISSION OR GOAL LINE HERE].

If that is useful, reply and I will send the model policy for [STATE] and a one-page outline of
the program. If the board would rather start with the policy alone, that is fine too.

[NAME]
EarthPilot · earthpilot.org/kids · [EMAIL]

Op-Ed Template

Placeholders are in [BRACKETS]. Facts cited in this template are maintained in facts/claims/; check facts/README.md for the current figures before sending.

HEADLINE: It's Time for [STATE/DISTRICT] to End Corporal Punishment in Schools

Today, a student can still be legally hit by a teacher in [STATE]. It's time for that to change.

Corporal punishment, usually paddling with a wooden board, remains legal in 17 states and in use in 15. [STATE] is one of them. In [YEAR], [NUMBER] students in our state received it, according to the US Department of Education.

The evidence against corporal punishment is overwhelming. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, and every major medical organization oppose it. Research shows it doesn't work better than other methods - and causes real harm.

Students who experience corporal punishment show higher rates of aggression, anxiety, and depression. They have lower academic achievement and are more likely to drop out. And it falls unevenly: nationally, Black students are 15 percent of enrollment and 26 percent of students struck, and boys are four of every five.

[SHARE A LOCAL STORY OR STATISTIC]

Some argue corporal punishment is necessary to maintain discipline. But 33 states and 36 of the 38 OECD countries have banned it, and their schools did not descend into chaos. Kentucky's last district stopped in 2023 and the state recorded zero incidents the next year.

This is not a partisan issue. Idaho banned it in 2023 with a Republican sponsor; New Mexico's ban was signed by a Republican governor as a parental-rights measure. [STATE/DISTRICT] should join them.

Our children deserve schools where they feel safe - where they're taught that problems are solved through communication, not violence. It's time for [STATE/DISTRICT] to end corporal punishment once and for all.

[YOUR NAME] is a [TITLE/DESCRIPTION] in [CITY].

Public records request for district corporal punishment records

Every state has a public records law. This request asks for the records that show how often a district uses corporal punishment and on whom, without any student's identity. Send it to the district's records custodian (usually the superintendent's office); the district website often names the officer. Cite your state's statute in the first line: data/states/<XX>.yaml lists it under records_law where known.

[DATE]

[DISTRICT NAME]
Attn: Public Records Officer
[ADDRESS]

Re: Public records request under [STATE PUBLIC RECORDS STATUTE]

Dear Records Officer:

Under [STATUTE], I request copies of the following records for the [YEAR] and [YEAR] school years:

1. The district's current board policy and any administrative regulation or handbook section governing corporal punishment, including any parental consent or refusal form.
2. Aggregate counts, by school, of incidents of corporal punishment administered, and of students who received corporal punishment, with any breakdown the district maintains by grade, sex, race, and disability status. I am not requesting any personally identifiable student information; please redact as required by FERPA rather than withhold.
3. Any log, register, or report form the district requires to be completed when corporal punishment is administered, in blank, and the count of such forms completed per school.
4. Any complaint, claim, or notice of claim submitted to the district regarding corporal punishment, with personal information redacted.
5. The district's submission to the US Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection for the most recent collection, limited to the corporal punishment items.

I request electronic copies. If any portion is withheld, please cite the specific exemption and release the remainder. If fees will exceed $[AMOUNT], please contact me before proceeding. Please acknowledge receipt within the time required by [STATUTE].

Sincerely,
[NAME]
[EMAIL]
[PHONE]

School Board Resolution

Placeholders are in [BRACKETS]. Facts cited in this template are maintained in facts/claims/; check facts/README.md for the current figures before sending.

RESOLUTION OF THE [DISTRICT NAME] BOARD OF EDUCATION
PROHIBITING CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

Resolution No. [NUMBER]

WHEREAS, research consistently demonstrates that corporal punishment is ineffective as a discipline strategy and may cause physical and psychological harm to students; and

WHEREAS, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, the National Education Association, and other professional organizations oppose the use of corporal punishment in schools; and

WHEREAS, corporal punishment disproportionately affects students of color and students with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, effective alternative discipline strategies exist that promote positive behavior without physical punishment; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Education is committed to providing a safe, supportive learning environment for all students;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the [DISTRICT NAME] Board of Education hereby:

1. Prohibits the use of corporal punishment by any employee, volunteer, or contractor in any school or program operated by the District;

2. Directs the Superintendent to develop policies and procedures implementing this resolution within 60 days;

3. Directs the Superintendent to provide training on alternative discipline strategies to all staff;

4. Commits to reviewing discipline data annually to ensure equitable treatment of all students.

ADOPTED this [DAY] day of [MONTH], [YEAR].

_______________________________
Board President

_______________________________
Board Secretary

State-Level Ban

Placeholders are in [BRACKETS]. Facts cited in this template are maintained in facts/claims/; check facts/README.md for the current figures before sending.

AN ACT relating to student discipline in public schools.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF [STATE]:

SECTION 1. PROHIBITION OF CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

(a) No person employed by or volunteering for a public school district shall inflict or cause to be inflicted corporal punishment upon a student.

(b) For purposes of this section, "corporal punishment" means the deliberate infliction of physical pain as a means of discipline, including but not limited to:
    (1) Paddling, spanking, or hitting;
    (2) Slapping or striking;
    (3) Any other form of physical punishment.

(c) This section shall not prohibit:
    (1) The use of reasonable physical force necessary to maintain order and control in a school or classroom setting;
    (2) The use of reasonable physical force necessary to quell a disturbance threatening physical injury to persons or damage to property;
    (3) The use of reasonable physical force necessary for self-defense or the defense of others;
    (4) The use of reasonable physical force necessary to obtain possession of a weapon or other dangerous object within a student's control;
    (5) The use of reasonable physical force necessary to protect a student from self-harm.

SECTION 2. ENFORCEMENT

(a) Each school district shall adopt policies prohibiting corporal punishment consistent with this Act within 90 days of the effective date.

(b) Violations of this section may result in disciplinary action against the employee, up to and including termination.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit a parent's right to pursue civil remedies.

SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act shall take effect on [DATE].

Written and oral testimony for a legislative committee

Committees read written testimony and hear two to five minutes of oral testimony. Written testimony should be one to two pages, cite sources, and be submitted through the committee's portal before the deadline. Oral testimony should be the first paragraph plus the ask.

Testimony of [NAME], [TITLE/AFFILIATION]
[COMMITTEE], [CHAMBER], [STATE] Legislature
In support of [BILL NUMBER], [DATE]

Chair [NAME] and members of the committee:

[STATE] is one of [NUMBER] states in which a public school employee may legally strike a student as punishment. In the [YEAR] school year, [NUMBER] students in [STATE] received corporal punishment according to the US Department of Education's Civil Rights Data Collection. [DISPARITY SENTENCE WITH FIGURE, IF VERIFIED FOR THE STATE.]

Why this bill: [TWO SENTENCES ON WHAT THE BILL DOES.]

What the evidence says: [THREE SENTENCES, EACH WITH A CITATION FROM facts/claims/. Use the AAP 2018 policy statement, the Gershoff & Grogan-Kaylor 2016 meta-analysis, and the state's own CRDC numbers.]

What replaces it: [NUMBER] of our [TOTAL] districts have already ended the practice. They rely on school-wide positive behavior supports and restorative practices, which are already in the state's [MTSS / discipline framework] and supported by federal Title IV-A funds. A free, open implementation guide is available at [training/ URL].

The cost of inaction: liability. [CITE A SETTLEMENT OR SUIT IN THE STATE OR CIRCUIT FROM data/states/<XX>.yaml OR strategy/case-studies/.]

I urge the committee to report [BILL NUMBER] favorably.

Respectfully,
[NAME]
[CONTACT]

Public comment at a school board meeting

Most boards allow three minutes. That is about 400 words. Say who you are, one number, one story that is yours to tell, and one ask.

Good evening. My name is [NAME]. I am a [parent of a student at SCHOOL / teacher / pediatrician / taxpayer] in this district.

I am here about corporal punishment. Our district's policy [POLICY CODE] still allows an employee to hit a student with a board. According to the federal Civil Rights Data Collection, [NUMBER] students in this district received corporal punishment in [YEAR]. [If applicable: Federal data also show that Black students and students with disabilities in this district were paddled at [X] times the rate of their classmates.]

[ONE STORY, 60 SECONDS: your child, your classroom, your practice. No other family's child.]

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, and the National Education Association all oppose this practice. [NUMBER] of the [TOTAL] districts in [STATE] have already ended it, including [NEIGHBORING DISTRICT], and their schools did not fall apart. They use the same positive-behavior and restorative approaches our teachers are already trained in.

I am asking the board to do three things. First, put a policy revision to end corporal punishment on next month's agenda. Second, until then, direct staff to honor every parent's written refusal without exception. Third, publish our discipline data by school on the district website every year.

Thank you. I have left copies of the data and a model policy with the clerk.

Strategy, training, and the rest