Marion County School Board Reverses Course On Paddling Students

Sarah Gonzalez / StateImpact Florida

The paddle at Holmes County High School in Bonifay, Fla. was made by students in woodshop class four years ago.

Marion County’s school board has eliminated corporal punishment of students — just one year after the board reinstated physical discipline.

School board member Ron Crawford said public reaction to last year’s decision was overwhelming, Joe Callahan with the Ocala Star-Banner reports:

The reversal was led by School Board member Ron Crawford, who last year cast the swing vote to re-establish corporal punishment after a three-year absence. On Tuesday, Crawford said he had to listen to his constituents.

Crawford asked that the words “corporal punishment” be removed from the 2014-15 code of student conduct, stating he has received only negative comments from parents after the district reinstated it last April.

“I have never seen such a (negative) response in all the years I have been on the board,” said Crawford, adding that everywhere he goes, he hears: “What were you thinking?”

We took a look at which schools use corporal punishment, and why, in 2012. Don’t miss the story about Holmes County High School students making the paddles used for corporal punishment of classmates.