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Last week, a high school principal in East Texas was taken into custody for physically harming a student through paddling, resulting in bodily injury. This incident garnered significant attention nationwide, reigniting the ongoing discussion regarding the appropriateness of corporal punishment within educational institutions.
In the state of Texas, corporal punishment is permitted in public schools, making it one of only 17 states that allow such disciplinary measures. This includes actions like hitting, spanking, paddling, or intentionally causing pain to students. However, the use of physical punishment is dependent on the school district’s board of trustees adopting a policy that permits it. Parents have the option to exempt their child from receiving corporal punishment by providing written notice to the district.
Texas lawmakers have long discussed a ban on the practice, which dates back to the 19th century. Only a decade ago, lawmakers in Austin added a provision that allows a parent to opt their child out of corporal punishment. State lawmakers debated the controversial practice this year after Rep. Alma Allen, a Houston Democrat and former public school teacher, carried a bill that would prohibit public school employees from using corporal punishment on students.
Advocates for education and child development, along with experts in the field, have voiced concerns about the detrimental effects of the practice, including fear and negative impacts on students’ mental health. Despite these arguments, lawmakers dismissed the proposed policy change. Notably, several Republican lawmakers supported retaining the practice, citing its reference in the Bible.
Nationally, the number of students who receive corporal punishment has declined significantly in recent years. A U.S. Education Department report found that the number of students who received corporal punishment dropped by more than one-third between the 2013-14 school year and the 2017-18 school year, the most recent data available.
In March, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urged governors and school leaders to ban corporal punishment in schools. In a letter, he encouraged districts to replace the practice with evidence-based methods, such as positive behavioral interventions. Two states, Colorado and Idaho, passed bills this year to ban the disciplinary practice. And U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, has introduced a federal bill to prohibit corporal punishment in any school that receives federal funding.
Principal Jeffery Hogg of Overton High School in Texas was arrested on Wednesday for one count of assault, despite the practice being legal in the state. The incident in question took place on August 14, where Hogg disciplined a female student for an undisclosed infraction by striking her buttocks three times with a wooden paddle. The arrest affidavit reveals that the student, whose identity remains undisclosed, had visible bruising at least 48 hours after the paddling and lodged a complaint with the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office.
The Rusk District Attorney’s Office has received the case and is currently conducting an investigation. Hogg, the principal in question, has not faced any formal charges and has resumed his responsibilities.
Approximately 2,300 individuals call Overton their home, located nearly 22 miles to the east of Tyler.
Larry Calhoun, the Superintendent of the Overton Independent School District, has come to the defense of Hogg, asserting that Hogg’s actions were in line with the policies of the school district. In a statement shared on the district’s Facebook page, the district announced its intention to review its current policies on corporal punishment following Hogg’s disciplinary action against a student. However, Calhoun clarified in an interview with The Texas Tribune that the district is presently not contemplating any alterations to its policy.
Calhoun expressed his desire to reach the other side of this situation and have the ability to reflect in an unbiased manner. He expressed regret that this incident was receiving attention instead of more positive news about the district. Calhoun also mentioned his wish for the investigation to proceed without interference, but acknowledged that it had turned into a frenzy on social media and other platforms.
It’s unclear what the female student was being punished for. However, per the school district’s policy on corporal punishment laid out in the school handbook, the student had the option to undergo paddling or be sent to in-school suspension. The student chose paddling and the student’s parent and another female witness remained in the room, according to arresting documents. After receiving two hits, the student said she was hurt and didn’t want the third hit, the affidavit states. Both Hogg and the student’s mother encouraged the student to complete the punishment, and the student decided to follow through and receive the third hit.
The student was interviewed at the Child Advocacy Center the next day. This organization, which operates statewide, provides assistance to victims of child abuse. During the examination, a nurse documented the injuries by taking photographs. These images revealed significant bruising and swelling. A forensic pediatrician reviewed the photographs and concluded that when physical punishment leads to injuries lasting beyond 24 hours, it aligns with the definition of child physical abuse.
Parents in Overton ISD, which caters to approximately 470 students, have taken to social media to support Hogg and express their confusion over his arrest, especially considering that the student’s parent was present during the disciplinary action.
Autumn Holland, a parent of two sons in Overton schools, expressed her belief in corporal punishment for students who are a disruption in class during an interview with The Texas Tribune. She firmly stands by her belief, influenced by her faith in the Bible which mentions the importance of not sparing the rod.
According to Holland, her son was paddled once but she believes it did not result in any bruises or injuries. Holland expressed her confusion as to why the student’s parent did not step in if they believed the principal’s actions were overly aggressive. She suggested that if the principal faced arrest, the parent should also be held responsible.
According to Craig Sweeney, an investigator in the Rusk County district attorney’s office, the case of corporal punishment is unprecedented and has become less prevalent in many districts in recent years.
In the 2017-18 academic year, as per federal data, a total of 8,758 schools in Texas resorted to corporal punishment, affecting 13,892 students in the state. This figure surpasses that of any other state, except for Mississippi.
A significant body of research has found that corporal punishment does not benefit students and can cause them substantial harm, including worse mental health, increased aggression and antisocial behavior, and increased likelihood of abusing one’s own children.
Elizabeth Gershoff, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin who has extensively researched the impact of corporal punishment on children, expressed empathy towards the principal’s intention to educate students, acknowledging the importance of this objective. However, she firmly stated that resorting to physical punishment merely imparts two detrimental lessons: firstly, it reinforces the notion that those in power can employ violence to achieve their desires, and secondly, it instills a fear of being in the presence of such individuals, encouraging avoidance.
If Allen is asked, she has informed the Tribune that she will introduce a bill to prohibit corporal punishment in the upcoming legislative session.
Disclosure: Facebook and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
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