Leave discipline to school boards

Rep. Jim Wayne’s bill on corporal punishment in schools would have caused many problems, if it had been approved. The use of corporal punishment should remain with the local school boards.

I was a principal for 10 years. On one occasion, a hospital psychiatrist sent a young man to school who could not be controlled by medication. On the first day, he went berserk, upset all the desks, ripped all the pictures from the wall and attempted to assault other students and the teacher. I had to physically restrain him until the sheriff arrived. I expelled him.

The hospital psychologist spoke to the superintendent, who reduced the punishment to three days’ suspension. As soon as the boy stepped off the bus his first day back, he assaulted a young woman. Again, I had to restrain him until the sheriff arrived. As soon as the the boy got home, he fractured his dad’s skull with a 2-by-4. He was sent to a mental hospital and never released.

I always called the parents before using corporal punishment. Only one parent ever asked that I not spank his son. When I told him the alternative was a suspension, he chose a spanking.

This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Leave discipline to school boards."