Get Unfiltered: Should Teachers Paddle Students?
Florida just dropped a controversial law that’s got parents and educators talking, and honestly, the reactions are all over the place. The state now allows parents to opt their children in for corporal punishment at school—basically permitting teachers to paddle students when they act up. But here’s the thing: it comes with strict rules. Parents have to give written permission, and another adult must be present during the punishment.
The Case for School Discipline
Some folks are all for it, and their reasoning hits hard. One caller kept it real: “You get the kids in the home first and tear that behind up, so you ain’t gonna have no problem with the child.” Their point? If parents aren’t handling discipline at home, maybe schools need to step in to keep kids from ending up in the system.
Another caller was even more direct about it: “If they show up, they gonna get worn out. Because if I get there, it’s gonna be a problem.” They’d rather have the teacher handle it than deal with calling mama to the school—and honestly, that’s relatable for anyone who remembers how scary it was when teachers threatened to call home.
The Hard No from Protective Parents
But not everyone’s buying into this approach. Some parents drew a firm line in the sand: “Call me and I’ll come do it. But don’t put your hands on my child, because then I put my hands on you.” This parent raised a valid concern about not knowing what’s going on in a teacher’s personal life and how that might affect how they treat students.
The fear is real—what if a teacher’s having a bad day and takes it out on someone’s kid? “I don’t know what your life is like at home, and you might come to work and want to take it out on my baby,” one caller explained.
The Bigger Picture
Florida is among 17 states that still allow corporal punishment in schools, but teachers have to document why they decided to use it. The question remains: should more states follow this path, or is this taking discipline too far?
What’s your take on letting schools paddle students?’
