Ban Corporal Punishment in Public Schools (Florida)

Corporal punishment - smacking/hitting/paddling students in the name of discipline - is still practiced in Florida public schools. Thirty (30) states have banned corporal punishment and it's time for Florida to join the movement away from this harmful, ineffective practice by passing HB 109.

Corporal punishment is downright cruel. Not only can children experience significant physical injury, corporal punishment does not improve (and may worsen) behavioral challenges and may exacerbate the child’s underlying issues. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Academy of Pediatrics have recommended schools stop using corporal punishment due to the physical and psychological harm it causes to young people.

Schools should have access to safe practices that improve the lives of kids - not physical punishment.