End Corporal Punishment in American Schools (Federal)

Unbelievably, corporal punishment - hitting students in the name of discipline - is only banned in 30 states. In 20 states children are at risk of experiencing the harms of this brutal practice.

We know that corporal punishment can result in serious injury with long-term negative consequences for students’ physical and mental health. Research overwhelmingly shows that corporal punishment in schools does not lead to improvements in student behavior; instead it is linked to poor academic performance, physical and emotional harm, and damage to students' self-esteem and trust of educators.

The most recent national data (2021-2022 school year) shows that over 25,000 students were hit by educators over 31,000 times. 141 kids per school day are paddled, spanked, slapped, or hit by school staff. And, if you're a Black student, you are twice as likely to be hit.

The good news is that the numbers have dropped significantly since the 2013-2014 school year when 106,055 students were corporally punished. And, just 2.1% of all schools nationwide reported use of corporal punishment in 2021-2022.

The Protecting Our Students in School Act (POSSA) would:

• Prohibit schools that receive federal funding from hitting, paddling or using other forms of physical violence to discipline children.

• Create a private right of action so that families and students can bring civil lawsuits in state or federal court against school personnel, law enforcement officials and security personnel who violate the law and hit children in school.

• Specify the investigation and intervention powers of the U.S. Attorney General and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights when responding to violations of the law.

• Ensure families, state education agencies and local law enforcement entities are notified when a violation of the law occurs and a child is corporally punished in school.

• Require education agencies to ensure all schools are notified about the prohibition of corporal punishment and to report information to the U.S. Department of Education about school climate practices.

• Create a grant program for state and local education agencies to support evidence-based programs that reduce harmful discipline practices and build positive school climates.

The time is now to End School Corporal Punishment.