End the Harm - End School Corporal Punishment (Mississippi)

Smacking, hitting, or paddling students in the name of discipline (corporal punishment) is practiced by Mississippi schools at the highest rate in the country (U.S. ED 21-22 SY).

Though Mississippi has banned the use of corporal punishment on students with disabilities since 2019, it has failed to extend the protection to all students. Thirty (30) states have banned corporal punishment and it's time for Mississippi to join the movement away from this harmful, ineffective practice by passing HB 306.

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, effective practices that improve the lives of kids - not physical punishment.