A school district in southwest Missouri has decided to bring back caning as a form of discipline for students, but only if their parents agree. Classes resumed Tuesday in the Cassville School District for the first time since the school board in June approved the return of corporal punishment in the 1,900-student district about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of Springfield. The district abandoned the practice in 2001. The policy states that corporal punishment will be used only when other forms of discipline, such as suspensions, have failed and then only with the permission of the supervisor. District Rep. Mindi Artherton was out of the office Friday, and a woman who answered the phone at her office suggested she read the policy. He said staff had already conducted interviews. “Right now we will focus on educating our students,” he added, before hanging up. Superintendent Marilyn Johnson told The Springfield News-Leader that the decision to revive corporal punishment came after an anonymous survey sent to parents, students and school officials found they were concerned about student behavior and discipline. Johnson said many parents have complained that the district does not use corporal punishment. “We’ve had people really thank us for it,” he said. Surprisingly, those on social media would be surprised to hear us say these things, but the majority of people I’ve met have been supportive.” The policy also says a witness from the district must be present and discipline will not be used in front of other students. “When it becomes necessary to use corporal punishment, it will be administered so that there is no possibility of physical injury or harm,” the policy states. “Hitting a student on the head or face is not allowed.” Missouri is one of 19 states that allow corporal punishment in schools. Periodic efforts to ban corporal punishment in schools have failed to gain traction in the state legislature. A spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of K-12 Education said the state does not track which school districts allow corporal punishment because those decisions are made at the local level and approved by school boards.
