pegmom - one of your links talks about the lesser mentioned 'sexual side' of paddling.....doesnt this all kind of conflict with the sexual harrassment policies schools have (let alone the many other child-protection elements the schools have in place).

The disabled children that I speak of are those that are labeled disabled according to IDEA, or the Individuals Disability Education Act.

IDEA defines "child with a disability" as:

a child . . . with mental retardation, hearing impairments (including deafness), speech or language impairments, visual impairments (including blindness), serious emotional disturbance . . ., orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities . . . who . . . [because of the condition] needs special education and related services.
See 20 U.S.C. § 1401(3)(A).

The Office of Civil Rights tracks this data, and as I told you in a previous post, my county, Union County, led our state, as well as the state of South Carolina, in the number of IDEA disabled children being corporally punished in a school year. That was 85 children being hit.

I have had contact with the ACLU, but little or no response.

Thanks again to all for the interest and for keeping the ideas rolling.

Peggy

Hi Peg-
Someone had mentioned the ACLU a while back. (darned if I can find it!) Just wondering if you had been in contact w/them(I'm sure you have) and what, if anything, they had to say. In looking over their site, I can find nothing pertinent.

I beg of everyone to not consider this just a "southern issue"
(there are several midwestern states that have this on the books.)

This is a national issue.
It's a shameful secret that many of us are just learning about.
I'm hoping that by stepping up and speaking out, pegmom will expose this for what it is: child abuse by those who are suppose to be their teacher, mentors and advocates.

We need to make our voices heard by all - and demand immediate change.

[ 09-24-2006, 07:40 PM: Message edited by: tlch1967 ]

just like the boy CC mentioned that was too embarrassed to tell his mom the story, wonder if any (older) kids get paddled and dont tell family and it goes unnoticed.. ie if any paddling takes place w/o informed consent (if its even required) of the parent.

if i were a parent at a corporal punishment shcool, i would demand to see my kids records to see if theres any surprised in there....if they refuse to show you records, you can look up FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and see if that gets you anywhere.

from what you described, it sounds like its 'parent be vigilant' is de rigeur all over the south.

What do you mean when you say diasabled children?
I am in college for early childhood ed/special ed and with all the laws protecting special ed i am surprised there is nothing about that!

Have you contacted the ACLU? I find it hard to believe they wouldn't jump on this.