i am a member of GAE and PAGE, which provide me with insurance for being a member. All teachers in GA have to have insurance, so i am really surprised that these groups allow this to remain legal in the state of GA.

The huge surprise though is that special ed kids can be paddled. I wonder how many special ed parents know that. With all of the laws that protect special ed, i can't believe that isn't one yet.

maybe take the 22 states that allow CP legally, that you listed earlier, subtract the dirty 10 that pegmom highlighted earlier, and ask the 12 remaining states , or posters who are in those states.....just a thought...

I'm interested in hearing about teachers & principals that have the legal "right" to use cp, but have refused to allow it.. Also any school boards going against the grain of their state and disallowing cp. As some other posters have said on the cp thread, many districts DO NOT require permission, and will go as far as to disregard your wishes if you say "Not my kid!!". Sort of a "nanny,nanny, boo-boo- you can't make me!" deal; hiding behind this antiquated law. Also, while the rules may state that it has to be used in "extreme" circumstances, that is not the reality. There may be schools that are using cp "correctly" (according to their rules/laws), but be assured, or disquieted I guess, that the reality is that there are A LOT of schools that are not.

As an aside- I cannot imagine CHOOSING to allow another person to strike my child w/ a wooden plank. I get all maternal instinct when another adult(and sometimes another child) is MEAN to my child, let allow physically hurting them.

Hubby and I talked about that just last night. If we ever find ourselves in a position to be icing a bruise, someone else will find themselves tending a much larger injury. But you're absolutely right - it's better to know the policy for sure than to assume the 'punishments' are listed in order of application and severity.

CC - better not to assume antyhting....ask your prinicpal abut the rules, just so you are aware of how things are handled. better safe (informed) than sorry (icing a bruise). my 02.

At my son's current school it says nothing in the handbook about parental authorization. The way it's worded, though, I'm assuming it's like mich-in-braz states - that it's to be used after many other methods have been tried and failed and only at the discretion of the principal or his designee.