LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) — A school in Georgia has gained the national spotlight after announcing that is bringing back corporal punishment (e.g. spanking, paddling, etc.). A debate has ensued on social media as to whether or not this form of discipline is effective and healthy for children.
Though many school districts in Kentuckiana have strayed from corporal punishment in the past few decades, it remains legal in both states. WHAS11 found at least 17 school districts in Kentucky that still reported the practice as of 2017, the most recent year for which data is available: Pike County, Knott County, Perry County, Owsley County, Harlan County, Bell County, Whitley County, McCreary County, Pulaski County, Wayne County, Clinton County, Monroe County, Crittenden County, Fulton Independent, Fleming County, Bath County, and Raceland-Worthington Independent.
Jefferson County Public Schools does not use corporal punishment.
Several initiatives have aimed to ban the practice at a state level in Kentucky, but thus far have failed to gain enough moment to become law. Just this year, Kentucky State Representative Steve Riley sponsored a bill to end corporal punishment, and was able to get both Democrats and Republicans to co-sponsor with him; however, the bill ended up dying in committee. Riley told WHAS11 there was some resistance to the bill from those saying they oppose educational decisions being made from the top-down, and preferred individual districts deciding these issues. Still, Riley stands by the position that corporal punishment should not have a place in Kentucky schools, and plans to introduce another bill in the upcoming legislative term.
►Contact reporter Rob Harris at rjharris@whas11.com. Follow him on Twitter (@robharristv) and Facebook.