A bill to ban corporal punishment in public schools finally gets House approval after it failed to get enough votes in the lower chamber after two previous tries in this session. It’s not a total ban. Metairie Representative Stephanie Hilferty amended her legislation giving parents the option to authorize a spanking of their child through written consent.
“It allows as it was previously said in debate, parents to make an affirmative decision as to corporally punishing their child, it’s about parents making that choice,” said Hilferty.
The bill passed on a 70-28 vote. Erath Representative Blake Miguez voted against the measure. He says each school district should clarify its policy on corporal punishment and if parents don’t want their child spanked, they could opt-out.
“We support our teachers and we allow them that deterrent to make their jobs a little bit easier, because they are asked to be parents as well,” said Miguez.
Baton Rouge Representative Barry Ivey says he’s voted against Hilferty’s bill in the past, but likes the opt-in language that the legislation now contains.
“This bill doesn’t take away corporal punishment, it just requires a parent to make an affirmative decision to allow a school to exact corporate punishment on their child,” said Ivey.
The legislation still needs Senate approval and the legislative session ends on June 6th.
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