Robeson County school board votes to stop spanking

Breaking a tie vote, the chairman of the Robeson County school board on Tuesday night cast the deciding ballot that ends the district’s practice that permitted spanking and paddling students for bad behavior.

The board’s 6-to-5 vote was decided when Chairman Mike Smith sided with other board members who wanted the scrap the corporal punishment policy.

The district’s paddling policy has been in place since at least 1989, according to a statement from Robeson County school officials. Only four schools in the district actively used spanking. School officials said the district reported 28 paddling incidents last school year.

Prospect Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization President Eric Freeman said at Tuesday's board meeting the organization recently polled parents and 100 asked that the policy not be changed while none voted to stop the spanking.

According to the school district, 18 of the corporal punishment incidents that were reported last school year occurred at Prospect Elementary school.

Robeson school administrators said they wanted to end corporal punishment because they think there are more effective ways to discipline students.

“We always strive to use effective discipline strategies in the Public Schools of Robeson County,” said Robeson County schools Superintendent Dr. Shanita Wooten . “At this time, we are revamping discipline safety policies and making arrangements daily to partner with community agencies, businesses and churches to support our students.”

State records show corporal punishment was used 41 times in Robeson County and 34 times in Graham County during the 2016-17 school year. Before the district changed its policy Tuesday night, parents or a students’ legal guardian had the ability to sign a waiver that did not allow school officials to spank their child.