Parents send their children to school, not just for lessons in math or reading, but to equip them with the tools to be successful later in life. Schools are meant to be spaces that foster students’ academic, social, and emotional development, ensuring that students reach their full potential. However, for many Florida students, the practice of corporal punishment—the infliction of physical harm, pain, and discomfort upon a child with the intention of “fixing” student behavior— hinders their ability to learn and thrive. This practice contradicts the very mission of education, which is to empower children, not punish them unjustly. 

The state of Florida is one of the last eighteen states to allow the practice, with corporal punishment practiced at all levels of K-12 public schools, most often inflicted with a wooden or plexiglass paddle. The infliction of corporal punishment is often linked to injuries of bruises, nerve damage, and cuts, with 1 in 4 students identifying their experience as “very” or “extremely” painful. It’s no wonder that corporal punishment elicits high levels of physiological stress, often bringing along feelings of fear, shame, and anger. Long-term, children may have increased aggression, antisocial behavior, feelings of alienation, and mental health concerns.

Importantly this harm takes an educational toll on students: corporal punishment is linked to lower grades and increased school dropout rates. In light of this research, it seems paradoxical that a practice linked so heavily with lower student achievement is still practiced in a state that prides itself on its education system.

Not only does corporal punishment go against the goal of education, but against the goal of corporal punishment itself—to “fix” student behaviors. Studies have shown that corporal punishment is linked to impaired emotional regulation and conflict resolution and increases children’s behavioral problems. For children who are corporally punished, children are taught that using physical force is an acceptable way to resolve conflicts, leading them to potentially adopt the same behavior in their own peer interactions.

The harm to student outcomes is not distributed equally—students with disabilities are two times as likely to face school-based corporal punishment, a disproportionate rate of punishment that has been widely documented in the state of Florida.

Due to its highly negative impact on both educational and socioemotional outcomes, many disapprove of school corporal punishment. Yet, many parents and lawmakers are often unaware that corporal punishment is practiced in Florida schools. Since parental consent is not required for school corporal punishment to occur, many parents only discover the reality of the practice after their child has been harmed. 

This is why the Florida Student Policy Forum has created House Bill 439, a bill focused on protecting students in their educational bodies. The bill has two main provisions;  first, all instances of corporal punishment will require parental consent before the act occurs, giving parents the essential choice needed in these situations. Second, the bill outright bans corporal punishment against students with disabilities, a group disproportionately affected by this practice. 

The Florida Student Policy Forum believes that Florida’s K-12 education system’s practices should reflect the goals of education itself—student growth, learning, and achievement. As we continue to advocate for the passage of House Bill 439, we are hopeful that our vision will soon become a reality.