A proposal that would require parents to “opt in” for students to receive corporal punishment in schools got initial approval Wednesday from a House panel, with some of the bill’s supporters saying it doesn’t go far enough in curbing the disciplinary practice.
During the 2022-2023 school year, the state had 509 reported incidents of corporal punishment in 18 districts, according to data from the Florida Department of Education. The number of incidents fell from the previous two academic years, with 717 incidents reported in the 2021-2022 year and 736 incidents in the 2020-21 year.
Bill sponsor Katherine Waldron, D-Wellington, said the proposal is designed to “standardize” corporal-punishment policies across the state. Waldron said “most counties have banned the practice,” but it is still allowed in 19 counties. Waldron characterized the bill as allowing parents to prevent physical punishments for their children.
“I believe this bill will be an important step in providing parents with the ability to safeguard their children. It’s not the business of the government to stand in the way of parents when it comes to a topic so personal as the physical discipline of their child,” Waldron said.