NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — State lawmakers are hoping to end spanking and paddling in the classroom . Both are still legal in the state of Tennessee.
Back in the fall, TBI said a Jackson County elementary school teacher hit a student with a paddle while the assistant principal watched.
A grand jury indicted the teacher, Jackson Patterson, for simple assault and the assistant principal, Tena Lynn, for criminal responsibility.
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“It’s just so upsetting to see that is happening in our state,” said Sen. Heidi Campbell.
On Wednesday, the Jackson County School District told News 2 both staff members are still on unpaid leave until everything is settled in court.
“What kind of message are we sending to children when we do that? We are saying that the way we should deal with conflict is through physical violence,” Campbell said.
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In 2022, Campbell sponsored a bill that would prohibit corporal punishment. However, it failed. This week, she refiled the bill . “This is the exact same bill from 2022,” Campbell said.