School brings back paddling as form of student discipline

AUGUSTA, Georgia -- Students at the Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics are returning to their classrooms with a new policy that is reinstating an old-fashioned form of discipline, paddling.

"In this school we take discipline very seriously," said GSCI Superintendent Jody Boulineau.

The K through nine charter school sent parents a "consent to paddle" form, asking them if they're OK with administrators hitting their child with a wooden paddle, WRDW reported.

"It's just one more tool that we have in our disciplinary toolbox," said Boulineau. "There's no obligation. It's not required, so a parent can either give consent for us to use that as a disciplinary measure, or they can deny consent."

The consent form states:

"The student will be taken to an office behind closed doors. The student will place their hands on their knees or piece of furniture and will be struck on the buttocks with a paddle."

According to the form, the student will receive no more than three licks.

The parents' responses are something Boulineau says have been across the board.

"'Great! It's about time. We're so glad that this is happening again. They should never have taken it out of school.' All the way to, 'Oh my goodness, I can't believe you're doing that,'" said Boulineau.

Boulineau says that they will have a "three strike" policy, which means the paddling will not happen until the third offense.

If parents choose to opt out of paddling, they have to agree to up to five days of suspension