Teen spanking prompts policy change - KMSP-TV

A local high school accused of going against its own policy by letting a male administrator paddle two female students has decided to change the policy rather than apologize.

The debate over the corporal punishment went national after the mothers of two girls attending Springtown High School noticed bruises left behind by the paddling.

Cathi Watts' 16-year-old daughter, Jada, was disciplined by Assistant Principal Kirt Shaw.

"I did give him permission to swat her. I didn't give him permission to bruise her," she said.

The teen said it left a bruise on her back side that was visible for more than a week.

"They pulled out a chair and said put your hands here. I'm like okay; I gotta breathe for a minute. I was kinda nervous," Jada said. "As soon as he gave it to me I sat down and was telling him how much pain I was in."

Watts said the marks she saw on her daughter prompted her to call Child Protective Services.

"She told me the story and I looked at her butt and I was floored. The imprint of a paddle, the imprint," she said.

Watts and the other girl's mother also complained that it was a man who delivered the blow. According to the district's policy a female administrator was supposed to discipline the female students.

On Monday night when school board members voted unanimously to change it. Now if a male administrator spanks a female student, a female adult has to be present.

Watts still believes it puts her daughter and other female students in a bad situation.

"If I put a mark on her head and send her to school CPS is gonna knock on my door. No authority, no school official should be able to bruise my child," she said.

Springtown, which is northwest of Fort Worth, actually hands out the most spankings in the area. District leaders said many parents and students actually prefer it as an alternative to suspension.