The district said corporal punishment is currently allowed under its Board-approved discipline policy. PAISD explained that parents are not required to give permission beforehand. Instead, parents who do not want corporal punishment used on their child must submit a signed written statement to the campus principal each school year.
PAISD said it is reviewing the incident to determine what happened and whether district policies and procedures were followed. The Board of Trustees will also revisit the corporal punishment policy and consider possible changes or additional procedures.
For those unfamiliar with the situation, a Hood News Peep reported that her teenage son was left severely bruised and emotionally traumatized after allegedly being paddled three times by a football coach at Memorial High School on Saturday. It was literally his third day ever on that campus.
According to the mother, her son missed football practice Friday because she was recovering from a serious car accident and did not have transportation for him. The family lives about 6 miles from the school, and she said her son explained the situation to his coaches.
The mother alleges that several adults were present when her son was taken into an office and instructed to bend over a table. She said he did not know he was about to be struck. According to her, he was disciplined for missing practice, communication issues and wearing the wrong-colored football pants.
She also alleges that the school did not provide corporal punishment paperwork until after the incident. The mother said she was asked to sign the paperwork afterward but refused because she had not approved the punishment in advance.
A photo provided by the mother shows bruising that she said became darker and more swollen. She said the incident left her son afraid and embarrassed to return to school and no longer interested in playing football. The teen has since gone to stay with his father in another area.
The mother met with police, and a report was filed.
The district’s statement did not address the mother’s specific allegations or confirm what occurred during the reported incident. The coach’s account has not been provided, and no criminal charges have been announced.
