Monday, November 21, 2005

More On Republican Family Values

Mother wants answers after paddling
Son required medical attention after school punishment


By Gene Apodaca
(11/19/05 - KTRK/CLEVELAND, TX) - A student was paddled at school, and now his mother wants answers for the school's choice of punishment.

Diane Schauer doesn't argue that her son deserved to be punished, but it was the type of punishment he got that left her fuming.

"I was very angry," she said. "I'm beyond angry."

Two weeks ago, Jacob Schauer was caught getting leaving Cleveland Middle School early. For his punishment, he was sent to the coach's office where he had to endure a series of paddles.

"I can't describe it," said Jacob. "It hurt really bad."

Schauer claims that the paddling was so hard that Jacob still aches with pain. A doctor even prescribed the teen muscle relaxers so that he can sleep.

"It hurt. It stung," said Jacob. "It was like a bunch of bees stinging at once."

What troubles Schauer the most is that she claimed to have signed a form denying teachers the right to paddle her son. When she complained to the principal, she claims her concerns were ignored.

"I said, 'Don't hit and whoop him' and he said 'We don't need your permission. That's just a courtesy,'" said Schauer. "Then why send it home if it's a courtesy?"

In a statement released by Cleveland ISD, officials deny any wrongdoing. The statement read:

"We did not violate any law, and as a courtesy to parents, we do ask them, but we don't, by state law, need their permission."

"They cannot whoop our children," said Schauer. That is a parent's job. We gave birth to those children. We created those kids. It's our job to discipline them that way, not anyone else's."

Both the coach and principal did not want to talk about the incident.

There was some confusion recently with the passing of a new state House bill. It said only parents, grandparents, step-parents or a guardian could use corporal punishment such as paddling. But recently, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott issued his opinion that public schools did not lose their right to spank students under this new bill, and that a professional school district employee may use corporal punishment as permitted by state law.
See, isn't it nice to know that our southern school systems are keeping up in competitions with Islamic madrassahs and Charles Dickens?

Jesus' General responds.