A new Tennessee law now in effect adds new requirements before a student can receive corporal punishment at school.
The law establishes a process for school officials, including teachers, to screen for disabilities before handing out any corporal punishment.
Under this law, before any kind of corporal punishment can happen, teachers are required to:
- Have acted to address the student’s behavior
- Provided consequences to the student
- Consulted with the student’s parents about their behavior, and
- Considered the need to evaluate whether the student has a disability.
Corporal punishment against a student with a disability is prohibited unless the parent agrees in writing.
