Cell phones barred, corporal punishment an opt-in option

In response to May surveys of staff, students and parents, the Cassville school district has taken multiple actions aimed at improving the effectiveness of discipline.

Merlyn Johnson, Cassville superintendent, said actions taken by the district include no longer allowing students cell phone use during the school day, offering corporal punishment on an opt-in only basis, and starting the Success Academy to help struggling students graduate.

“We did the climate and culture surveys in May, and one of the things that stood out in all three – staff, students and parents – is that we as a district have concerns about a lack of discipline in the schools,” he said.

According to the survey results, available online at go.boarddocs.com/mo/cassville/Board.nsf/public, the alignment was clear. Among parents, 37.1 percent did not believe adults were effective at dealing with student behavior, and 34.5 percent of students said teachers were not effective in handling discipline. As for staff, a similar 36.4 percent do not feel adults are effective at dealing with student behavior.

Bullying and cyberbullying were also topics in which all three survey groups aligned. Half of the staff, an even 50 percent, said they believe bullying and cyberbullying are a significant problem among students. Students nearly agreed at the same rate, with 38.9 percent saying bullying is an issue. As for parents, 28.2 percent perceived bullying as a major issue.

Johnson said in review of the survey results, action needed to be taken, and not in a singular fashion.

“We are eliminating cell phones on the high school campus,” he said. “In discussions with building leaders, the overwhelming majority of discipline issues are associated in some way with cell phone use by students. This will make it not as easy to bully other kids, doing things like taking pictures in the locker room or other inappropriate activity.”

Johnson said students texting throughout the school day has led to instances of fighting, as well as sex-related infractions.

Building administration will have another tool at their disposal this year, a punishment returning to the district on a strictly opt-in basis – corporal punishment. In a letter to parents delivered in August, Johnson said the change will give principals another option than suspension, and parents must review and sign an opt-in form to authorize corporal punishment for their students.

“As a district philosophy, corporal punishment will only be used when other means of discipline have failed, and then only in reasonable form and upon the recommendation of the principal.” According to school policy, corporal punishment may not be used in the presence of other students, and only by certified personnel with a witness present whom is also an employee of the district.

“It shall be administered so that there can be no chance of bodily injury or harm,” the policy said. “Striking a student in the head or face is not permitted.”

Those opting into corporal punishment may be restrained, as the policy states a staff member may use reasonable physical force against the student for the protection of the student or other persons or to protect property.

“Restraint of students in accordance with the district’s policy on student seclusion and restraint is not a violation of this policy,” it said.

After an instance of corporal punishment, a report is to be submitted from the principal to the superintendent explaining the reason for use of corporal punishment and details of its use in that instance.

All instances of corporal punishment will be delivered by paddle.

Johnson said a big part of reviving corporal punishment was to keep students in school.

“When you suspend kids, they just sit at home and are not learning with their teachers, so corporal punishment is giving us another option, then they get to stay in class,” Johnson said. “It is opt-in only, so for parents that do not sign the opt-in form, their children will not be subjected to corporal punishment.”

Johnson said in recent years, the policy has been raised in conversations with parents, and the district has previously responded it does not have a policy in place. He does not know how many will exercise the option, and in some cases, the school may decline.

“There may be many, and there may be only a few,” he said. “We also know the circumstances of our children’s lives and if there is reported abuse, and if parents say ‘yes’ in those cases, we will not be doing it.”

A third option available to high school students now is the Success Academy, which will be housed in the newly renovated WILD Academy. The program is an in-house alternative school aimed at students struggling with discipline issues or poor grades.

The program’s goal is to help those students graduate on time.

Johnson said of all the added tools, the removal of cell phones is expected to be the most effective.

“Eliminating cell phones is a much more aggressive policy measure of response to discipline concerns than adding corporal punishment,” he said. “Instances of corporal punishment will likely be low, and the cell phone restriction is much more impactful.”

In June, the Cassville Board of Education approved the cell phone policy by a 6-0 vote as part of the student handbook revisions. At the same meeting, the corporal punishment policy also passed with a 6-0 vote. Board Member Jill LeCompte was absent.