The Legislature has passed a bill that would require public schools in Tennessee to report to the state Department of Education on their use of corporal punishment.
If the governor signs the bill, school systems must give details that include: each school where children were spanked, the reason corporal punishment was used and whether the discipline involved a disabled student. In cases where the children have special needs, the report must describe the type of disability the student has.
A report released last month by the state comptroller's office showed that disabled students were getting disciplined at a higher rate than other children in recent years.
A measure that would mostly ban the spanking of disabled children at school has passed in the House and is moving through the Senate.
