Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Georgia, 17 September 1996

Fayette: Corporal punishment abolished

The Fayette County Board of Education voted unanimously Monday night to rescind its corporal punishment policy. "I don't feel it's a deterrent," said board member Debbie Condon. "I would have liked to have seen it taken out of our handbook years ago."

Most Fayette principals say they haven't used corporal punishment in years. Gary Phillips, who has been assistant principal or principal at Fayette County High School for 13 years, said the last time he remembered resorting to paddling was 10 years ago, at the request of a parent.

Corpun file 00970

Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Georgia, 19 September 1996

No more hickory stick with three R's

By Ann Dickerson
Staff Writer

Fayette County school board chairman Woody Shelnutt says he's never thought corporal punishment, or paddling, is an effective deterrent to bad behavior.

"I don't think it ever deterred me, and I got mine busted a bunch of times," Shelnutt said.

Most systems in the metro area have banned corporal punishment in recent years, with the exception of DeKalb, Henry and Rockdale counties. Monday night, the Fayette County Board voted to do away with paddling.

Eddie Pollard, whose paddle has been gathering dust for years in his office at Braelinn Elementary School, said he had only used corporal punishment on rare occasions, and never in the past few years.

Don Chaplin, principal at Whitewater Middle School, said he's never paddled a student in the school's 7-year history.

"We've had parents ask us to do it, and we won't," Chaplin said. "I can't think of a circumstance where I'd use it."

McIntosh High principal Stuart Bennett agreed. "I don't think it has a place in public education," the principal said. "I think you need a discipline program rather than a punishment program."

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