A school district in Missouri has decided that things were much better back in the day when kids were allowed to be spanked at school. The school board in Barry County approved the new corporal punishment policy back in June, notifying parents Tuesday that the decision would be put to a vote this week. Parents are being asked if they would like to opt their child in or out of the program, which the county allegedly plans to administer on a case-by-case basis. Reprimanding kids by “swatting the buttocks with a paddle” is constitutional and legal in the state. “We’ve had people actually thank us for it,” Superintendent Merlyn Johnson told the Springfield News-Leader. The board has planned for the paddling to only be administered by a principal at the school, with a witness and never in front of children. “Surprisingly, those on social media would probably be appalled to hear us say these things but the majority of people that I've run into have been supportive,” Johnson was quoted saying. It is currently unclear how many parents will opt in, but the county should have a final vote by the end of the week.
