Girl Spanked in Front of Classmates at High School

Associated Press ^ | February 24, 2004

[wallcrawlr]

CUDAHY, Wis. -- The Cudahy School District has changed its visitation policy for parents after a father spanked his daughter in front of other students in her high school biology class.

``The students were horrified,'' James P. Heiden, the district's director of student services, said of the incident. ``It took everybody by complete surprise.''

Both Cudahy police and the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare have reviewed the case at the school district's request, and neither found basis for child abuse or neglect.

``Obviously it's unusual to have a girl spanked in front of the class, it's highly unusual, but not a police matter, not at this time from the information we received,'' said Cudahy police Sgt. Randy Scheel.

Heiden said the district visitation policy now calls for parents to meet with students only in the office, not a classroom.

The girl's mother, contacted at home Monday evening, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel her daughter ``comes from a very loving family. There's nothing to be concerned about.''

She described the spanking as a misjudgment for which the family apologized to the school. Police said they had no record of prior contact with anyone in the family.

School officials said the girl had disrupted her biology class Feb. 11, leading assistant principal Greg DePue to notify her father when he was at school the next day addressing a situation with another child.

DePue said the father entered the classroom, called his daughter to the front and told her he would not have her disrupting class. He then told the girl to turn around, and spanked her on her bottom, the assistant principal said.

``It was so fast,'' DePue said. ``It just happened.''

[wallcrawlr]

This father should be praised even though the daughter is kinda old to get spanked but at least the AP framed what happened correctly....I was expecting headline, "Father Physically Abuses Daughter".

[ladyjane]

This father should be praised...

huh?????

[Cicero]

Usually if you are going to spank a child, it's best to do it right away and get it over with. But it was a mistake to do it at school. Lucky the school authorities seem to be pretty sensible.

On the other hand, this is a lot better than NOT disciplining a child at all, which is pretty common these days.

[Ohioan]

The problem, really, is why is this news? Why is the AP covering this?

[prion]

Man, I thought my parents were embarrassing.

[the invisib1e hand]

my opinion:

don't reprimand your children in front of their peers -- at least not in way that calls undue attention to them.

high school is too old for a father to physically discipline his child. she's becoming a young lady and lines must be drawn that repsect that.

it's a strikeout.

[wallcrawlr]

Reinforcing and promoting discipline at school should be the parents job wouldn't you agree?

To many parents leave it up to the schools to teach that.

[stanz]

That was just stupid. Does he expect to gain her respect by humiliating her in front of classmates? I don't care what she did to disrupt the class. There are other ways to deal effectively with it. He sounds like a real a-hole. Maybe she learns her unorthodox behavior at home.

[Lance Romance]

I think the old man did it for the humiliation factor.

Nothing like becoming a social outcast to better your study habits.

[50sDad]

A little more public embarrassment of miscreants, and we wouldn't have as much trouble as we do. Remember when sin was something to be embarrassed about?

[Lance Romance]

I think the old man did it for the humiliation factor.

Nothing like becoming a social outcast to better your study habits.

[texasflower]

I don't agree that the father should be praised. I firmly believe in disciplining children, however, doing this to a teenage girl in front of a class is extremely inappropriate.

I have teenage daughters and I would never do something like this to them. Plus, spanking at that age is not a good idea IMO.

There are plenty of other ways to discipline children like this.

The girl could have been made to write an apology letter and read it in class, or any number of other things.

[Lance Romance]

To prevent such a matter like this from happening in the future, I selflessly volunteer my spanking services to all unruly high school girls.

[FlatLandBeer]

What evr she did she won't do it again i bet.

[FlatLandBeer]

What evr she did she won't do it again i bet.

[texasflower]

I left out the part about further disciplinary action at home.

She should have been made to make some sort of ammends at school, and then handle the situation at home.

[rdb3]

my opinion:

don't reprimand your children in front of their peers -- at least not in way that calls undue attention to them.

high school is too old for a father to physically discipline his child. she's becoming a young lady and lines must be drawn that repsect that.

Man! I wish my mom and pop were here to read what you just wrote. I can hear them laughing now.

Let the blow fall, I await its coming.

[wallcrawlr]

Write/read a letter? lame...I prefer the old fashioned stuff

[Teacher317]

Whew! I thought it was another moronic teacher and some sex scandal.

[dead]

I've heard those Olsen twins are an unruly pair.