Corporal Punishment in Public Schools, by State

The following table lists the states allowing corporal punishment in schools according to state name and the number of students hit.

States Allowing Corporal Punishment

State	Number of students hit	Percent of total students
Alabama	33,716	4.5%
Arizona	16	(¹)
Arkansas	22,314	4.7
Colorado	8	(¹)
Florida	7,185	0.3
Georgia	18,249	1.1
Idaho	111	0.4
Indiana	577	0.5
Kansas	50	.01
Kentucky	2,209	0.3
Louisiana	11,080	1.7
Mississippi	38,131	7.5
Missouri	5,159	0.6
New Mexico	705	0.2
North Carolina	2,705	0.2
Ohio	672	0.04
Oklahoma	14,828	2.3
South Carolina	1,409	0.2
Tennessee	14,868	1.5
Texas	49,197	1.1
U.S. total	223,190	0.46

NOTES: Figures are from 2008.

1. Less than 0.1%

Source: The Center for Effective Discipline, Columbus, Ohio. www.stophitting.com

States Not Allowing Corporal Punishment

The following table lists the states that do not allow corporal punishment in schools, according to state name and the year in which corporal punishment was banned.

State	Year banned
Alaska	1989
California	1986
Connecticut	1989
Delaware	2003
Hawaii	1973
Illinois	1993
Iowa	1989
Maine	1975
Maryland	1993
Massachusetts	1971
Michigan	1989
Minnesota	1989
Montana	1991
Nebraska	1988
Nevada	1993
New Hampshire	1983
New Jersey	1867
New York	1985
North Dakota	1989
Ohio	1994¹
Oregon	1989
Pennsylvania	2005
Rhode Island	1977
South Dakota	1990
Utah	1992²
Vermont	1985
Virginia	1989
Washington	1993
West Virginia	1994
Wisconsin	1988

1. Corporal punishment is permitted in Ohio schools if a school board follows several procedures before voting to allow it. Parents in districts which allow it may refuse to have their children paddled.

2. Corporal punishment is permitted in Utah schools if a parent or guardian gives written permission for its use.

Source: The Center for Effective Discipline, Columbus, Ohio. www.stophitting.com

Drugs and Violence on School Property

Elementary and High School Education

Corporal Punishment in Public Schools, by Year