January 21, 2003

Last modified January 21, 2003 - 12:27 am

Associated Press

House Bill 68 co-sponsor Rep. Jeff Wasserburger, R-Gillette, said he knew of no schools in Wyoming that still spank, paddle, slap or otherwise physically discipline students for bad behavior.

"I think (the law) makes Wyoming look rather backward," he said.

The Equality State is one of just 23 with corporal punishment laws still on the books, co-sponsor Rep. Ann Robinson, D-Casper, said. Wyoming is among five states trying to repeal the law this legislative session.

Similar bills have been introduced the past three years, but have never made it through debate in the full House or the Senate.

The bill, which also defines corporal punishment, still allows school officials to use force to defend themselves or to break up a fight on school property or at school-sponsored activities.

Chris Christenson, a lobbyist for the Wyoming Education Association, said most teachers are appalled by the law and view it as an avenue to abuse children.

"The kids this law would allow you to punish are the kids that probably shouldn't be," he said, often because they are abused at home.

"It's a law I think never should have existed in Wyoming," Christenson said.

Tim Solon, of the Wyoming Church Coalition, told committee members discipline should be left to parents, while the American Civil Liberties Union emphasized alternatives to violence, such as discipline hearings.

Committee members agreed, but some questioned the need to repeal the law if state schools are not following it to begin with.

"If we don't have a problem with this, why do we need to have a law addressing a problem that doesn't exist?" Rep. Kurt Bucholz, R-Saratoga, said.

Robinson said the bill was needed to clean up Wyoming's reputation as a state which still allows corporal punishment, even if it is not practiced. She said the bill only repeals a law, and does not create one.

"We need it because school boards need to know (corporal punishment) is not acceptable," she said.

In its 8-1 recommendation, the committee added several amendments that clarified where necessary force can be used and other issues. Rep. Jane Wostenberg, R-Worland, voted against the recommendation.

She argued if many school districts have already changed their corporal punishment policies, "then local control has already taken care of the problem."