Louisiana Principal Who Broke Up Fight with a Stick Reinstated
I grew up in the era of the paddle. Certain teachers and principals that I encountered over the years even had heavily modified paddles with holes drilled into the face to cut down on what they called "wind resistance." It doesn't matter if you agree or disagree with this method, that time is (mostly) over. Corporal punishment is mostly verboten in today's world. In fact, your child is way more likely to be arrested than taken outside and paddled.
3 years ago, the principal at Scotlandville Magnet High School in Baton Rouge claims he had no choice but to use a wooden dowel wrapped in electrical tape to intervene in a fight. On August 31st of 2015, Principal Calvin Nicholas had to use the implement to break up an altercation between 2 unnamed students - and it cost him his job. On September 24th of the same year, Superintendent Warren Drake fired Principal Nicholas. A public hearing before the school board on October 1st of 2015, requested by Nicholas, would uphold the superintendent's decision.
Finally, on August 21st of last year, more than 2 years after he was fired, the former principal got some good news. WAFB reports that a judicial review of his case led to the decision being overruled, and a legal light at the end of the tunnel flickered. The school board would challenge the new development by claiming the court "abused its discretion and substituted its judgement for that of the disciplinary hearing officer." On Friday, the appeals court upheld the 2017 decision and ordered that Nicholas be immediately reinstated as principal of Scotlandville Magnet High School and be compensated with full back pay from the time he was fired.