There was a lot of debate about school discipline during the just-completed IDEA reauthorization. It’s an important issue and was a contentious debate but Eduwonk is pretty sure this approach was not on the table (course Senators-elect DeMint (SC) and Coburn (OK) have not taken office yet):
At the Mantanuska Christian School in Wasilla, Alaska, the principal caught two student couples kissing, in sight of the younger students. Rather than punish the students he took the discipline on himself, removing his belt ordering a teacher to, “discipline me like you would discipline your own son” in front of the two offending boys. He told the teacher to stop only when the students admitted their mistake.
At least one parent protested that only Jesus can take on the sins of others. Yet theological issues notwithstanding, the Anchorage Daily News reports that, “School officials are looking for a new principal” for even more basic reasons.
The blog EdWonks (unaffiliated with the blog you’re now reading) wants to ensure that the teacher is not held accountable, too, writing:
“What teacher can resist giving an obviously loony-toon administrator a beating?”