Discipline, no bondage

Proposal would give immunity to schools that spank:

One Kansas senator thinks that a quarter-inch of pine might be part of the solution to school disciplinary problems.

Sen. Phil Journey, R-Wichita, plans to introduce a bill on Monday that would shield educators from legal liability for administering corporal punishment to students.

"From what I've seen and what I've been told by teachers and parents, we need to bring some order to schools, particularly middle schools," Journey said.

Like seven other states, Kansas has no law regarding spanking in schools. Twenty-eight states ban corporal punishment in schools.

Journey's bill would allow local school boards to make a decision about the matter, and would require parents to give permission to spank their misbehaving brats.

He "said he thinks there are enough safeguards in his proposal to keep school spanking from getting out of hand."

Rep. Geraldine Flaharty, D-Wichita, said she thinks Journey's proposal is unnecessary because almost all Kansas school districts have moved beyond spanking as a means of punishment.

Flaharty, a retired teacher with 36 years of classroom experience, said once the spanking starts, it's hard to keep it under control.

It's good that everyone agrees we want to keep the spanking from getting out of hand.

In 2006, Phil Journey wrote (but didn't file for consideration) a bill to require registered sex offenders to be issued pink license plates. He opposed mandatory castration for sex offenders, telling the Pitch Weekly "They're still sick people that will abuse others. Didn't you see the movie Sin City?"

If Hollywood has taught us nothing, it's that perverts should only spank children if their parents say it's OK, and that we shouldn't let it get out of hand.