State Senator Annette Taddeo (D-Miami) filed the Corporal Punishment bill, SB 1058, which bans corporal punishment on students with disabilities and autism as well as places restrictions on the use of corporal punishment in schools, including requiring school principals to notify and obtain parental written consent before being allowed to administer corporal punishment. State Representative Juan Fernandez-Barquin (R-Miami) has filed the companion bill in the House, HB 781.
“It is hard to believe that in 2019, the state of Florida, one of 19 states, that still authorizes public schools to discipline our students using corporal punishment,” said Senator Taddeo, who has been fighting against this practice. “The problem is that even in the counties where corporal punishment is not allowed, we have seen one too many cases of autistic kids being hit and not being able to hold the teacher accountable because state law allow it” she added.
“I am proud to work on this great bipartisan bill with my State Senator Annette Taddeo. This bill makes corporal punishment more difficult to be doled out in our schools, protects our students, and most importantly, protects the most vulnerable students – those with disabilities,” said Rep. Fernandez-Barquin.
