North Carolina county school board votes to stop spanking

LUMBERTON, N.C. (AP) — Corporal punishment will end in one North Carolina county's schools.

News outlets report Robeson County was one of two school systems in North Carolina that continued paddling students as part of disciplinary policy. The Robesonian was first to report the Robeson County school board voted Tuesday to end the practice.

Prospect Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization President Eric Freeman said at Tuesday's board meeting the organization recently polled parents, and 100 asked that the policy not be changed while none voted to stop the spanking.

Board member Brenda Fairley-Ferebee led the effort to end corporal punishment. Fairley-Ferebee says schools' job is to educate children while parents' responsibility is to discipline them.

State records show corporal punishment was used 41 times in Robeson County and 34 times in Graham County during the 2016-17 school year.