(g) Each discipline policy or code of conduct must state that a teacher, principal, school employee, or school bus driver may use reasonable force in compliance with § 49-6-4107.

(a) (1) Any teacher or school principal may use corporal punishment in a reasonable manner against any pupil for good cause in order to maintain discipline and order within the public schools.

(2) (A) Notwithstanding subsection (a)(1), prior to the administration of corporal punishment against a student, the student's teacher or school principal must document in the student's educational record that they have:

(i) Acted to address the student's behavior;

(ii) Provided consequences to the student to address the behavior;

(iii) Consulted with the student's parent or legal guardian about the student's behavior; and

(iv) Considered the need to conduct an initial evaluation to determine whether the student has a disability in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.), chapter 10 of this title, and the state board of education's rules.

(B) If, as a result of an evaluation conducted pursuant to subdivision (a)(2)(A)(iv), a student is found to have a disability, then corporal punishment may only be administered against the student if authorized in accordance with subsection (b). 

(b)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a), teachers, school principals, or other school personnel are prohibited from using corporal punishment against any student who has a disability, unless an LEA's discipline policy permits the use of corporal punishment and a parent of a child who has a disability permits, in writing, the use of corporal punishment against the parent's child. The written permission must state the type of corporal punishment that may be used and the circumstances in which the use of corporal punishment is permitted. The school's principal must keep the written permission on file at the school. The school's principal must notify the parent any time corporal punishment is used. The school's principal must inform the parent, when the written permission for the use of corporal punishment is submitted, that the parent may revoke the permission to use corporal punishment at any time by giving written notice to the school's principal that corporal punishment may no longer be used against the parent's child who has a disability.

Each local board of education shall adopt rules and regulations it deems necessary to implement and control any form of corporal punishment in the schools in its district.

(a) A teacher, principal, school employee or school bus driver, in exercising the person's lawful authority, may use reasonable force when necessary under the circumstances to correct or restrain a student or prevent bodily harm or death to another person.

(b) Subsection (a) does not authorize use of corporal punishment by a person not permitted to administer corporal punishment under § 49-6-4103 or chapter 6, part 44 of this title.

(a) Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, each LEA shall submit, at least annually, a report to the department of education detailing the LEA's use of corporal punishment. The report shall include, at a minimum:

(b) The report submitted pursuant to this section shall exclude any personally identifiable information and shall be created in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)(20 U.S.C. § 1232g), § 10-7-504, and any other relevant state or federal privacy law.

(c) The department shall report on its website the number of instances of corporal punishment in each LEA and the number of instances involving a student with an active individualized education program or an active 504 plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

(a) The chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, of any institution in which the schools are located, may use corporal punishment in a reasonable manner and in accordance with this part against any pupil for good cause in order to maintain discipline and order within such schools.

(b) Corporal punishment may be administered only in a classroom situation and only in the presence of the director of schools or chief administrative officer of the school and one (1) other faculty witness.

(c)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the chief administrative officer, or the chief administrative officer's designee, is prohibited from using corporal punishment against any student who has a disability, unless an LEA's discipline policy permits the use of corporal punishment and a parent of a child who has a disability permits, in writing, the use of corporal punishment against the parent's child. The written permission must state the type of corporal punishment that may be used and the circumstances in which the use of corporal punishment is permitted. The school's chief administrative officer must keep the written permission on file at the school. The school's chief administrative officer must notify the parent any time corporal punishment is used. The school's chief administrative officer must inform the parent, when the written permission for the use of corporal punishment is submitted, that the parent may revoke the permission to use corporal punishment at any time by giving written notice to the school's chief administrative officer that corporal punishment may no longer be used against the parent's child who has a disability.

(a) The department of children's services shall adopt rules and regulations that specifically designate the method of imposing corporal punishment and the circumstances that warrant corporal punishment in the schools within its special school district. The rules and regulations shall provide for only corporal punishment that is reasonably necessary for the proper education of the pupil.

(b) No corporal punishment shall be imposed until the rules and regulations have been promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.

(c) The rules and regulations shall provide for a written record to be kept of all use of corporal punishment, including the name of the person requesting the punishment and a brief description of the circumstances warranting its use.

(a) Within forty-eight (48) hours of the imposition of corporal punishment within the special school district, the pupil shall have the right to be examined by a physician to determine if the punishment was excessive.

(b) In any case in which the punishment is excessive, the pupil shall have the same civil and criminal remedies as any other pupil in the public schools.