Corporal Punishment/Emergency Interventions
Corporal Punishment
Corporal punishment as a means of discipline shall not be used against a student by any teacher, administrator, officer, employee or agent of this School District.
Whenever a school employee uses physical force against a student, the school employee shall immediately report the situation to his/her Principal/Supervisor. The Principal/Supervisor shall, within the same school day, make a report to the Superintendent describing in detail the circumstances and the nature of the action taken.
The Superintendent of Schools shall submit a written report semi-annually to the Commissioner of Education, with copies to the Board of Education, by January 15 and July 15 of each year, setting forth the substance of each written complaint about the use of corporal punishment received by the Broadalbin-Perth Central School District authorities during the reporting period, the results of each investigation, and the action, if any, taken by the school authorities in each case.
Emergency Interventions
However, if alternative procedures and methods which would not involve physical force do not work, then the use of reasonable physical force is not prohibited for the following reasons:
- a) Self-protection;
- b) Protection of others;
- c) Protection of property; or
- d) Restraining/removing a disruptive student.
Such emergency interventions shall only be used in situations where alternative procedures and methods not involving the use of reasonable physical force cannot reasonably be employed. Emergency interventions shall not be used as a punishment or as a substitute for systematic behavioral interventions that are designed to change, replace, modify or eliminate a targeted behavior.
Staff who may be called upon to implement emergency interventions will be provided appropriate training in safe and effective restraint procedures. The parent(s) of the student shall be notified whenever an emergency intervention is utilized.
The District will maintain documentation on the use of emergency interventions for each student including:
- a) Name and date of birth of student;
- b) Setting and location of the incident;
- c) Name of staff or other persons involved;
- d) Description of the incident and emergency intervention used, including duration;
- e) A statement as to whether the student has a current behavioral intervention plan; and
- f) Details of any injuries sustained by the student or others, including staff, as a result of the incident.
This documentation will be reviewed by District supervisory personnel and, if necessary, by the school nurse or other medical personnel.