Corporal Punishment in Texas Schools Under Scrutiny After Port Arthur Incident
A story from Port Arthur, Texas, about a high school football player being paddled by a coach after missing school and wearing the wrong practice pants has brought attention to the issue of corporal punishment in Texas school districts. The…
San Antonio, TX, August 20, 2026 —
PORT ARTHUR, TX – An incident involving a high school football player in Port Arthur, Texas, who was reportedly paddled by a coach has renewed focus on the practice of corporal punishment within the state’s school districts.
The student allegedly received physical discipline after missing school and wearing incorrect practice pants. According to reports, the player’s father stated that he had not granted permission for his son to be subjected to corporal punishment.
Texas state law permits school districts to administer corporal punishment. However, parents have the right to opt out of this practice by providing a written statement to the school district. The specifics of whether such a statement was on file for the student in this case were not immediately clear.
The incident has drawn attention to the broader landscape of corporal punishment policies across Texas. In the San Antonio metropolitan area, a survey of school districts indicates that a majority have moved to prohibit corporal punishment. Several districts in this region have recently voted to eliminate the practice, while others had previously enacted bans in prior years.
While the Port Arthur incident highlights the continued use of corporal punishment in some parts of Texas, the trend in other major areas, such as San Antonio, suggests a move towards prohibition.
Story summarized from the original created by Courtney Friedman, Bill Taylor, Angel Lopez on www.ksat.com, see more information here.