Bill > SB268

This bill expands existing legal protections against corporal punishment in schools by broadening the definition and application of the prohibition to include all types of schools, including public, charter, and private schools. The bill modifies several key definitions and provisions, including creating precise definitions for "governing body" (which now explicitly includes school boards, charter school boards, and private school governing bodies) and "school" (encompassing public, charter, and private schools). The legislation maintains the existing definition of corporal punishment as the intentional infliction of physical pain used as a means of discipline, which includes actions like paddling, slapping, and forcing students to maintain physically painful positions. The bill applies the prohibition uniformly across all school types, ensuring that no official, employee, or agent of a school's governing body may subject a pupil to corporal punishment. The legislation also preserves existing exceptions for reasonable force in specific circumstances, such as protecting safety or preventing property damage, and maintains provisions that allow schools to adopt policies governing the use of reasonable and necessary force. The bill will take effect on the first July 1 following its publication, signaling a commitment to protecting students from physical disciplinary practices across all educational settings.

Education

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/sen/bill/sb268