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Update: 5/8/2010
Since corporal punishment was reinstated in Temple, Texas May 2009, the level of class disruption dramatically decreased.  And there's only been a few times that paddling was even administered! That is exactly what Leal sees for Dallas ISD.  It's more the threat of getting licks, NOT handing them out left and right.  Current Dallas school board member, Lew Blackburn, beautifully compared corporal punishment to cops carrying guns.  "How many of them have ever had to use them?  VERY FEW.  But people know to NOT get out of control around a police officer."  So try an cut back on the demonizing hate mail ok?  :-)
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It's time for change at Dallas ISD.  No more trustees with the same lame agenda.  All the talk about "transparency" and "financial accountability" doesn't mean crap in the classroom! 

The district has lost control in dealing with disruption. Referrals? Big deal.  In School Suspension?  Easy. Once upon a time in the Dallas Independent School District when licks were around, ISS was not!

According to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), here are the latest numbers for In School Suspension (ISS) and Out of School Suspension (OSS) in DISD.

2008-09 -- 12,906 (iss); 18,236 (oss)
2007-08 -- 13,870 (iss); 17,315 (oss)
2006-07 -- 13,006 (iss); 16,213 (oss)
2005-06 -- 10,722 (iss); 14,942 (oss)
2004-05 -- 7,475 (iss); 11,936 (oss)  Paddling voted out
2003-04 -- 7,117 (iss) 11,902 (oss)

See why teachers are stressed? They deal with disruption EVERY DAY and it shows.  They're taking more sick days from actual stress related ailments.  For some, teaching is 60% and discipline is 40%.

And the people saying licks are outdated have NEVER ran a DISD classroom in the last 20 years.  And THAT is 80% of our current school board. This Saturday why not vote for candidates that want to Bring Back Licks and let teacher teach 100% of the time.

Listen to The Paddlin Blues