Texas Town 'Revives' Paddling

TEMPLE, TEX. -- In an era when students talk back to teachers, skip class and wear ever-more-risque clothing to school, one central Texas city has hit upon a deceptively simple solution: Bring back the paddle. 1

Having mostly grown up in the small town South, my middle and elementary schools had paddling. We could hear students 'getting it' out in the hall a few times, and the principal at one of my schools was rumored to have quite the paddle rack in his inner office. These were public schools, and not too long ago.

It is not nearly as traumatic on kids as some would make it seem. And it's normal in most of the world. But from an adult point of view, the whole thing seems a little creepy.