Teachers: May the force be with you?
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Teachers: May the force be with you?

Date: March 17, 2009
By: Alex Rozier
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: A bill giving teacher's the right to use force, including spanking, has been introduced to Missouri's Senate. Alex Rozier has more from the State Capitol. RunTime:0:33
OutCue: SOC

Teachers: May the force be with you?

If the Senate approves a new bill, force could at least be an option.

It has made its way through committee, passed the house, and now a bill giving school employees the right to use force in defense of students or property had its first reading in the Missouri Senate.

Aimed at increasing teacher's immunity, the school employee would only be liable if a sexual harassment allegation followed the incident.

Rural Southwest Missouri Republican Maynard Wallace is the sponsor of the bill after sponsoring similar legislation last year .

 

Actuality:  WALL3.WAV
Run Time: 00:11
Description: "I don't want a teacher, or any other school employee, to ever hesitate thinking they might be sued before they do the right thing in protecting a child or actually in protecting school property."
 
The bill requires schools to add safety practice and training to their list of facility accreditation standards. 

Missouri National Education Spokeswoman DeAnn Aull believes safety must come first.

Actuality:  AULL.WAV
Run Time: 00:15
Description: " I know that we're certainly more aware of, um, people becoming angry in these troubling times, and we assume that that is and we've seen some evidence that that's spilling over tnto students and their attitudes as they come to school, so I think better safe than sorry."
 
 

In a vote at the end of February, the bill passed the House unanimously.

From the State Capitol, I'm Alex Rozier.