The Journal Record

A new Oklahoma law will prohibit schools from inflicting physical pain as punishment for students with disabilities. Although the practice is already banned in the state’s regulations for schools, attempts by the Oklahoma Legislature to add the rule to state law failed in previous years. State law had barred schools from using corporal punishment on students only with “the most significant cognitive disabilities.”  Senate Bill 364   extends the corporal punishment prohibition to students with any type of disability defined in a federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Gov. Kevin Stitt on Thursday permitted SB 364 to take effect without his signature. The bill had passed the state Senate in a 31-16 vote and the House 63-25 after lengthy debates in both chambers. It outlaws the “deliberate infliction of physical pain by hitting, paddling, spanking, slapping or any other physical force” as a method of discipline for students with disabilities.