Chicago Public Schools investigates beating charge

AP:

A high school volleyball player who complained he was beaten by a coach for missing serves has prompted an investigation into the practice by Chicago Public School officials.

Public school officials say Fred McClinton, the Simeon High School assistant coach who whacked Bruce Zayas five times April 3 with a heavy wooden paddle, has resigned. Since Zayas' mother brought the incident to the school officials' attention, an investigation into paddling has expanded from Simeon to four other schools.

Corporal punishment has been illegal in Illinois since 1974.

*mouth gapes wide open*

If corporal punishment has been illegal in Illinois since 1974 then some teachers that I've had in the past have been breaking the law. Personally if a teacher decided to use corporal punishment I'd have no problem if and especially if they had my permission as a parent. If they don't have my permission there will be a problem!

Back to the story other students has come forward at Simeon and other city schools regarding paddling of athletes. Let's bring this right to the surface.

The Sun-Times has more on the student:

Last school year, Simeon High School senior Bruce Zayas was captain of the volleyball team, a rising star recruited from Mount Carmel, and looking at a volleyball scholarship.

But a paddling by his coach last April for missing serves during a game -- a "whupping" that left welts on the 17-year-old -- changed that.

"I worked so hard at volleyball to get to that college scholarship level, and it got all taken away," Zayas said.

His courage in exposing a practice long illegal in Illinois led to a coach's resignation and spurred an investigation into corporal punishment at some city public schools.

"Anyplace where this is found, we're going to fire the coach," Chicago Public Schools Chief Arne Duncan said.

Fred McClinton, the Simeon sophomore assistant coach who whacked Zayas five times April 3 with a heavy wooden paddle, has resigned, CPS officials said. Last month, the probe spread from Simeon to four other schools, including Marshall and Phillips.
...
Zayas said he was like a pariah on his team. "Kids were mad at me. . . . I felt the coaches and everybody hated me," he said. "At the very next game, I got demoted from captain. Then they benched me. I couldn't take it after that. I had to quit the team."
...
Now playing club volleyball, Zayas regrets being forced off the team. "All I want to do is play volleyball without retribution," he said. "I just want to go to college."

Well his mother brought this to the attention of the school's principal the response wasn't of great concern on the part of the school's staff...

"I picked him up from practice, and he could barely sit," Valerie Thompson said. "He said, 'Coach just whupped me with a paddle,' and broke down crying. . . . He showed me the welts. I couldn't believe it. I lost my mind."
...
Thompson met with Simeon Principal Tamara Sterling and her coaching staff on April 7.

"There was no sense of regret that this happened to my son," she said. "It was like, 'OK, it happened. Can we all move forward?' "

I think I'd be a little concerned over their response as well. Especially as a parent (not a parent yet) who doesn't want anyone putting their hands on my child. I could take this as "sweep this under the rug" type behavior.

To answer the Sun-Times' question well athletes shouldn't be paddled. What's the point of paddling an athlete who's lost a game or missed a serve or for whatever they were doing? You should also leaving a comment at the Sun-Times or even here.

What do you think?