Yang Rohr: No Student Should be Hit at School as a Form of Punishment

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, passed a bipartisan measure banning the use of physical punishment as a form of discipline in every school across the state.

“There is no time or place in which a student should feel physically unsafe at school, especially when that danger is coming from someone they look up to,” Yang Rohr said. “This bill will ensure that all students, public and private, won’t fear physical punishment when attending school. We are following the lead of other states and taking a science and human development-focused approach to creating supportive school environments. Our legislation continues that effort, and I look forward to working with the Senate to get this bill to the Governor’s desk.”

Yang Rohr voted to pass House Bill 4175, which prohibits the use of physical discipline in private and charter schools. It specifically bans nonpublic schools from slapping or paddling a student, forcing the prolonged maintenance of a student in a physically painful position, or intentionally inflicting bodily harm on a student. This legislation would make Illinois the fifth state in the country to outlaw corporal punishment in public and private schools.

Under this legislation, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) would enforce and implement these rules over all public and private schools through an already established registration and recognition process.

House Bill 4175 passed out of the House on Monday, April 15.