From Paddling to Reform: Why This Asst. Principle Changed Everything

🎙️ In this episode, I sit down with Assistant Principal and advocate Jeffrey Burton, who once served as the designated paddler at his rural Arkansas school. What began as a role he thought would bring order quickly turned into a moral and cultural reckoning.

We discuss:

His personal journey from administering corporal punishment to challenging it

The deep cultural roots of paddling in conservative, rural Southern communities

How race, religion, and tradition influence school discipline in America

Why “quick fixes” like swats fail students long-term

What schools can learn from empathy-based approaches

As part of my research comparing corporal punishment in Texas and Indigenous Taiwanese communities, we explore how culture shapes what’s considered acceptable discipline—and what it takes to break cycles that no longer serve students.

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