HEIDELBERG, Miss. (WDAM/Gray News) – A parent in Mississippi says she is furious after her son came home with a broken arm after being paddled at school.
Georgett McCarty’s son attends third grade at New William J. Berry Elementary School in Heidelberg.
She said she got a call on Feb. 19 about her son being involved in an argument with another student.
McCarty said a staff member asked if they could use corporal punishment.
“He asked for my permission to paddle my son,” McCarty said. “I told him, ‘Yes.’”
East Jasper School District’s handbook states that paddlings can be done by certified administrators or in the presence of one.
McCarty said she got another call two hours later that day from the same staff member, who told her that he hit the third grader’s arm during the paddling, but he is OK.
However, the boy’s mother said he walked around the rest of the school day with a broken arm.
“My child walked around from 11:30 a.m. that morning to 2:15 (p.m.) when the buses came with a broken arm,” she said.
McCarty’s mother watches the boy after school and told her something wasn’t right.
“When he came home from school, my mom instantly said, ‘I know y’all think I overthink a lot of things, but my baby’s arm is swollen,’” McCarty said.
According to McCarty, she took her son to the South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel, and doctors confirmed the boy had an ulnar fracture.
“They basically told me this child’s arm is broken,” she said.
McCarty said she informed the school of what happened and her son’s medical diagnosis.
A report was taken, but now, weeks later, the boy’s mother said she hasn’t heard anything further from school leaders.
“I just want the community to be aware of the people that we send our kids to, hoping that they’ll be safe,” McCarty said.
She added, “He paddled my son, and not only did he paddle him, but he broke his arm.”
McCarty said her son has returned to school but has several doctor’s appointments scheduled.
School representatives have not immediately returned a request for comment regarding the situation.
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