‘Hitting kids should never be allowed’: Illinois bans corporal punishment in all schools

Illinois will soon become just the fifth state in the nation to prohibit corporal punishment in all schools. Legislation that Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law this month bans physical punishment in private schools while reiterating a prohibition on the practice in public schools, first implemented 30 years ago. The law takes effect in January. Illinois will join New Jersey, Iowa, Maryland and New York in prohibiting paddling, spanking or hitting in all its schools. Chicago Democratic Rep. Margaret Croke was inspired to take up the issue after the American Association of Pediatrics’ updated call to end the practice. Seventeen U.S. states allow some sort of corporal punishment in all schools.