Child Discipline Laws by State 2025

Prohibited
30
Allowed
17
Depends on the school
4
State
Corporal Punishment at Home
Corporal Punishment at Alternative Care Settings
Corporal Punishment in Day Care
Corporal Punishment at School
Corporal Punishment in Penal Institutions
Corporal Punishment as Sentence for Crime
Alaska Flag
AlaskaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
California Flag
CaliforniaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Colorado Flag
ColoradoAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Delaware Flag
DelawareAllowedDepends on the placeProhibitedProhibitedAllowedProhibited
District of Columbia Flag
District of ColumbiaAllowedProhibitedDepends on the placeProhibitedAllowedProhibited
Hawaii Flag
HawaiiAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Idaho Flag
IdahoAllowedProhibitedAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Illinois Flag
IllinoisAllowedProhibitedDepends on the placeProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Iowa Flag
IowaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Maryland Flag
MarylandAllowedDepends on the placeProhibitedProhibitedAllowedProhibited
Massachusetts Flag
MassachusettsAllowedDepends on the placeProhibitedProhibitedAllowedProhibited
Michigan Flag
MichiganAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Minnesota Flag
MinnesotaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Montana Flag
MontanaAllowedDepends on the placeProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Nebraska Flag
NebraskaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Nevada Flag
NevadaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
New Jersey Flag
New JerseyAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
New Mexico Flag
New MexicoAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
New York Flag
New YorkAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
North Dakota Flag
North DakotaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedProhibited
Ohio Flag
OhioAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Oregon Flag
OregonAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Pennsylvania Flag
PennsylvaniaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Rhode Island Flag
Rhode IslandAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedUnclearProhibited
Utah Flag
UtahAllowedProhibitedDepends on the placeProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Vermont Flag
VermontAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedProhibited
Virginia Flag
VirginiaAllowedDepends on the placeProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Washington Flag
WashingtonAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedProhibited
West Virginia Flag
West VirginiaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Wisconsin Flag
WisconsinAllowedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibitedProhibited
Louisiana Flag
LouisianaAllowedDepends on the placeDepends on the placeDepends on the schoolProhibitedProhibited
Mississippi Flag
MississippiAllowedDepends on the placeDepends on the placeDepends on the schoolAllowedProhibited
Oklahoma Flag
OklahomaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedDepends on the schoolProhibitedProhibited
Tennessee Flag
TennesseeAllowedDepends on the placeDepends on the placeDepends on the schoolAllowedProhibited
Alabama Flag
AlabamaAllowedProhibitedDepends on the placeAllowedAllowedProhibited
Arizona Flag
ArizonaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedAllowedProhibited
Arkansas Flag
ArkansasAllowedDepends on the placeDepends on the placeAllowedAllowedProhibited
Connecticut Flag
ConnecticutAllowedProhibitedDepends on the placeAllowedAllowedProhibited
Florida Flag
FloridaAllowedProhibitedDepends on the placeAllowedProhibitedProhibited
Georgia Flag
GeorgiaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedAllowedProhibited
Indiana Flag
IndianaAllowedDepends on the placeDepends on the placeAllowedAllowedProhibited
Kansas Flag
KansasAllowedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedProhibitedProhibited
Kentucky Flag
KentuckyAllowedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedProhibitedProhibited
Maine Flag
MaineAllowedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedProhibitedProhibited
Missouri Flag
MissouriAllowedProhibitedDepends on the placeAllowedProhibitedProhibited
New Hampshire Flag
New HampshireAllowedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedAllowedProhibited
North Carolina Flag
North CarolinaAllowedProhibitedDepends on the placeAllowedProhibitedProhibited
South Carolina Flag
South CarolinaAllowedProhibitedAllowedAllowedAllowedProhibited
South Dakota Flag
South DakotaAllowedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedProhibitedProhibited
Texas Flag
TexasAllowedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedProhibitedProhibited
Wyoming Flag
WyomingAllowedProhibitedProhibitedAllowedAllowedProhibited
  • On April 23, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order reinstating school discipline policies that discourage race-based disciplinary quotas and reaffirm compliance with Title VI. While it does not directly change corporal punishment laws, it is tangentially relevant as it signals a federal stance that may influence how states and districts shape their disciplinary policies.
  • Corporal punishment laws may change at any time. Data shown should not be considered legally authoritative.