Mother Christina Douty said, "He was covered with welts and bruises from one end to the next. It wasn't in one spot, it was all over."
Douty says those marks on her 13-year-old son's backside after receiving two swats, or paddles, were for earning three consecutive zero grades, violating Barbers Hill ISD's policy.
"I've seen corporal punishment," Douty said. "I've seen people disciplined. I've never seen anything like this."
The pictures were too revealing to show in our report. Douty tells Eyewitness News she signed a waiver at the beginning of the year giving permission for her son to be paddled at school. In fact, she says he had been paddled before, but Douty says this time was different. She feels what her son described to her was assault.
"When he took the first swing, my son lost feeling to his back and fell. Then they took the second swing," Douty said. "He told him he had to take the second swing. He beat him again and my son came home at 6:30 that night and showed me the marks."
Douty held a one parent protest in front of the school Monday morning and has now filed criminal charges against two administrators who she says are responsible for the paddling.
"I want them fired," she said.
We reached out to Barbers Hill ISD and received the following statement:
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"Barbers Hill allows parents the option to choose corporal punishment as one means of discipline. If a parent has signed documentation supporting the use of corporal punishment, students at the secondary level also then have the opportunity to elect corporal punishment for infractions or to elect other consequences.
If a parent and student both elect to have corporal punishment administered, two swats will be given by an administrator of the same gender, with a witness present.
Barbers Hill Police Department and administration have completed the investigation of allegations made last week by a parent of a middle school student, and have determined that all procedures were followed. There will be no further administrative action taken."
