Disciplining A Child
G.L. c. 71, § 37G — no corporal punishment in school, and reasonable force only to protect against an assault
Not in school. The power of a school committee, or of any teacher or other employee or agent of the school committee, to maintain discipline upon school property does not include the right to inflict corporal punishment upon any pupil.
Protection is different. School staff may use such reasonable force as is necessary to protect pupils, other persons and themselves from an assault by a pupil. When such an assault has occurred, the principal files a detailed report with the school committee.
Restraint. The board of education issues regulations on the physical restraint of students. They require training for all personnel authorized to use restraint, and procedures for notifying the department and the parents.
The section is written for schools; discipline by a parent at home is not addressed in it and is not on this page. A particular incident is a question for the school committee, the department, or a licensed Massachusetts attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.L. c. 71, § 37G — Corporal punishment of pupils prohibited; use of physical restraint; regulations
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Massachusetts attorney.