Greenbrier, Arkansas students paddled over gun control walkouts

Walk out of school to protest gun rights — and get paddled in Arkansas.

According to a Little Rock TV station, three students in Greenbrier, Arkansas, joined the nationwide March 14 student walkout to demand gun control, breaking school rules.

They were then given a choice, according to NBC affiliate KARK, of being suspended from school or taking whacks on their rear ends.

They chose the latter, according to one of their mothers in a Twitter post that quickly went viral.

“My kid and two other students walked out of their rural, very conservative, public school for 17 minutes today. They were given two punishment options. They chose corporal punishment. This generation is not playing around,” wrote Jerusalem Greer.

My kid and two other students walked out of their rural, very conservative, public school for 17 minutes today. They were given two punishment options. They chose corporal punishment. This generation is not playing around. #walkout

— Jerusalem Greer (@JerusalemGreer) March 14, 2018

Greenbrier Schools Superintendent Scott Spainhour told KARK that paddling was the students’ choice and can only be done with the parent’s permission.

The paddling was approved by most of the local residents interviewed by KARK for its segment.

“I’ve had a child who chose corporal punishment instead of suspension over cell phone usage years ago,” Melissa Hester said.

“I raised my kids in the 60s and 70s. They got paddled at school. They got twice as much when they came home,” Ethel Rhyne said.

Others weren’t as supportive.

Actress Patricia Arquette encouraged a lawsuit against the school.

“That is shocking. Your kids probably have a good court case and I hope sone ’educators’ get fired. Hitting kids 4 defending kids lives?” she replied to Ms. Greer’s initial tweet.

That is shocking. Your kids probably have a good court case and I hope sone “educators” get fired. Hitting kids 4 defending kids lives?

— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) March 14, 2018