Back to the Paddle? Trump’s School Discipline Order Sparks Fears of a Return to Physical Punishment

In a sweeping move to restore safety and order in American classrooms, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the federal government to eliminate the use of race-based school discipline policies rooted in so-called “equity ideology.” The order, issued under the authority of the Constitution and the laws of the United States, declares a zero-tolerance approach to what the administration calls discriminatory, behavior-modification practices that have compromised classroom safety and educational standards.

Ending Discipline Based on Equity Ideology

The core of the order focuses on reversing a decade-long trend in which schools were encouraged—or compelled—to base disciplinary decisions on racial statistics rather than student behavior. This trend began in 2014 with a joint “Dear Colleague” letter issued by the Obama-era Departments of Education and Justice, warning schools they could face federal investigation or funding cuts under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act if disciplinary outcomes disproportionately affected students of a particular race, regardless of whether the policies were race-neutral.

That letter effectively imposed a “disparate impact” standard on schools, leading many administrators to reduce or avoid suspensions, expulsions, or referrals to law enforcement out of fear of federal reprisal. A 2018 report by the Federal Commission on School Safety concluded that this approach led schools to ignore serious student misconduct, thereby jeopardizing classroom safety and suppressing academic performance.

“Disciplinary decisions are best left in the hands of classroom teachers and administrators,” the Commission noted. “When school leaders focus on aggregate school discipline numbers rather than the specific circumstances and conduct that underlie each matter, schools become less safe.”

Trump’s executive order seeks to reverse the damage by mandating that school discipline be based solely on individual behavior and not manipulated to achieve racial balance in statistics. It defines “Behavior Modification Techniques” as any discipline policies that incorporate discriminatory equity ideology, and instructs the Department of Education to take action against local and state agencies that fail to comply with Title VI by engaging in race-based disciplinary practices.

Key Provisions of the Order

• New Federal Guidance: Within 30 days, the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the Attorney General, must issue new guidance ensuring that school discipline policies comply with Title VI without relying on racial statistics.

• State Coordination: Within 60 days, the Education and Justice Departments will coordinate with state governors and attorneys general to enforce nondiscriminatory discipline standards.

• Military Schools Code: Within 90 days, the Department of Defense must revise its school discipline policies for military families to align with this order.

• Comprehensive Review: Within 120 days, the Departments of Education, Justice, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security must submit a detailed report on the use of equity-based discipline practices, including federal investigations since 2009, nonprofit involvement, and model policies that emphasize safety and merit.

A National Shift Away from Corporal Punishment

While the new executive order does not address corporal punishment directly, it arrives amid a long-term national shift away from physical disciplinary methods in schools. From 1974 to 1994, 25 states banned corporal punishment, and Idaho became the most recent to outlaw it in 2023. Despite this, 17 states still legally permit the practice. According to the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, 128 countries have now banned all forms of corporal punishment in schools.

The National Education Association continues to advocate for a federal ban, noting that corporal punishment disproportionately affects students of color and those with disabilities—another example of discipline disparities that Trump’s order seeks to address from a different angle.

Broader Educational Overhaul

The discipline order is one component of a broader set of education-focused executive orders President Trump signed this week. Among these:

• AI in K-12 Education: Trump directed the Departments of Education and Labor to expand high school AI courses, certifications, and apprenticeships, and for the National Science Foundation to support AI research in education.

• Accreditation Reform: Another order targets ideological overreach in university accreditation, warning accreditors who enforce DEI-based standards that they risk losing federal recognition if they violate civil rights laws or compromise academic freedom.

• Workforce Development: A separate measure aims to align education with the reindustrialization of America, focusing on skilled trades and technological workforce needs.

• HBCU Support and Realignment: While reaffirming the value of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Trump revoked a Biden-era HBCU advisory council and emphasized expanding public-private partnerships to benefit students.

• Foreign Influence Transparency: Finally, a new directive reinstates disclosure rules for foreign donations to U.S. colleges, aiming to protect American research and intellectual integrity.

Reaffirming Equal Protection and Classroom Safety

President Trump’s new discipline policy is a return to what the administration describes as “commonsense” governance—prioritizing objective behavior, safety, and equal treatment under the law. The order frames its reforms as a defense of American values, restoring the spirit of civil rights by opposing race-based group outcomes in favor of individual merit.

“American classrooms should be places of safety, learning, and opportunity for every child,” Trump stated. “We will no longer tolerate ideologies that force teachers to ignore misconduct, sacrifice classroom safety, or engage in discrimination disguised as equity.”

As the federal agencies now move toward implementing the directives in the coming months, the executive order sets the stage for a national shift in how schools define fairness, enforce rules, and maintain safe environments conducive to learning.

A Controversial but Defining Moment for Education Policy

Supporters of the executive order argue it will restore authority to educators and create safer, more disciplined classrooms. Critics worry it could roll back civil rights protections and exacerbate disparities by removing oversight of how discipline is applied. Regardless of the debate, one thing is clear: the federal government is signaling a significant shift in how it expects schools to manage student behavior.