<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>79182</law_id><section_number>22.1-279.1</section_number><catch_line>Corporal punishment prohibited</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>63.2-1511</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="22.1">Education</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="14">Pupils</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Discipline</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No teacher, principal or other person employed by a <span class="dictionary">school board</span> or employed in a school operated by the Commonwealth shall subject a student to <span class="dictionary">corporal punishment</span>. This prohibition of <span class="dictionary">corporal punishment</span> shall not be deemed to prevent (i) the use of incidental, <span class="dictionary">minor</span> or reasonable physical contact or other actions designed to maintain <span class="dictionary">order</span> and control; (ii) the use of reasonable and necessary force to quell a disturbance or remove a student from the scene of a disturbance which threatens physical injury to persons or damage to property; (iii) the use of reasonable and necessary force to prevent a student from inflicting physical harm on himself; (iv) the use of reasonable and necessary force for self-defense or the defense of others; or (v) the use of reasonable and necessary force to obtain <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of weapons or other dangerous <span class="dictionary">objects</span> or controlled substances or paraphernalia which are upon the person of the student or within his control. <a id="paragraph-283571" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-279.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> In determining whether a person was acting within the exceptions provided in this section, due deference shall be given to reasonable <span class="dictionary">judgments</span> at the time of the event which were made by a teacher, principal or other person employed by a <span class="dictionary">school board</span> or employed in a school operated by the Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-283572" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-279.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> For the purposes of this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">corporal punishment</span>&#x201D; means the infliction of, or causing the infliction of, physical pain on a student as a means of discipline.
			This definition shall not include physical pain, injury or discomfort caused by the use of incidental, <span class="dictionary">minor</span> or reasonable physical contact or other actions designed to maintain <span class="dictionary">order</span> and control as permitted in subdivision (i) of subsection A of this section or the use of reasonable and necessary force as permitted by subdivisions (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) of subsection A of this section, or by participation in practice or competition in an interscholastic sport, or participation in physical education or an extracurricular activity. <a id="paragraph-283573" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-279.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1989, c. 287; 1995, c. 681.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
